Who‘s the Woman Dan Rather Says Runs ’Occupy Wall St.’ From Her Apartment?
- Posted on October 10, 2011 at 9:44am by
Billy Hallowell
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Since his departure from CBS News in the wake of his 2004 presidential campaign scandal, former anchor Dan Rather appears occasionally in media to provide his perspective on current events.
On Sunday, Rather raised some eyebrows when he appeared on “The Chris Matthews Show.” The former anchorman made a number of curious comments about the Occupy Wall Street protests. The first, of course, is that the protests are a “mirror image” of the Tea Party rallies that have taken the nation by storm over the past two years.
This is a comparison that others, including comedian Jon Stewart, have been making. Then, Rather continued, giving his take on the individual he believes is coordinating the Wall Street protest:
“The real moving force behind this, what’s happening in the Wall Street protesters and the efforts to spread it around the country, is a woman operating out of her apartment in New York. She’s brilliant with the internet. She goes under the nom de plume of Grim. And Grim is the real leader of this movement operating out of her apartment. She is internet savvy and whether it succeeds or fails she’s the key.”
Watch these comments, below:
These statements arouse images of a woman sinisterly utilizing her computer to coordinate the take-down of the American economy. Furthermore, Rather seems to be placing the entire power and fury of a movement in the hands of one individual. But wasn’t this a “leaderless movement?”
To call her the “real leader” is a fairly bold statement and to place her as “the key” regardless of the success or failure is also a wide leap to take on the matter. Mediaite’s Josh Feldman attempts to set the record straight:
First of all, it’s important to point out that “Grim” is not organizing the protests per se, but is merely one of the two creators of the “We Are The 99 Percent” meme you may have noticed spreading on the internet. However, according to NewsBusters, Rather’s more glaring omission was that “Grim” is, in real life, an independent media maven working alongside someone who works full-time for a small media organization. Priscilla Grim (her real name) and her anonymous friend Chris (a self-described anarchist) told Mother Jones why they were inspired by the Occupy Wall Street movement.
Thus, it seems that Grim and her partner, Chris, are responsible for a message and a Tumblr page, not a movement (the site encourages people to send in pictures as well as their stories about how the current economic system has negatively impacted their lives).

This photo was posted along with an interview with Priscilla Grim by Gothamist back in 2004
While their popular “99 percent” mantra has spread rampantly, it‘s very clearly a play on the political sensitivity that is often utilized to rile drama between the nation’s class structure. Creating (based on popular political rhetoric) and strumming a popular line is one thing, but organizing an entire, multi-city movement is another.
On the Tumblr page they created, which is entitled, “We Are The 99 Percent,” the following description is given:
We are the 99 percent. We are getting kicked out of our homes. We are forced to choose between groceries and rent. We are denied quality medical care. We are suffering from environmental pollution. We are working long hours for little pay and no rights, if we’re working at all. We are getting nothing while the other 1 percent is getting everything. We are the 99 percent.
Brought to you by the people who occupy wall street. Why will YOU occupy?
Here’s a screen shot of the site:

Glenn Beck and his radio crew hilariously commented about the “99 percent” last week. Watch and listen, below:
But here’s the really odd part about the Grim scenario. Rather, who credits Grim with launching and sustaining the entire Occupy Wall Street protest, overlooks the fact that it was Chris who initially created the web site and messaging in the first place. Mother Jones reports:
Chris has also been busy managing logistics, including food drives, for Occupy Wall Street in Lower Manhattan—so about two weeks ago, he started sharing the blog’s increasingly demanding curation duties with a friend in the cause, Brooklyn-based nonprofit worker and independent media maven Priscilla Grim.
Thus, to call Grim the individual who has coordinated and with whom the entire movement‘s success or failure lies simply isn’t accurate. Rather also failed to mention the fact that Grim’s friend Chris is a self-described anarchist. According to Mother Jones, he characterizes himself as follows (emphasis mine):
I am 28 years old, college educated, full-time job, part-time freelance job, and I volunteer to feed the hungry and needy every Sunday…I am an anarchist, though my belief is that anarchism should be more about building things up than tearing things down. I am a dedicated pacifist…
And Grim describes herself in the following manner:
I worked for nonprofits for 10 years, have studied online media in school, and I am currently in grad school studying information science. I helped to organize online actions pre-MoveOn. I love serving people and improving the world, firstly for my kid and secondly for the rest of us. I worked in a lot of different realms and know how to build organizations and make them sustainable, if I am working with like-minded, determined individuals.
