CNN's Stelter Blasts “Conspiratorial” Trump For “Preposterous” Charges Of A Rigged Election

Brian Stelter: “Trump Has This Tendency Toward Conspiracy Theories,” Including “Embrac[ing] The Birther Movement” 

Written by Media Matters Staff

Published

From the August 5 edition of CNN's Early Start: 

GEORGE HOWELL (HOST): We've heard Trump talk about the possibility of a rigged election.

[...]

BRIAN STELTER: I think we have to even be careful talking about it because it is so preposterous. We know that there are very few cases of voter fraud in this country. We know that Donald Trump by all the current polls is not ahead. We know that Donald Trump is a conspiratorial figure. Think back about five years ago when he was talking about Barack Obama's citizenship. Questioning his citizenship. Donald Trump embraced the birther movement five years ago. In some ways, that's what put him on to the national stage as a political figure. Given that Donald Trump has this tendency toward conspiracy theories, I think we have to be careful talking about his idea of a rigged election. There's just nothing to back it up. But by talking about it, he might be trying to delegitimize one of our most important institutions. 

Previously:

President Obama Calls Trump's Theory That Elections Will Be Rigged “Ridiculous” 

Roger Stone Tells Alex Jones He Will Be “Laying Out A Very Specific Plan” To Fight The “Effort To Steal The Next Election” 

Mike Huckabee Revives Obama Birtherism: “Why Don't We Talk About Obama's College Transcript?”