>>> DONALD TRUMP LEANING INTO
HIS COURTSHIP OF THE DANGEROUS
CONSPIRACY GROUP QANON.
AT A RALLY ON FRIDAY, HIS TEAM
WERE PLAYING A SONG THAT’S
ALMOST IDENTICAL TO THE QANON
THEME SONG WITH ONE OF THE CLOUD
RAISING THAT ONE FINGER QANON
SALUTE.
>> NOW WE’RE A NATION IN
DECLINE.
WE ARE A FAILING NATION.
WE ARE A NATION THAT HAS THE
HIGHEST INFLATION IN 50 YEARS.
>> TRUMP HIMSELF POSTING A
BARRAGE OF QANON THEMED IMAGES
ON HIS TRUTH SOCIAL ACCOUNT LIKE
THIS ONE SHOWING TRUMP WITH THE
AMERICAN FLAG IN FRONT OF A
LARGE LETTER Q, AND THIS POST
REFERRING TO, QUOTE, INFORMATION
WARFARE AND THE LETTER Q OVER
HALF OF TRUMP’S FACE.
JOINING ME NOW IS DEMOCRATIC
STRATEGIST KURT BARDELLA.
SO NICE TO SEE YOU.
TRUMP SEEMS TO BE LEANING INTO
HIS QANON FAN BASE, ALTHOUGH HE
WON’T ADMIT IT PUBLICLY, BUT HIS
LAST TWO RALLIES ARE BETRAYING
HIS TRUE FEELINGS IN MY OPINION.
WHAT’S HIS GOAL HERE, SHORING UP
HIS FAN BASE FOR A 2024 RUN?
>> YEAH, I MEAN, THIS IS JUST
DELIBERATE PANDERING TO THE
EXTREME FRINGES OF SOCIETY, AND
THAT TELLS YOU EVERYTHING YOU
KNOW ABOUT THE DIRECTION OF THE
REPUBLICAN PARTY.
THEIR BREAK FROM REALITY, THEIR
BREAK FROM TRUTH, THEIR WAR AND
ASSAULT ON THOSE WHO REPORT AND
TELL THE TRUTH, IT ALL LEADS TO
THIS.
THE FURTHER AWAY THEY GET FROM
REALITY AND ALTERNATE FACTS AND
ALTERNATE REALITIES, YOU HAVE
HEARD THEM USE THOSE TERMS
BEFORE, THE MORE THEY RELY ON
THIS CRAZY FRINGE THAT WILL
BELIEVE ANYTHING BUT THE
REALITY.
DONALD TRUMP HAS SPENT SO MUCH
OF HIS TIME, EVEN GOING BACK TO
WHEN HE PRESIDED OVER COVID, HE
SAID WE HAVE TURNED THE CORNER
ON COVID WHEN THERE WERE STILL
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE DYING EVERY
DAY.
THEY ARE RELIANT ON PEOPLE TO
BELIEVE IN CONSPIRACY AND
MISINFORMATION.
THEY PREY ON THAT BECAUSE THAT’S
THEIR ENTIRE BASE AT THIS POINT.
THAT’S WHAT THE BIG LIE IS ALL
ABOUT.
>> YEAH, BUT YOU KNOW, KURT,
QANON USED TO BE AN OUTLIER.
USED TO BE THE WE’RE GOING TO
TURN A BLIND EYE, MAYBE CROSS
THE STREET KIND OF ENERGY.
BUT IT’S NOW MORE MAINSTREAM.
IN THE UPCOMING MIDTERMS 11
CANDIDATES HAVE SHOWN SOME
SUPPORT FOR QANON.
11.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR THE
POLITICAL LANDSCAPE GOING
FORWARD IF DANGEROUS DOMESTIC
TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS LIKE
QANON ARE NOW LESS OUTLIER AND
MORE MAINSTREAM?
>> WELL, AND THAT’S WHY AGAIN
60% OF AMERICANS ARE GOING TO
HAVE AN ELECTION DENIER ON THEIR
BALLOT THIS NOVEMBER.
THE IDEA THAT THERE’S SOME BIG
DIVIDE BETWEEN THE REPUBLICAN
PARTY ESTABLISHMENT AND THE
FRINGE IS A COMPLETE FALLACY.
THEY’RE ONE AND THE SAME AT THIS
POINT.
THE FRINGE IS THE ESTABLISHMENT.
AND I THINK IN THE MEDIA AND IN
PROGNOSTICATORS AND PUNDITS AND
COMMENTATORS, WE NEED TO ADJUST
AND ADAPT TO THE REALITY THERE
IS NO ESTABLISHMENT REPUBLICAN
PARTY THE WAY WE REMEMBER IT,
THE WAY MITT ROMNEY CARRIED THAT
TORCH OR GEORGE W. BUSH.
THAT’S A THING OF THE PAST.
THE ESTABLISHMENT REPUBLICAN
PARTY LOOKS A LOT MORE LIKE