Below, see a snapshot of a LinkedIn profile that is registered to a “Priscilla Grim.” What is most striking about her profile is her education. Grim isn’t someone who lacks formal training. In fact, she has attended Columbia University, New School and The Webb School — all premiere institutions.
She has also held positions at some well known companies and organizations, including Time Warner Cable and the Association of Independent Video and Filmmakers. Clearly, this is someone who has attended excellent higher educational facilities and who has a great deal of work experience.
In her interview with Mother Jones, she claims that she has a link to her own “99 percent” story. Currently, she does not have her employment listed (her last contract position, at Time Warner, apparently ran through September 2011). In describing the protests, she said, “This is an occupation, and we are not leaving until there is systemic change.” Here’s the screen shot from her profile:

Image Credit: LinkedIn
In a 2004 interview with Gothamist, Grim, who claims that she “misspent” her youth living in small-town America, discusses working for the Association of Independent Video and Filmmakers. But she also uttered some extremely curious quotes. In describing President George W. Bush she said:
George Bush is one of the worst presidents, with the worst administration EVER. The election that placed him in the oval office was so obviously rigged, yet the people of the United States did nothing to fight the Supreme Court Decision that placed him in the White House.
While the aforementioned quote may not seem all that surprising, the comments that follow it are. In describing why, in her view, Americans did nothing to fight against Bush’s “rigged” election, she said:
Because it has been so long since real political action has fallen into the hands of the people. I really believe that American Society, outside of the activist community has no clue how to change the country.
But aren’t the forces and people behind Occupy Wall Street heralded as real people who are undertaking an extremely organic and un-calculated movement? Apparently Grim, the woman Rather credits with owning the Wall Street protests, doesn’t (or at least she didn’t back in 2004) believe that American society understands how to “change the country.”
In the end, though, it’s not surprising that Grim is involving herself in the Occupy Wall Street movement. Even in 2004, well before these protests took form, she said her one question for God, should she be allowed to ask him, would be, “If you are truly on the side of the people, why does only a small percentage of the world’s population own such a large percentage of the wealth?”
Is it possible that Grim is taking a larger role in the protests than she claims?Absolutely. But Rather’s account to Chris Matthews is flatly inaccurate. In describing her current role, Grim tells Mother Jones that she is sleeping in the park occasionally. “Other than that I am around,“ she says ”Doing what I can, lending professional consult when asked.”
Of course, it’s possible that Rather was simply mixing his facts. As Feldman writes, “In fairness, Dan Rather probably has no idea what Tumblr is, but all these people are responsible for is starting a meme that has allowed people to share stories about their personal financial woes.”
Being confused is certainly a possibility, but this neglectful nature is exactly what got Rather in trouble back in 2004.


















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Comments (140)
TWO BITS
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 10:35amSo, now we are supposed to believe there is a method to the madness? From my observations, the Occupy Wall Street crowd is neither a credit to their cause, or their gene pool!
Report Post »Goodyz
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 11:18amthe problem with the gene pool is that there are no lifeguards.
Report Post »8jrts
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 11:57amFrom what I hear going on with these feral people….sex in the streets, peeing and pooping everywhere, drugs etc….emptying the “pool” and sanitizing it may be the way to go.
Report Post »banjarmon
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 1:43pmDan…dry up and blow away!
Report Post »robert
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 2:04pmDan Rather says this woman is “brilliant.”
Why is it the left always insist somebody with a leftist agenda is brilliant, afterwhich they display average intelligence and a ton of gullibility?
This “brilliant” woman might not be noticing, but there are many items on the OWS agenda that are Libertarian more so than left wing.
It would be a joke if leftist geeks were overwhelmed by Libertarians and several right wing types.
Report Post »ThatsRight
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 3:19pmI am going to give Van Jones the credit for planting the seeds of this uprising. Then SEIU for implementation. SEIU Leadership was involved in the egyptian uprising. Ms. Grimm is just assisting, along with the many other useful idiots.
Report Post »chazman
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 4:06pm… Dan Rather is ‘rather biased’ and useless. When you retire, old sot, you should just retire.
Report Post »RodT82721
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 10:33amThe OWS is the progressive tea party! They even have Dan the man crawling out from under his rock to add a little excitement to the while chaos thing.
What’s the difference between the ‘tea party’ and the OWS crowd? Everything!
Report Post »The only real commonality is both have people.
dsm
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 10:33amI still wonder if anybody will ever give Beck credit for predicting this exact movement. No one else in the media looked into the Stephen Lerner audio where he was saying about collapsing Wall Street and getting 10% of people to quit paying their mortgages.
