# Rebuttals/responses to new James O'Keefe video? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [October 18, 2016, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuttals-responses-to-new-james-okeefe-video/768905 "2016-10-18T00:27:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2016, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuttals-responses-to-new-james-okeefe-video/768905/1 "2016-10-18T00:27:44Z")
So the massively dishonest “guerrilla reporter” James O’Keefe, famous for taking down ACORN, has released a new video claiming to show behind-the-scenes shenanigans and corruption at the Clinton campaign, particularly involving dirty tricks to plant protesters at Trump rallies. I could only bear to watch the first five or so minutes given how terribly it was produced, but my (few) Trump-supporting friends are all agog over it. Have any of the people in the video responded? Has any legitimate news organization investigated these claims? (If you are a masochist, you can find the video [here.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IuJGHuIkzY)) ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2016, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuttals-responses-to-new-james-okeefe-video/768905/2 "2016-10-18T00:56:14Z")
Are there really “claims”? I watched it and it was a bunch of snippets of video (with O’Keefe telling you what you’ll see to prime you) of a couple guys saying they have activists who attend Trump rallies with Planned Parenthood shirts, etc to try and draw a reaction from the chuckleheads in the crowd. Some guy tries to take credit for disrupting the Trump rally in Chicago (I think he’s just trying to brag; everyone here knew that UIC was a bad location from the start) and one guy says that he’s paid homeless people and given them hotel rooms to work rallies. Probably the biggest thing was one guy talking about how they exploit a loophole in election law that, although campaigns and Super PACs can’t coordinate directly, they can both talk to an independent middleman. Given that most campaigns just flip off the impotent FEC and coordinate directly, this hardly seems like anything to fetch the salts over. The video is all very poor quality and snipped all to hell. Sometimes the speaker isn’t even in the frame so you have no way of knowing if the low quality audio is legitimate or pieced together. There is almost never anything that would constitute a conversation or allow for context. You know, a typical O’Keefe hit piece. It’s worth noting that this is NOT the Clinton campaign. It’s an activist organization that works with various Democratic groups. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2016, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuttals-responses-to-new-james-okeefe-video/768905/3 "2016-10-18T01:27:05Z")
The only O’Keefe video I’ll watch is the one where someone punches him in the throat. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2016, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuttals-responses-to-new-james-okeefe-video/768905/4 "2016-10-18T01:32:53Z")
O’Keefe’s videos merit neither response nor rebuttal. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2016, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuttals-responses-to-new-james-okeefe-video/768905/5 "2016-10-18T02:09:18Z")
You lost me at O’Keefe ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2016, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuttals-responses-to-new-james-okeefe-video/768905/6 "2016-10-18T02:17:09Z")
[“How Much Keefe Is in this Movie Anyway?”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZAmmIMzgRs) 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2016, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuttals-responses-to-new-james-okeefe-video/768905/7 "2016-10-18T03:09:55Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > O’Keefe’s videos merit neither response nor rebuttal. This. It’s hard to reach a point where _documentary video_ produced by you is so dishonest as to be completely untrustworthy, but O’Keefe and his band of liars pulled it off. ---
**Author:** ![Aestivalis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Aestivalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aestivalis)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2016, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuttals-responses-to-new-james-okeefe-video/768905/8 "2016-10-18T21:01:04Z")
I have to say, I watched it, and all the honest talk from these operatives about how they are provoking responses from the Trump rally attendees is distasteful. Sometimes you don’t want to see how sausage is made. It’s a pretty finely tuned message, which won’t sway hard lefties, but will enrage righties, and disenchant the undecided middle. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2016, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuttals-responses-to-new-james-okeefe-video/768905/9 "2016-10-18T21:13:21Z")
> [@Aestivalis](#): > > I have to say, I watched it, and all the honest talk from these operatives about how they are provoking responses from the Trump rally attendees is distasteful. Sometimes you don’t want to see how sausage is made. It’s a pretty finely tuned message, which won’t sway hard lefties, but will enrage righties, and disenchant the undecided middle. Given the source (who has pled guilty to charges stemming from doctoring videos), why should I believe that these people are who they purport to be? ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2016, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuttals-responses-to-new-james-okeefe-video/768905/10 "2016-10-18T23:04:17Z")
