How America's Leading Conspiracy Theorist Helped Launch Rand Paul's Career - Media Matters

[RandallFan]

I dont think Alex Jones was the difference in his primary victory.

[TABLE="class: wikitable"]
[TR="bgcolor: #E9E9E9"]
[TH="colspan: 5"]Republican primary results[SUP][50][/SUP][/TH]
[/TR]
[TR="bgcolor: #EEEEEE"]
[TH="colspan: 2"]Party[/TH]
[TH]Candidate[/TH]
[TH]Votes[/TH]
[TH]%[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH="bgcolor: #FF3333"][/TH]
[TD]Republican[/TD]
[TD]Rand Paul[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]206,986[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]58.8[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: vcard"]
[TH="bgcolor: #FF3333"][/TH]
[TD="class: org"]Republican[/TD]
[TD="class: fn"]Trey Grayson[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]124,864[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]35.4[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_election_in_Kentucky,_2010#Republican_primary

http://mediamatters.org/blog/2015/04/02/how-americas-leading-conspiracy-theorist-helped/203016

Eric Hananoki is a research fellow for Media Matters. He was previously a staffer for The Al Franken Show.

A fringe right-wing radio host who believes the government was behind 9/11, the Oklahoma City bombing, the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster, and several other catastrophes, has been a key figure in the political rise of Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), who will reportedly announce a run for president on April 7.

Paul has credited Alex Jones, who heads conspiracy website Infowars.com and an eponymous radio program, for being a vital part of his 2010 Senate campaign. Jones endorsed Paul, turned out followers to his events, and partnered with Paul for fundraising, at one point crashing his website. Since Paul's election to the Senate, Jones has continued to serve as a key Paul booster, including endorsing him for 2016.

In this report:

• Alex Jones Thinks The Government Was Behind 9/11, Oklahoma City, And The Boston Marathon Bombing
• "We Can't Do It Without You": How Rand Paul Flattered Alex Jones
• "Your Victory Is Our Victory": Alex Jones' Adoration For Rand Paul
• "Put Our Money On The Line": How Paul And Jones Fundraised Together
• Vaccines, Martial Law, Eugenics, A "Shooting War," And Hitler: What Paul Talked About With Jones
• Alex Jones Is Backing Rand Paul For 2016

"We Can't Do It Without You": How Rand Paul Flattered Alex Jones

Rand Paul has thanked and praised Alex Jones for his promotional and fundraising efforts. Here are several examples from Jones' interviews with Paul.


"Your Victory Is Our Victory": Alex Jones' Adoration For Rand Paul

"Put Our Money On The Line": How Paul And Jones Fundraised Together

Vaccines, Martial Law, Eugenics, A "Shooting War," And Hitler: What Paul Talked About With Jones

Alex Jones Is Backing Rand Paul For 2016

Jones: Paul Is "For Real," His Supposed Moderation Is Just Him "Playing Politics." Jones vouched for Paul's authenticity and dismissed suggestions about Paul to the contrary, stating: Paul "is a constitutionalist patriot like his father and they know that. OK? So, he's playing politics with them, like Clinton played politics." [Genesis Communications Network, The Alex Jones Show, 1/26/15, via Right Wing Watch]

 

[RonZeplin]

Hit piece: FAIL

 

[r3volution 3.0]

A fringe right-wing radio host...

mediamatters.org = 2.8 million hits per month
infowars.com = 10.3 million hits per month

Who's fringe now?

 

[Matt Collins]

No one will pick this up. But it is also a good lesson as to why not to associate with people with this little credibility.

 

[NewRightLibertarian]

No one will pick this up. But it is also a good lesson as to why not to associate with people with this little credibility.

Yeah I am not quite sure why Alex Jones has associated so closely with this wishy-washy political figure.

 

[Anti Federalist]

Yeah I am not quite sure why Alex Jones has associated so closely with this wishy-washy political figure.

Annnnnnnd have a +rep!

 

[axiomata]

No one will pick this up. But it is also a good lesson as to why not to associate with people with this little credibility.

The annoying thing is the vast majority of my google news feed pickups re Rand Paul are pieces like this.

 

[NewRightLibertarian]

The annoying thing is the vast majority of my google news feed pickups re Rand Paul are pieces like this.

Let them run with this piece. We saw how it backfired when they put Alex Jones on Piers Morgan. Let them put more eyeballs onto the truth. I'd like to see it