Report Post »Then you have the audio where Stephen Lerner is saying the unions are organizing this whole movement, but it can’t look like they have anything to do with it until after it started.
not funny
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 11:42amI saw the shows where Glenn had the recorded voices of Lerner explaining how they would protest Wall Street in October. It happened just as Glenn exposed it. This is no grass roots, spontaneous gathering. It was all planned by SEIU and the rest of the Left.
Report Post »Twobyfour
Posted on October 11, 2011 at 4:28amWould appreciate giving me any pointers regarding Beck’s materials. I noticed the curious thingy called OWS about a week ago. After some reading, my assessment was that this is a useful tool of some men behind the curtain. I were not sure what may be the actual, as opposed to perceived, thrust of the OWS, but based on history, my impression was that OWS may be instrumental in bringing about an authoritarian response.
Timing-wise, as the weather is about to change, it is not likely that the full potential would be realized now. More like a dry run, to gauge to what degree the young useful idiots can be malleable and useful.
After some hibernation, the “movement” would be revived in spring and kept on simmer More or less the current modus operandi) until late august/early september.when the polls’ figures would be available. Depending on these indicators two options seem likely:
1. If the figures indicate the OTP may be closer to TTP, then the movement may be utilized for “cementing” the election results.
2. If the figures would indicate otherwise, then it would be utilized in actions that would “necessitate” authoritarian response, perhaps up to suspension of elections and declaration of martial law.
Some of the OWS people may pinky-swear that won’t happen, but that does not matter. The people that were the architects of it would implement their plans no matter what. The opinions of some or segments of the movement are inconsequential.
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 10:29amPoor Dan, he so wants to be relevant again. You’re old Dan, you have plenty of dough, go fishing or something, anything… just be gone.
Report Post »BlackAce41
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 10:46amHis HDnet News program is good. But he himself needs to step back and breath. He is an icon of the media and the Original. I remember growing up and watching him on TV at night. Dan you had a good run now go raise your grand kids and work at a Supermarket part time.
Report Post »AJAYW
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 10:28amDan-rather lie than tell the truth.. anything out of is mouth needs to be checked out
Report Post »Sirfoldallot
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 10:27amDan I Rathernot is washed up, doesn’t make any sense , & is one of those with to much money, get him. LOL, wat a moe.
Report Post »JGraham III
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 10:22amRather is clutching at fame and glory long passed from his grasp, but he may actually be right. This OWS b.s. is the antithesis of the Tea Party. Consider that the Tea Party has inspired many Americans to become re-involved in their country’s future and promote what is good and right about our country. These throw-backs doing the “occupying” are anything but inspiring unless filth and foul behavior are an inspiration. I say let the Democrats claim them; the OWS gang are at long last showing what is in the heart of the Democratic Party. “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he” someone well versed with humanity’s failings once said. The time will come and soon that the Democrats will wish they had never ‘owned’ these fools. Any patriotic democrats may want to rethink their party affiliation. When the OWS gang has run it’s course, will any one say “tea hee”? I will.
Report Post »I.Gaspar
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 10:21amDan:
Report Post »There is a drug called Aricept you really ought to consider taking.
You can get it on the black market from a guy named Kenneth, if you are uncomfortable about asking your doctor about it.
Goodyz
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 11:21amI just heard a commercial for that same drug on the radio – it was on??? What’s the frequency Kenneth? Well played.
Report Post »apollo18
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 1:26pmDoesn’t work.
Report Post »Amy
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 10:17amProtesting the denial of quality healthcare? That in itself is laughable. Quality healthcare is not a right — Who wants spend hundreds of thousands of dollars, many years, and many sleepless nights and days preparing to enter the healthcare field just to give it away?
Report Post »tbarr4
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 10:17amArrest her Now for Sedition and Treason!
Report Post »godhead
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 10:23amOK, but first we arrest Rick Perry.
Report Post »rangerp
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 10:32am@TurdHead.
Good to see you posting your usual stupidity. I was worried, as I have not heard anything moronic from you in a while.
Started to worry thay you may have overdosed or something.
Report Post »MARCH4HIM
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 11:20am@ rangerp
Report Post »I believe that is a symtom of narcissism coupled with dementia.
Walkabout
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 11:20amgodhead
“OK, but first we arrest Rick Perry.”
Arrest Perry for? In state tuition for illegals? Or did you just want to say arrest some Republican, any Republican for whatever?
