Jonathan Henke Slams Conservative Website WorldNetDaily: They 'Traffic In Paranoid Conspiracy Theories' (VIDEO)

The conservative internet site WorldNetDaily is reaching for new heights in the competition amongst right wingers to see who can come up with the most outlandish conspiracy theory about the Obama administration. Their latest is that Democratic efforts to shore up relief efforts during national emergencies is actually a secret effort to set up "concentration camps for political dissidents, such as occurred in Nazi Germany."

Rachel Maddow interviewed one leading figure on the right, Jonathan Henke, co-founder of the site TheNextRight, who is pushing back against this falsehood, calling it "hideously embarrassing for the Right" in a post on his website.

Henke told Maddow:

WorldNetDaily traffics in the paranoid conspiracy theories that take away from our ability to discuss more important issues. They feed people with perhaps what they want to hear instead of actual facts, and they justify by saying we're just reporting what people are saying. For example they say, 'we're not saying the birth certificate is actually fake. We're just saying that some people are saying the birth certificate is fake.' [...] They tear down the intellectual foundations of the right.

Asked by Maddow what WorldNetDaily's motive could be for putting out these theories when it makes the site not credible, Henke responded, "I think they genuinely believe in what they're doing. I am sorry to say."

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Comments

[whoknew42]

This is why I LOVE Rachel Maddow! She is awesome and truly seeks what is "behind" the so-called 'truth' (facts). I follow her on Twitter too!

I appreciate Jon Henke for coming forward and revealing that not ALL republicans are supporting these crazy conspiracy theorist on the fringe-extreme right. They do seem to have taken over the party - and what's worse - the right appears to have embraced these folks whole heartedly!

When Jon made the statement about how some of the politicians are supporting them because they speak out against Obama (in shrieks and screams) - let me be the first to say that once you let the monster loose - it's almost impossible to get back that control. My fear is that they will go so far out there that there will be another 'war' - but this time - it will be American against American. This appears to be the wish of many conspiracy theorist. Do they really want that? Be careful what you ask for

[JohnBryansFontaine]

World Net Daily Editor Joseph Farah is a pathological Liar. He is a leading advocate of the Orwellian Doublespeak Hitler-and-the-Nazis-were-leftists meme and even goes so far as to brand the Truth ‘revisionism’:

Who most resembles 'Nazis'?

http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=107095

The Truth is that both Hitler and Farah are on the extreme right.

[Rainmakr44]

ESPECIALLY FOR BIG GOVERNMENT LOVERS!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LO2eh6f5Go0
Don't worry,Big MAMA is ALWAY there. lol

[Rog49Thomas]

Sorry, Brother Henke, you own them and can't disown them.

Your party is defined by these folks - the terminally delusional, the racists, those who would sacrifice the poor and middle class on the altar of corporate profits, the irrational screaming heads of Rush, Sean, Dr. Beck, Bill O'Bluster. And those who yell out "You Lie"

The only thing missing tonight were the white robes and hoods.

And the guns. I was sure that some members of the Party were going to show up tonight bearing arms. Didn't the Supreme Court throw out DC's strict gun law?

[redsongia]

This guy really has a point. Fox news is absurd, so I watch shows like Rachel Maddows, but the coverage is so increasingly one wingnut story after another that 75% of the news in my brain right now is not about issues at all, just about wing nuttery.

While the GOP wing nuttery is news to an extent, and they jumped the shark for sure when Palin wound up on their presidential ticket, I'm not sure how someone like me, who is not strictly a democrat, is supposed to get news about moderate conservative or moderate democratic happenings. It seems like the sensible point of view is lost to the news networks, because there is no crying, no hitler posters, no foaming at the mouth...in other words, it's not good TV.

[redsongia]

For example, I just did a Huff Po search on moderate republicans such as Charlie Christ, Kay Bailey Hutchinson, Olympia Snowe and found maybe one story per month about them. Schwarzenegger gets a mention every once in a while, but only because he was a movie star. Think what you will of him, but he's trying to govern in tough circumstances and is never joining these weird sucession or birther movements or taking a "stand" against stimulous money.