Add a general rule, the undecided middle doesn’t watch a whole lot of O’Keefe videos. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2016, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuttals-responses-to-new-james-okeefe-video/768905/11 "2016-10-18T23:24:34Z")
I would be more likely to believe the claims in a Michael Bay movie. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2016, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuttals-responses-to-new-james-okeefe-video/768905/12 "2016-10-18T23:43:15Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I would be more likely to believe the claims in a Michael Bay movie. How about Roland Emmerich? ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2016, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuttals-responses-to-new-james-okeefe-video/768905/13 "2016-10-18T23:46:14Z")
> [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > The only O’Keefe video I’ll watch is the one where someone punches him in the throat. What if he gets punched in the throat by Martin Shkrelli? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2016, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuttals-responses-to-new-james-okeefe-video/768905/14 "2016-10-19T00:40:51Z")
Authenticated video of the both of them getting the Ramsay Bolton “Kibbles and Bits” treatment. OK, not to a mortal extreme. Couple good solid chomps, I’m cool with that. ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2016, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuttals-responses-to-new-james-okeefe-video/768905/15 "2016-10-19T21:23:56Z")
Here’s a Washing Post article claiming that two democratic operatives lost their jobs because of this video: [Unfortunately I can only read the headline because it’s behind a paywall.](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2016/10/19/two-democratic-operatives-lose-jobs-after-james-okeefe-sting/) ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2016, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuttals-responses-to-new-james-okeefe-video/768905/16 "2016-10-19T21:27:01Z")
> [@Aestivalis](#): > > I have to say, I watched it, and all the honest talk from these operatives about how they are provoking responses from the Trump rally attendees is distasteful. Sometimes you don’t want to see how sausage is made. It’s a pretty finely tuned message, which won’t sway hard lefties, but will enrage righties, and disenchant the undecided middle. If the only provocation is wearing the wrong shirt or heckling Trump and it results in a beat down, it still proves that Trump supporters are a bunch of out of control thugs. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2016, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuttals-responses-to-new-james-okeefe-video/768905/17 "2016-10-19T21:40:36Z")
The truth is always the opposite of what that guys says it is. Rebutting an O’Keefe video is like asking someone to rebut what Mad Max gets wrong about climate change policy. ---
**Author:** ![WillFarnaby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/willfarnaby/32/514_2.png) [@WillFarnaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WillFarnaby)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2016, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuttals-responses-to-new-james-okeefe-video/768905/18 "2016-10-20T01:47:24Z")
The one guy got fired and the former felon resigned from his role, all without any media coverage. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2016, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuttals-responses-to-new-james-okeefe-video/768905/19 "2016-10-20T03:09:41Z")
> [@WillFarnaby](#): > > The one guy got fired and the former felon resigned from his role, all without any media coverage. You know, except for the coverage it got, including the link to one of the most widely read newspapers in the country just three posts above yours. Does it get exhausting to be so thoroughly wrong all the time? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2016, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuttals-responses-to-new-james-okeefe-video/768905/20 "2016-10-20T03:58:23Z")
> [@Aestivalis](#): > > I have to say, I watched it, and all the honest talk from these operatives about how they are provoking responses from the Trump rally attendees is distasteful. Sometimes you don’t want to see how sausage is made. It’s a pretty finely tuned message, which won’t sway hard lefties, but will enrage righties, and disenchant the undecided middle. Do you realize that it’s been repeatedly proven that O’Keefe falsifies his videos? The one thing you can safely assume about anything you see in one of his videos is that it didn’t happen. I could hire actors and make a “documentary” of them claiming to be underage male prostitutes that Donald Trump paid to have sex with. And it would be about as truthful as anything O’Keefe has ever done. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rebuttals-responses-to-new-james-okeefe-video/768905.md?page=2)