You remind me of a poster on Fox News. Terse acerbic comments. Bitter Much GODHEAD?
Report Post »godhead
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 12:05pmRangerWee . . . i realize that you crave “buddy time” now that you’re not sleeping and showering with your brothers in arms anymore. But no need to be so coy. And while I am no “that way” in the way that you are “that way” I have a few gays friends. I’m sure one of them has a foxhole fantasy that you could bring to life. Let me know. Meanwhile, how about some more faux bravado? I love it when you talk turd. It reminds me of grade school.
Report Post »Sirfoldallot
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 2:17pmY, no arrest for all the corruption Y now????
Report Post »elosogrande
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 10:16amRather’s mind started deteeriorating years ago. The only place left for him is MSNBC where stupidity is the prime factor for both anchors and their guests.
Report Post »clockwatcher
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 10:16amDan, he’s not dead? Oh well we will call his kids to tell them that he ran away from the home again.
Report Post »Walkabout
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 10:14amUmmm Priscilla Grim, what is wrong with small towns? Around small towns for one you have things like woods & elbow room. Look at the Winnie the Pooh stories (Hundred Acre Woods) & Calvin & Hobbs. The children have an absolute ball playing in the woods. Tolkein loved the woods very much. It comes across in creation of the Ents & in the Sylvan folk.
Report Post »Delta_River_Folk
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 10:21amAre You Ready? No are you truly ready? Can you protect your family and yourself? This may be coming to a city near you. We need groups to counter the hippie/liberal/lazy/communist/socilist/haters/anti-wall streeters.
Will the true Americans Please stand-up.
Report Post »HorseCrazy
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 11:47amsmall towns are where the fed up americans go, like myself years ago. we work hard and raise kids with values, she needs a reality check
Report Post »Walkabout
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 4:16pmIn small towns you can get the same Hollywood movies, the same World wide web & everything else and at a cheaper price to boot. I bet many if not most small town denizens are within 3 hours of a top tier metropolitan cesspool, if they wanted to experience the haute couture of decadence. So how was Ms. Grim depriced?
Report Post »Lloyd Drako
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 10:13amIs Chris Matthews a complete idiot? Madame Defarge didn’t organize the French Revolution, she just used it to destroy personal enemies, while of course tending to her knitting.
Report Post »Ken
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 10:30amYes, Chrissy Matthews is “more” than a complete idiot!!!
Report Post »Lloyd Drako
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 10:09amMaybe “Grim” can enlighten us about “Kenneth” and finally give us the frequency.
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 10:07am.
Report Post »She looks like the chick in that sleeping bag…………….
1casawizard
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 10:04amCall in a drone strike.
Report Post »godhead
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 10:25amYes, a drone strike, on the cult capital of Salt Lake City. There’a craven image with a pipe organ inside we need to flatten.
Report Post »Walkabout
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 10:49amgodhead
What is wrong with a drone strike on someone on the left?
I can distinctly remembered the left threatening people on my campus with physical force. Turn about is fair play.
Report Post »godhead
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 12:10pmwalkabout . . . Still avenging the insults heaped upon you in school, I see. You’re like Carrie with a weenus. Or maybe just like Carrie period. Here’s a tip. If you’re evert going to fully enter adulthood, you need to let go of all that mean old bully stuff. If you don’t, you’re doomed to live the rest of your life as a Bag Teaer – whining at everything and everybody, spewing hypocrisy and hiking the Appalachian Trail.
Report Post »Walkabout
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 1:00pmgodhead
Talking about the leftist activists on campus is very apropo, which is why I brought it up. College activists continue to be activists well into the golden years (e.g. Piven, Bill Ayers, etc ad naseum).
See you on another post quippy!
Report Post »qzak491
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 2:25pmWhy waist a drone attack on Wall Street when you have such a target rich environment in DC.
Report Post »CottonMPG
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 10:02amFunny! If this “movement” represents 99% of the US why don’t more of us relate to it or know people who relate to it?
Report Post »Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 10:11amThat’s the take I got from it. They are no more 99% of the REAL people who lost their jobs and houses than my dog is. Trust-fund babies.
Report Post »Walkabout
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 10:27amAnonymous T. Irrelevant
“Trust-fund babies.”?
That would be the icing on the cake if she were. There was a recent murder in Kansas a few months back. the culprit was a trust fund baby, who had never made much of himself.
Report Post »Lloyd Drako
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 10:44am“A trust fund baby, who had never made much of himself.”