These are moderates, and I have no idea what they're up to on a daily/weekly basis, yet I have minute to minute reporting on every single twitter sent by former Gov. Sarah Palin.

I can't even really go to Drudge or Fox for the other side of the story, because they are all busy fanning the flames of the untreated mentally ill in America.

[whit4brains]

I agree.

[babyjupiter24]

so well said redsongia. i wish we could have great intellectual debates. i was always a big fan of the firing line debates on pbs with will buckley.

growing i used to think that i hated the guy and some members of his panel who agreed with him and his "fake accent". but years later i realized how much i learned from him and admired his intelligence and eloquence. he got me to understand true conservative viewpoints and how important it was to hear both sides of an argument and not get into mindless lockstep, just because i gravitated to one side or another.

those days now seem far away and i long for them to return. i'm convinced that rachel maddow is capable of presenting discussions like those if she wanted to but am becoming more and more disappointed with some of the shows content.

however i am still a big fan of hers.

[realpolitic]

As usual, Henke makes a false equivalency. He compares the "birther" crowd to the "war was fought for oil" crowd. It is a ludicrous comparisan. Even Allan Greenspan said we fought the Iraqi war for oil.

[Bettysdad]

You beat me to it.

He also commpares birthers to 9-11 truthers.

There are legitimate questions about the official 9-11 story. There are none about Obama's birth.

[Rainmakr44]

Omigod,
Legitmate questions on the ' Truthers".lol. Dupont made an hour long Documentary and debunked every single question, by doing tests. They showed how Girders melted from Jet Gas. They demonstrated what a Jetliner would do to the Pentagon vs a Rocket. They showed what the inside would look like after both. They spent alot of money recreating that tragic day. You still believe there was a man on the grassy knoll. People will continue to see what they believe. It's pathetic really. It would take hundreds and hundreds of Americans to pull off such a Conspiracy...and do you believe someone on their death bed wouldn't tell all? We didn't land on the moon either. I think the "Birthers" are nuts, and I think you belong in the same hospital...with all due respect.

[Phxflyer]

World Nut Daily . . . comedy at its finest . . . next to Glenn Beck.

[whit4brains]

I call it Wing Nut Daily. It would be even funnier if there wasn't so many idjiots out there who believe that no.nsense.

[redsongia]

When did people start trusting news anchors who cry on air?

[nofanofheliumman]

These two people are actually very intelligent. I mean, they appear to be. This is quite unusual--i.e. two intelligent people having a dialogue on TV or the Internet (interchangeable). Usually it is a shouting match between two sides of an issue.

I only see one problem. This phrase "paranoid conspiracy theorists" is being used to the extreme by some people. I think the three words should be broken down separately and studied before being prattled about on the airwaves.

Who determines who is paranoid and are conspiracy theorists really theorists or do they really have a point? Could "conspiracy theorists" be individuals or organizations who shake other people's foundations to such a degree they must strike back with this derogatory phrase?

Personally, I no longer use the term "conspiracy", because it has been denegrated to such a level that it is no longer meaningful.

I use the phrase planned or well-executed event.

[Bettysdad]

"conspiracy theorists" are people who don't accept the "official" story about events, despite there being legitimate, unanswered questions.

It's a way to marginalize dissent, and maintain lies.

[BlueTexasWoman]

Literally the term conspire means "to breath together." Conspiracy theorists, whether it is those who believe that the US is run by Masons or those that believe that more than 40 years ago some people decided that they were going to make a new born the eventual president of the U.S. by falsifying his birth records, are people who fail to accept the fact backed answer to any questions. We might also call them conspiracy fantasiest, as they have know evidence for their "theories" or "fantasies" other than their gut, and they continue to maintain their "fantasies" in the face of overwhelming evidence.

They are the people who believe that HIV doesn't cause AIDS. They are the people who believe in the grassy knoll. That 9/11 was an inside job. They are on the left and on the right. And most, I hate to break it to you, have serious issues with living in a fact-based, rational existence. Many people with schizophrenia or schizoitypal disorder engage in the great fantasies of paranoia, persecution, and conspiracy.

