Why Is C-SPAN Giving Roger Stone A Platform To Peddle Conspiracy Theories?
Blog ››› ››› OLIVER WILLIS
C-SPAN is set to air a Newsmakers interview with Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s longtime ally Roger Stone that gives Stone a friendly platform to promote Trump’s candidacy and float his conspiracy theory that the election may be “rigged” in favor of Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.
C-SPAN is elevating Stone despite his long history of pushing conspiracy theories and making incendiary comments. In just the past two weeks, Stone has alleged that the Clintons orchestrated the recent murders of several people and claimed that Clinton aide Huma Abedin is a “terrorist agent” who married a Jewish man (Anthony Weiner) as “cover.”
Wall Street Journal reporter Monica Langley, Politico’s Alex Isenstadt, and C-SPAN host Greta Wodele Brawner spoke to Stone on C-SPAN’s Newsmakers in an interview that C-SPAN posted online ahead of its August 21 airing.
In the course of the interview, the journalists asked Stone about several issues surrounding the campaign, including campaign strategy, Trump’s approach toward the presidential debates, the candidate’s leadership style, and Stone’s repeated criticism of former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski.
Langley asked Stone, “One thing that Trump and you have alleged frequently is that this election could be ‘rigged.’ Why do you say that, and do you think that’s a dangerous thing to be saying for a democracy?” Stone responded, “Actually, it’s a dangerous thing to not be saying.” He then suggested that polls are currently being intentionally “inflate[d]” to favor Clinton in order to lay the groundwork for electronic voting machines to be rigged to “reflect that outcome.” After Stone proffered his conspiracy theory, the questioners just shifted to discussing recent changes in Trump’s campaign staff.
Stone’s other conspiracy theories were not referenced at all. Along with his claim that the Clintons are responsible for multiple murders (including John F. Kennedy, Jr.), he has argued that Lyndon Johnson had John F. Kennedy killed, and that the Bush family tried to have President Ronald Reagan assassinated.
Newsmakers also ignored the series of racist and sexist tweets that spurred CNN and MSNBC to ban Stone from appearing on air. The interviewers also did not bring up his tweets advocating the execution of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and former Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT).
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- Elections
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- Roger Stone
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- Newsmakers
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