Why should he, when he had a trust fund? How can we spur trust-fund babies to productive labor? Well, since what keeps trust funds funded is low estate and inheritance taxes, it would seem to follow that these should be raised to virtually confiscatory levels. . . .
Report Post »TRONINTHEMORNING
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 10:00amIt makes me bite my lip sometimes to realize that our men and woman in the military are fighting for these miscreants to behave in such fashions. God bless our Americans in uniform!
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 10:03amThey are fighting for a heck of a lot more than these these miscreants but, I understand your sentiment.
Report Post »TheBeesKnowSoros
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 9:59amThis woman was on Hannity’s show last week. He was trying to have a conversation/debate with her. All she would do is spout a talking point, then figuratively put her fingers in her ears and go ‘na na na, I can‘t hear you’, then wait for an opening and repeat.
Report Post »I wasn’t surprised at her behavior.
mils
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 10:08amand the americans that are following her rhetoric are every bit as stupid/
I still believe obama and the adm is behind all of this.
Report Post »…collapse is what they’re after.
SpiderPig
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 10:08pmThat was so funny. I can’t believe Dan Rather would even hint that she is behind all of this. If so, then it makes this Occupy Wall Street movement even less credible. She dodged Hannity’s questions by saying that she was not a professional economist, or something like that and that it should be left up to them on how to move forward. It was a great laugh. When I am in need of comic relief, I just need to listen to her ramblings.
Report Post »PatriotDadOfSix
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 9:58amDouche. That Is All.
Report Post »TxMadMac
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 9:58amGo away Dan. Your mind is so twisted with your ideologies that truth escapes you. You bore us.
Report Post »blazingaway
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 9:58amDan Rather is a mindless, clueless, idiot if he believes what he said: “that the protests are a “mirror image” of the Tea Party rallies that have taken the nation by storm over the past two years.”
Report Post »whatisay
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 10:43amFor me, Dan Rather has been Dan Rabid since the early ’70s. I wouldn’t believe a word that comes out of his anti-American mouth.
Report Post »Walkabout
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 10:43amDan Rather’s partisanship affected his work so much the main stream media had to dump in 2004.
He is getting worse. I don;t know if it is due to physiological factors (senility ) or he is drinking the cyanide laced kool aid of the left. I doesn’t much matter.
I am sure his appearance helped Chris Matthews ratings. ROFLMAO
Report Post »EqualJustice
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 9:58amI bet I know who the REAL WOMAN IS….Diana L. Taylor, Brookfield Office Properties.. you know ZUCCOTTI PARK? Interesting background and connections…. http://www.muckety.com/Diana-L-Taylor/15205.muckety
Report Post »joe conservative
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 9:50amFunny how these protestors (the ones that know why they’re there) have no problem using the many devices created by capitalists, yet they’re protesting against capitalism. Amazing hypocrisy. This video came out yesterday and it really says it all.
Report Post »http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jvMojZc_bE
ishka4me
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 9:54amthe woman running this is george soros
Report Post »ishka4me
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 9:56amI was watching the live stream omn the occupy wall street web page. They acknowledged that the alliance for global justice is covering expenses from donations from solyndra. No kidding. This a pure Soros/Obama movement
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 9:58amAnd Steve Jobs seems to have been a hero to the anti capitalists even though he was a very successful capitalist. It’s very curious.
Report Post »ashestoashes
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 10:04amThese people are paid protesters..just like the union protesters who were getting paid as I understand $80 a day. As for getting kicked out of your homes…what the heck are you protesting Walll Street for? why don’t you protest the Obama/Pelosi administration for spending 338.3 billion each year for illegals in the form of Medicade(that’s free healthcare), welfare…(that’s free money, housing and food) anchor babies, education just for elementary and jr high, imprisonment and the money they send to their homeland. Why don’t you protest that? That’s our tax money. But no..you are educated fools..too dumb to think for yourselves.. you are playing right into the “dedicated to Satan ..Rules for Radicals” playbook..which was most likely patterned after the Communist Manifesto. You need to learn to “think outside the box” Go to church and meet Yeshuah/Jesus and quit being a puppet.
Report Post »Lloyd Drako
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 10:17amJoe Conservative:
Report Post »Some are protesting against capitalism.Others are protesting the grotesque forms which capitalism has assumed in the US. You must admit they have a point there, whether because of government regulation, lack of government regulation, greed, stupidity, corruption or whatever.
RLTW
Posted on October 10, 2011 at 11:26am“the woman running this is george soros”, I find it interesting we’ve never seen George and fox piven in the same room?
Report Post »