>>> ONE OF OUR GUESTS LAST NIGHT
>>> ONE OF OUR GUESTS LAST NIGHT WHO WAS IN ATTENDANCE AT THE
WHO WAS IN ATTENDANCE AT THE TRUMP RALLY IN TAMPA MENTIONED
TRUMP RALLY IN TAMPA MENTIONED SEEING MEMBERS OF THE FRINGE
SEEING MEMBERS OF THE FRINGE RIGHT WING, INCLUDING A
RIGHT WING, INCLUDING A CONSPIRACY GROUP THE MEMBERS OF
CONSPIRACY GROUP THE MEMBERS OF WHICH DISPLAY THE LETTER "Q"
WHICH DISPLAY THE LETTER "Q" PROMINENTLY.
PROMINENTLY. WE SAW IT IN THE CROWD, ON
WE SAW IT IN THE CROWD, ON SIGNS, ON SHIRTS.
SIGNS, ON SHIRTS. THE "Q" STANDS FOR QANON.
THE "Q" STANDS FOR QANON. THE GROUP GOT ITS START ON THE
THE GROUP GOT ITS START ON THE WEB.
WEB. THEY BELIEVE THEY’VE RECEIVED
THEY BELIEVE THEY’VE RECEIVED INTEL FROM A TOP GOVERNMENT
INTEL FROM A TOP GOVERNMENT SOURCE, A MOLE AT THE HIGHEST
SOURCE, A MOLE AT THE HIGHEST REACHES OF OUR GOVERNMENT, AND
REACHES OF OUR GOVERNMENT, AND THERE IS NO END TO THE FALSE
THERE IS NO END TO THE FALSE RUMORS THEY HAVE PUSHED
RUMORS THEY HAVE PUSHED INCLUDING A SMEAR EFFORT
INCLUDING A SMEAR EFFORT HEADQUARTERED ON YOUTUBE
HEADQUARTERED ON YOUTUBE ALLEGING SEVERAL DEMOCRATIC
ALLEGING SEVERAL DEMOCRATIC POLITICIANS AND OTHERS ARE
POLITICIANS AND OTHERS ARE PEDOPHILES INVOLVED IN A GLOBAL
WE’RE FIGHTING A BATTLE ON ALL FRONTS HERE.
FRONTS HERE. >> SO THERE IS A "Q" COIN AMONG
>> SO THERE IS A "Q" COIN AMONG OTHER THINGS.
OTHER THINGS. HERE IS THE COMMENT FROM TRUMP
HERE IS THE COMMENT FROM TRUMP THAT GAVE THIS GROUP A LOT OF
THAT GAVE THIS GROUP A LOT OF FUEL.
FUEL. A PHOTO OP DURING A WHITE HOUSE
A PHOTO OP DURING A WHITE HOUSE DINNER FOR MILITARY COMMANDERS
DINNER FOR MILITARY COMMANDERS AND THEIR SPOUSES.
AND THEIR SPOUSES. AND NOTE WHAT THE PRESIDENT SAYS
AND NOTE WHAT THE PRESIDENT SAYS HERE, WHICH WOULD NORMALLY BE
HERE, WHICH WOULD NORMALLY BE FILED UNDER THE KIND OF TOSS-OFF
FILED UNDER THE KIND OF TOSS-OFF COMMENT THE PRESIDENT SOMETIMES
COMMENT THE PRESIDENT SOMETIMES MAKES.
MAKES. >> WHAT THIS REPRESENTS, THE
>> WHAT THIS REPRESENTS, THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM.
CALM BEFORE THE STORM. >> Reporter: WHAT’S THE STORM?
>> Reporter: WHAT’S THE STORM? >> Reporter: WHAT DOES THAT
>> Reporter: WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
MEAN? >> THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM.
>> THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM. >> Reporter: WHAT STORM, MR.
>> Reporter: WHAT STORM, MR. PRESIDENT?
PRESIDENT? >> WE HAVE A LOT OF MILITARY
>> WE HAVE A LOT OF MILITARY PEOPLE WHO WILL TELL YOU THAT.
PEOPLE WHO WILL TELL YOU THAT. THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING.
THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING. >> Reporter: WHAT STORM, MR.
>> Reporter: WHAT STORM, MR. PRESIDENT?
PRESIDENT? >> YOU’LL FIND OUT.
>> YOU’LL FIND OUT. >> Reporter: GIVE US A HINT.
>> Reporter: GIVE US A HINT. >> THANK YOU, EVERYBODY.
