While campaigning in Grand Junction, CO, Donald Trump unleashed a new bizarre conspiracy theory that the protesters at his rallies are paid Democratic plants.
After complaining that the media doesn’t report on his good poll numbers, Trump said, “Oh and these people here. They’re getting $1500 to do that. Fifteen hundred dollars. You see how professional they are. Look at the guy. Now, he’s just walking out. So, yesterday there was a story that the DNC, Democratic National Committee, is sending protesters in here, paying them fifteen hundred dollars. Look at that guy! He’s like a pro. They got him out. Now, he’s just walking. You know, it’s disgusting. It just came out yesterday, and I thought so.”
Versions of the story that Trump repeated all over the conservative media echo chamber, which is sourced to James O’Keefe’s latest bit of nonsense. We now know where Trump gets his news. He reads it on right-wing Internet sites.
Democrats don’t pay protesters to object to Donald Trump. The Republican nominee’s own words and behavior have done plenty to organically trigger protests.
Trump is badly trailing on the evening before the final presidential debate, but is he thinking about how he can win the election? Nope. Trump is feeding conspiracy theories about how the polls aren’t real, and the protesters aren’t real.
Donald Trump isn’t trying to win. He’s preemptively building an excuse file for his defeat.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
