Think Progress

Freedom’s Watch officially closing down.

Late last month, reports surfaced that the right-wing advocacy group Freedom’s Watch founded by Ari Fleischer and funded by Sheldon Adelson was downsizing. A spokesman would not say at that time if the group would continue to operate in the future. Today, however, the Washington Times reports that the organization will officially close its doors at the end of the month:

Multiple sources said the board of directors, which includes former White House spokesman Ari Fleischer and former Ambassador to Italy Mel Sembler, has decided to close down rather than just scale down post-election.

“There are no ifs or buts,” said a Republican operative close to the situation. “The board has made the decision to shut the doors.”

Freedom’s Watch touted itself as the conservative answer to MoveOn.org and boasted that it would spend nearly $200 million in this year’s election cycle. But in the end, the group spent around $30 million.




Sort Comments By: Top Rated | Date

31 Responses to “Freedom’s Watch officially closing down.”

  1. dbadass Says:

    Mission Accomplished?


  2. stateofthedivision Says:

    FW lost their sugar daddy, Sheldon Adelson.


  3. Perry logan Says:

    It's only logical. There's so much less freedom to watch these days.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSGLzStgujM


  4. cha cha cha Says:

    "It's 1 AM... Do you know where your freedom is?"


  5. cha cha cha Says:

    "Is our freedoms watching?"



  6. rogerD Says:

    Maybe we can get them to give the remaining money from their cache to the bailout of their buds from Wall St.

    Country first and all that.


  7. tokin librul Says:

    Freedom’s Watch officially closing down.»

    Which ones--which freedoms--do you suppose they figure don't need watching anymore?

    I'd like to ask Air Fleischer--after waterboarding him for a minute or so...


  8. Uncle Ho Says:

    Good riddance.


  9. tokin librul Says:

    FW lost their sugar daddy, Sheldon Adelson.
    December 8th, 2008 at 4:41 pm

    on paper, at least, adelson lost enough to guarantee the car companies' solvency for the next three months...


  10. Buckie Boy Says:

    Buh Bye....good riddance.


  11. stateofthedivision Says:

    Who will take up the cause for freedom in Burma, Tibet, Kenya, Pakistan, and Zimbabwe?

    Oh, Freedom's Watch was silent on their democracy protest. Apparently there will be no loss of Freedom from the demise of FW.


  12. Curlew Says:

    I guess this means that the Bush Abomination was so successful that there's no reason left to watch our freedoms?


  13. The Dogfather Says:

    "What a terrible thing it is to lose one's Freedoms. Or not to have Freedoms as being very wasteful. How true that is..."

    Or something like that.

    Gee -- do ya think maybe Ari will ask his republiscum friends for a Congressional bailout? It's all the rage these days, ya know...


  14. RUCerious Says:

    Freedumb on the march, down to the unemployment line.


  15. 49erDem Says:

    What!? No ground-swell of support from the people to save this valiant organization?! I thought this was a "center-right" nation?


  16. Wayne Says:

    Freedom Watch: Watching George Bush flush all our freedoms one by one.

    Now that George is about done flushing, there is nothing left for them to watch any more. Good riddance, Fascism Freedom Watch.


  17. Leftside Annie Says:

    Boo frickety hoo.

    Good riddance.


  18. Daddy-O Says:

    But...but...but now what will Ari "Watch What You Say" Fleischer do for a paycheck?

    It would be too fine to catch that asshat in an unemployment line, surrounded by folks of all colors...too fine, so it'll have to live on in my active imagination.

    But it WOULD make an EXCELLENT Saturday Night Live skit. Bet the house.


  19. gummitch Says:

    Freedom’s Watch touted itself as the conservative answer to MoveOn.org

    The problem is that there is no conservative answer to MoveOn.org.


  20. regular_joe Says:

    What? Freedom's Watch closing down? I doubt they'll be missed.

    1) There will NEVER be a conservative answer to MoveOn.org. MoveOn.org is a true grassroots organization. Conservatism, OTOH, is handed down from on high -- very infallible daddy-figure oriented. Besides, they've lost their sugar daddy and there's no one to pay the bills.

    2) Since the election's over, the need for yet another Republican propaganda outlet has declined. Hey, isn't that the function of Fox News?

    3) Conservative outfits like Freedom’s Watch routinely have to change their names, if only to stay one step ahead of their creditors, and/or the law. But don't worry, they'll be back with a slightly different name, e.g. Freedom Swatch, peddling the same old brain-dead, snake oil that conservatives have been hawking since before the Reagan administration.

    But it's hard out there for conservatives. Things have changed. Now that the majority of voters have realized that conservatism is just an excuse for rewarding the rich while SCREWING working people, it's getting harder to convince them to vote against their own interests.


  21. sectionop92 Says:

    So "Freedom" does have a price after all, that doesn't have to be paid for with or by blood.

    *lesson to future generations...just tune out hate-mongering Republicans


  22. dixie blood Says:

    It always a good day when a group of Israeli suckup, corporate fascists have to close their doors in America...


  23. bronzbootz Says:

    The organization will officially close its doors at the end of the month...

    .*^*..*^*..*^*..*^*..*^*..*^*..*^*..*^*..*^*..*^*..*^*..*^*.
    ...and a HAPPY NEW YEAR.
    .*^*..*^*..*^*..*^*..*^*..*^*..*^*..*^*..*^*..*^*..*^*..*^*.


  24. Marie Says:

    So sad -- too bad.
    NOT!


  25. stateofthedivision Says:

    Does that mean I have to close my counter FW blog, Ari's Freedom Switch?

    Highly likely...



  26. Max-1 Says:

    .

    And it was going so good...
    ... Damn economy, YES?

    .


  27. Arctic Ghetto Says:

    Thanks for posting this, I wasn't watching.


  28. Bozo The Neoclown Says:

    proving once again, conservatism is a dying ideology


  29. NOLIESPLEASE Says:

    Do you want to watch freedom and how it's been destroyed by the conservative movement...watch a documentory call "the Trap". It's a bbc doc on how we came to be with this conservative movement who tried to separate us from our friends, family and anyone who would move the country forward via a liberal view.

    The hole idea of conservatism...only the strong will survive....guess what...libs won and your idiot ideas of conservatism have died with Freedom Watch...idiots.



Jump to Top

About Think Progress | Contact Us | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy (off-site) | RSS | Donate
© 2005-2009 Center for American Progress Action Fund
View Most Popular

Advertisement

What We're About

Featured

image
Subscribe to the Progress Report



imageTopic Cloud


Visit Our Affiliated Sites

image image
Reports


Got a hot tip?
Have a hot news tip? We'd love to hear from you. Use the form below to send us the latest.

Name:
Email:
Tip:
(required)


imageArchives


imageBlog Roll