>> THANK YOU, EVERYBODY. >> THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM.
>> THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM. NBC NEWS REPORTER BEN COLLINS
NBC NEWS REPORTER BEN COLLINS COVERS THIS DIGITAL WORLD FOR
COVERS THIS DIGITAL WORLD FOR THE NETWORK AND HAS BEEN LOOKING
THE NETWORK AND HAS BEEN LOOKING INTO THIS GROUP AND WRITING
INTO THIS GROUP AND WRITING ABOUT THEM.
ABOUT THEM. WE’VE ASKED CLINT WATTS, FORMER
WE’VE ASKED CLINT WATTS, FORMER FBI SPECIAL AGENT TO STICK
FBI SPECIAL AGENT TO STICK AROUND AND BE A PART OF THIS.
AROUND AND BE A PART OF THIS. BEN, DID I GET THEIR MOTIVES AND
BEN, DID I GET THEIR MOTIVES AND SOME OF THEIR BELIEFS RIGHT?
SOME OF THEIR BELIEFS RIGHT? AND WHAT ELSE SHOULD WE KNOW
AND WHAT ELSE SHOULD WE KNOW ABOUT THEM?
ABOUT THEM? >> UNFORTUNATELY YOU GOT IT ALL
>> UNFORTUNATELY YOU GOT IT ALL RIGHT, THERE’S NOT MUCH TO KNOW
RIGHT, THERE’S NOT MUCH TO KNOW ABOUT THEM.
ABOUT THEM. THIS IS BASICALLY FAN FICTION, A
THIS IS BASICALLY FAN FICTION, A CONSPIRACY THEORY THAT DONALD
CONSPIRACY THEORY THAT DONALD TRUMP IS DOING ANYTHING RIGHT
TRUMP IS DOING ANYTHING RIGHT AND ANYTHING THAT LOOKS LIKE
AND ANYTHING THAT LOOKS LIKE HE’S DOING WRONG, HE’S DOING THE
HE’S DOING WRONG, HE’S DOING THE RIGHT THING.
RIGHT THING. THEY MISCONSTRUE TYPOS TO MAKE
THEY MISCONSTRUE TYPOS TO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE HE KNOWS WHAT HE’S
IT LOOK LIKE HE KNOWS WHAT HE’S DOING.
DOING. PEOPLE ON THE INTERNET WHO CAN’T
PEOPLE ON THE INTERNET WHO CAN’T GRAPPLE WITH THE REALITY OF THE
GRAPPLE WITH THE REALITY OF THE SITUATION HAVE DECIDED TO TAKE
SITUATION HAVE DECIDED TO TAKE OUT ALL THIS DISINFORMATION ON
OUT ALL THIS DISINFORMATION ON THEIR POLITICAL ENEMYIES.
THEIR POLITICAL ENEMYIES. THEY’VE ACCUSED PEOPLE FROM
THEY’VE ACCUSED PEOPLE FROM CELEBRITIES TO POLITICIANS OF
CELEBRITIES TO POLITICIANS OF BEING PART OF A CHILD SEX RING
BEING PART OF A CHILD SEX RING THAT SIMPLY DOES NOT EXIST.
THAT SIMPLY DOES NOT EXIST. WE THOUGHT IT WAS OVER WITH
WE THOUGHT IT WAS OVER WITH PIZZA-GATE BUT IT AMPED ITSELF
PIZZA-GATE BUT IT AMPED ITSELF UP AMONG PEOPLE ON TWITTER,
UP AMONG PEOPLE ON TWITTER, FACEBOOK AND REDDIT.
FACEBOOK AND REDDIT. >> CLINT, YOU DO YOUR LIFE’S
>> CLINT, YOU DO YOUR LIFE’S WORK AS WE DO OURS, IN A FREE
WORK AS WE DO OURS, IN A FREE SOCIETY, WHERE IT’S HARD TO
SOCIETY, WHERE IT’S HARD TO LIMIT THIS KIND OF THING.
LIMIT THIS KIND OF THING. IT’S HARD TO SQUELCH OR SUPPRESS
IT’S HARD TO SQUELCH OR SUPPRESS IT.
IT. LOOK AT THE CLIMATE THIS IS
LOOK AT THE CLIMATE THIS IS COMING UP IN.
COMING UP IN. >> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT. AND GOING BACK TWO YEARS AGO, WE
AND GOING BACK TWO YEARS AGO, WE SAW THE KREMLIN PUSHING A LOT OF
SAW THE KREMLIN PUSHING A LOT OF DISINFORMATION AROUND THE
DISINFORMATION AROUND THE ELECTION.