And many people might question why people who likely have some form of a mental disorder are allowed so much screen time on the news, even if they are elected officials.

[deminmo]

I don't know if WND promotes the wildest conspiracy
theories, there are plenty of strange sites on the internet.
And there are plenty of cable talk shows. I occasionally visit the
site just to see what new "Birther" documents are out.

[NJmikeV]

Too little, too late.

The wingnuts have already poisoned the well for the GOP for years to come.

[emrogers]

Maybe, maybe not. Seems to me there needs to be an opposing party - not a party just opposing everything the other guy says. Well - it'll be interesting to watch...

[chendri887]

And why is George Noory's Coast to Coast AM and all its senseless irrational conspiracy theories on twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week on every conservative radio station in the country?

[DimBulb2]

it sells commercial time
if it didnt sell
it wouldnt be on

aint america great?

[jws2346]

Very impressive MS Maddow. What a joy it was to watch two adults have a rational discussion. While I didn't exactly agree with some of his philosophy near the end. I have great respect for those, like you, that don't exactly agree with some of the rights BS, but you're intelligent and mature enough to realize they do have different opinions.

[ReealOne]

In comparison to what we normally see from the "right" such as:

1.. Yelling, screaming, name calling, and NEVER bothering to "listen" or discuss and debate intelligently
2.. Telling BLANTANT LIES no matter how crazed they sound,
3.. Continuing to REPEAT the LIES over and over again, long after they've been debunked,
4.. Opposing EVERYTHING the Dem party does (no matter what it is, or without even bothering to read the bills)
5.. Bringing loaded guns to public events to get their points across
6. Using violence to get their point across
7.. Acting (or maybe it really is not an act) like they're wild and batsh*t crazy
8.. Being HYPOCRITICAL LIARS by doing some of the things other do, but thinking that the rules don't apply to them

Can they blame anyone for not wanting to deal with the BS coming from the conservatives "right wingers"?!

[redsongia]

This is the only behavior that is covered either by the "right wing media" or the "left wing media"

While Keith Olbermann had a decent show while Bush was still president, and his criticism was a needed voice, now his show seems like it's dedicated to covering the shows I intentionally don't watch because they are meaningless, i.e., Hannity, O'Reilly, Limbaugh and that guy who cries.

[Rainmakr44]

I do believe it was the Left Union thugs who beat up a man just trying to make a living. The Left are the most intolerant group out there. The list of there having black thugs dressed in military dress outside polling booths is somewhat deranged, Name me when Conservatives have started fights.

[Rainmakr44]

Realone,
All the fires and fighting, the broken windows, and fighing with the police, beating up on venders, running out on stage is done by the Liberal Loonies. Just look at these boards. Read the hate, an venom spouted. Civility is dead.

[VocalVet]

You and 682,000 "intelligent and mature" others. Meanwhile 2.8 Million were over watching CNN and FoxNews. Let me guess, they aren't "intelligent and mature" because they don't watch Rachel Maddow?

[nmnana]

Nope...they're not intelligent because they watch Fox News and Cnn.

[LeLoup]

Since when numbers of viewers correlate with maturity and intelligence?

[Rainmakr44]

Maddow is a Left wing looney whose ratings are down amongst the Catfish. She's going the way of Donahue, and Springer.

[FGDinVA]

Maddow would like a robust and coherent Republican party so there can be meaningful discussion and problem solving going on.

[Rainmakr44]

Hummmmmm? She wants a free and open debate between Left and Right. The Left, and I was one, are the most intolerant Party of all. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PngW3p9NNLI

[FGDinVA]

You use Tom Tancredo as an example of tolerance from the right? That's laughable. His rhetoric borders on ha.te speech when it comes to his fear of immigrants.

[LookingToHelp]

Blame Karl Rove

[RadCenter]

Actually, Roger Ailes started all of this.

[OnMySoapbox]

Rachel got a loser to call the bigger losers, losers.

I think an angel just got its wings.