ELECTION. WHAT WE’RE SEEING NOW IS
WHAT WE’RE SEEING NOW IS EVERYBODY ADOPTING THOSE
EVERYBODY ADOPTING THOSE TECHNIQUES.
TECHNIQUES. SO THERE’S A LOT OF ARTIFICIAL
SO THERE’S A LOT OF ARTIFICIAL PRODUCTION IN TERMS OF SOCIAL
PRODUCTION IN TERMS OF SOCIAL MEDIA, SOCIAL BOTS,
MEDIA, SOCIAL BOTS, AMPLIFICATION.
AMPLIFICATION. YOU’RE SEEING VERY HIGH END
YOU’RE SEEING VERY HIGH END PRODUCTION.
PRODUCTION. THE VIDEOS ARE VERY GOOD.
THE VIDEOS ARE VERY GOOD. WHICH MAKES THEM MORE
WHICH MAKES THEM MORE CONVINCING.
CONVINCING. YOU’RE SEEING THEM SPREAD VERY
YOU’RE SEEING THEM SPREAD VERY RAPIDLY IN A MUCH QUICKER WAY.
RAPIDLY IN A MUCH QUICKER WAY. THE KEY PHRASE THERE, THE CALM
THE KEY PHRASE THERE, THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM, IF YOU’RE A
BEFORE THE STORM, IF YOU’RE A GOOD SOCIAL ENGINEER AND PICK
GOOD SOCIAL ENGINEER AND PICK OUT THESE PHRASES THAT ARE
OUT THESE PHRASES THAT ARE CATCHY WITH THE AUDIENCE AND
CATCHY WITH THE AUDIENCE AND COMBINE THEM INTO A CONSPIRACY
COMBINE THEM INTO A CONSPIRACY THAT SEEMS CONVINCING TO PEOPLE
THAT SEEMS CONVINCING TO PEOPLE WHO DON’T KNOW THE DETAILS.
WHO DON’T KNOW THE DETAILS. I’M NOT JUST WORRIED ABOUT
I’M NOT JUST WORRIED ABOUT RUSSIAN DISINFORMATION, I’M
RUSSIAN DISINFORMATION, I’M WORRIED ABOUT AMERICAN
WORRIED ABOUT AMERICAN DISINFORMATION, BECAUSE IT’S A
DISINFORMATION, BECAUSE IT’S A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE.
PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE. A LOT OF THESE CONSPIRACIES,
A LOT OF THESE CONSPIRACIES, WE’VE SEEN PEOPLE SHOW UP WITH
WE’VE SEEN PEOPLE SHOW UP WITH WEAPONS, WE’VE SEEN SHUTDOWNS,
WEAPONS, WE’VE SEEN SHUTDOWNS, POLICE EMERGENCIES THAT HAVE
POLICE EMERGENCIES THAT HAVE COME FROM IT.
COME FROM IT. IF YOU LOOK AT THIS, IT’S GOT
IF YOU LOOK AT THIS, IT’S GOT ALL THE ELEMENTS OF WHAT WOULD
ALL THE ELEMENTS OF WHAT WOULD MAYBE BE AN UPRISING OR
MAYBE BE AN UPRISING OR ADVOCATING FOR VIOLENCE OR
ADVOCATING FOR VIOLENCE OR NUDGING PEOPLE TOWARDS IT OR
NUDGING PEOPLE TOWARDS IT OR EVEN POLITICAL UPHEAVAL.
EVEN POLITICAL UPHEAVAL. I THINK IT’S A DANGEROUS
I THINK IT’S A DANGEROUS PHENOMENON ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU
PHENOMENON ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU SEE IT TIED TO THE PRESIDENT AND
SEE IT TIED TO THE PRESIDENT AND HIS RALLIES.
HIS RALLIES. >> BEN, IN THE IMMORTAL WORDS OF
>> BEN, IN THE IMMORTAL WORDS OF MY LATE MOTHER, IT’S ALL FUN AND
MY LATE MOTHER, IT’S ALL FUN AND GAMES UNTIL SOMEONE GETS HURT.
GAMES UNTIL SOMEONE GETS HURT. WHAT’S THE DANGER?
WHAT’S THE DANGER? >> WE’VE ALREADY SEEN IT WITH
>> WE’VE ALREADY SEEN IT WITH PIZZA-GATE.
PIZZA-GATE. A MAN WALKED INTO A PIZZA PARLOR
A MAN WALKED INTO A PIZZA PARLOR AND SHOT IT UP, ASSUMING THERE
AND SHOT IT UP, ASSUMING THERE WAS A CHILD SEX RING IN THE
WAS A CHILD SEX RING IN THE BASEMENT, TRYING TO INVESTIGATE
BASEMENT, TRYING TO INVESTIGATE IT.
IT. WITH QANON, THERE IS A GUY WHO
WITH QANON, THERE IS A GUY WHO BLOCKED THE ENTRANCE TO THE
BLOCKED THE ENTRANCE TO THE HOOVER DAM A COUPLE OF WEEKS
HOOVER DAM A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO.
AGO. SINCE HE’S GOTTEN INTO JAIL,
SINCE HE’S GOTTEN INTO JAIL, HE’S SENT A BUNCH OF WILD
HE’S SENT A BUNCH OF WILD LETTERS TO THE PRESIDENT,
LETTERS TO THE PRESIDENT, TALKING ABOUT QANON CONSPIRACY
TALKING ABOUT QANON CONSPIRACY THEORIES.
THEORIES. THERE’S A GUY IN ARIZONA,
THERE’S A GUY IN ARIZONA, TUCSON, WHO HAS FOR THE PAST FEW
TUCSON, WHO HAS FOR THE PAST FEW WEEKS, HE GOT A FELONY
WEEKS, HE GOT A FELONY TRESPASSING CHARGE BECAUSE HE
TRESPASSING CHARGE BECAUSE HE BELIEVED A HOMELESS CAMP WAS A
BELIEVED A HOMELESS CAMP WAS A CHILD SEX TRAFFICKING CAMP.
CHILD SEX TRAFFICKING CAMP. IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH IT.
IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. HE WAS LIVE STREAMING IT UNTIL
HE WAS LIVE STREAMING IT UNTIL YOUTUBE AND FACEBOOK UNTIL
YOUTUBE AND FACEBOOK UNTIL FACEBOOK FINALLY BROUGHT ALL
FACEBOOK FINALLY BROUGHT ALL THIS STUFF DOWN.
THIS STUFF DOWN. THIS STUFF HAS REAL LIFE
THIS STUFF HAS REAL LIFE CONSEQUENCES.
CONSEQUENCES. PEOPLE PUTTING UP "Q" SIGNS AT
PEOPLE PUTTING UP "Q" SIGNS AT TRUMP RALLIES IS NOT GOING TO
TRUMP RALLIES IS NOT GOING TO HELP IT.
HELP IT. >> CLINT, HOW MUCH DO YOU FEAR
>> CLINT, HOW MUCH DO YOU FEAR THAT THIS GROUP IS GETTING A
THAT THIS GROUP IS GETTING A WINK AND A NOD FROM THE RIGHT
WINK AND A NOD FROM THE RIGHT PEOPLE TO NOT STOP?
PEOPLE TO NOT STOP? AND WHAT CAN THE GOVERNMENT DO
AND WHAT CAN THE GOVERNMENT DO IN A FREE SOCIETY?
IN A FREE SOCIETY? >> YEAH, I THINK IT WAS A LITTLE
>> YEAH, I THINK IT WAS A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO I TALKED -- YOU
OVER A YEAR AGO I TALKED -- YOU KNOW, PART OF THE REASON THIS
KNOW, PART OF THE REASON THIS WORKS IS BECAUSE WE HAVE
WORKS IS BECAUSE WE HAVE POLITICIANS IN THIS COUNTRY THAT
POLITICIANS IN THIS COUNTRY THAT ARE DOING INFLUENCE OPERATIONS
ARE DOING INFLUENCE OPERATIONS THAT ARE VERY SIMILAR THAT WE
THAT ARE VERY SIMILAR THAT WE SEE TO FOREIGN MEDIA INFLUENCE.
SEE TO FOREIGN MEDIA INFLUENCE. AND I THINK THE OTHER BIG THING
AND I THINK THE OTHER BIG THING IS, WE HAD A HEARING TODAY IN
IS, WE HAD A HEARING TODAY IN THE SENATE, THE SENATE INTEL
THE SENATE, THE SENATE INTEL COMMITTEE, YOU KNOW, WAS TALKING
COMMITTEE, YOU KNOW, WAS TALKING ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA AND
ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA AND DISINFORMATION.
DISINFORMATION. AND PEOPLE CAN MAKE FAKE NEWS,
AND PEOPLE CAN MAKE FAKE NEWS, THEY CAN MAKE MANIPULATED
THEY CAN MAKE MANIPULATED TRUTHS.
TRUTHS. THEY CAN MAKE CONSPIRACIES
THEY CAN MAKE CONSPIRACIES FASTER THAN SOCIAL MEDIA
FASTER THAN SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES CAN IDENTIFY THEM AND
COMPANIES CAN IDENTIFY THEM AND SWAT THEM DOWN.
SWAT THEM DOWN. AND IN THAT LAG TIME, WE HAVE
AND IN THAT LAG TIME, WE HAVE LOTS OF CHANGES HAPPENING.
LOTS OF CHANGES HAPPENING. ONE IN FOUR PEOPLE NO POLL IN
ONE IN FOUR PEOPLE NO POLL IN TEXAS DON’T THINK THEY SHOULD
TEXAS DON’T THINK THEY SHOULD HAVE THEIR CHILDREN VACCINATED.
HAVE THEIR CHILDREN VACCINATED. FOUR IN TEN DON’T ACTUALLY THINK
FOUR IN TEN DON’T ACTUALLY THINK IT’S A BAD IDEA FOR RUSSIA MAYBE
IT’S A BAD IDEA FOR RUSSIA MAYBE TO MEDDLE IN OUR ELECTIONS.
TO MEDDLE IN OUR ELECTIONS. SO THESE ARE HAVING REAL CHANGES
SO THESE ARE HAVING REAL CHANGES IN OUR SOCIETY.
IN OUR SOCIETY. IT’S BREAKING US UP AND DIVIDING
IT’S BREAKING US UP AND DIVIDING US.
US. IT’S A
IT’S A US.
US. IT’S A EFFICIENT TECHNIQUE FOR
IT’S A EFFICIENT TECHNIQUE FOR HIDDEN MAN POPULARITIES.
HIDDEN MAN POPULARITIES. THOSE PEOPLE THAT CAN MINE AND
THOSE PEOPLE THAT CAN MINE AND FIGURE OUT WHAT GRABS WITH AN
FIGURE OUT WHAT GRABS WITH AN AUDIENCE WHICH CAN PRODUCE THE
AUDIENCE WHICH CAN PRODUCE THE CONTENT CAN DRIVE MAJOR EVENTS
CONTENT CAN DRIVE MAJOR EVENTS IN OUR COUNTRY POLITICAL PUBLIC
IN OUR COUNTRY POLITICAL PUBLIC SAFETY.
SAFETY. YOU CAN GET PEOPLE TO SHOW UP
YOU CAN GET PEOPLE TO SHOW UP UNDER FALSE AUSPICES WITH
UNDER FALSE AUSPICES WITH RIFLES.
RIFLES. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION.
THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION. IF OUR POLITICIANS ARE MAYBE NOT
IF OUR POLITICIANS ARE MAYBE NOT TAMPING IT DOWN BUT NOT SAYING
TAMPING IT DOWN BUT NOT SAYING MUCH ABOUT IT OR LETTING IT GO
MUCH ABOUT IT OR LETTING IT GO BECAUSE IT MIGHT BE BENEFICIAL
BECAUSE IT MIGHT BE BENEFICIAL IN THE NEAR TERM, IT COULD BE
IN THE NEAR TERM, IT COULD BE DEVASTATING TO OUR COUNTRY IN
DEVASTATING TO OUR COUNTRY IN THE LONG-TERM.
THE LONG-TERM. >> PEOPLE CAN SHOW UP WITH GUNS
>> PEOPLE CAN SHOW UP WITH GUNS THEY HAVE COMPILED ON A 3-D
THEY HAVE COMPILED ON A 3-D PRINTER.
PRINTER. THE PRESIDENT’S NEXT RALLY IS
THE PRESIDENT’S NEXT RALLY IS TOMORROW NIGHT.
TOMORROW NIGHT. WILKES-BARRE, PA.
WILKES-BARRE, PA. ANOTHER RALLY THIS WEEKEND IN
ANOTHER RALLY THIS WEEKEND IN OHIO WITH WE’LL WATCH FOR THIS
OHIO WITH WE’LL WATCH FOR THIS AND SEE WHO URNS OUT IN BOTH
AND SEE WHO URNS OUT IN BOTH CASES.
CASES. WE’D LOVE TO HAVE YOU BOTH ON
WE’D LOVE TO HAVE YOU BOTH ON AGAIN ON THE SUBJECT IF YOU’D
