When it comes to fake news stories, if anyone's an expert it's Dan Rather . . . The disgraced former CBS News anchor has a new twist on the vast right-wing conspiracy. Instead of plotting against poor innocents like Bill and Hillary, those conspiratorial conservatives are now creating phony feuds among themselves!
On Rachel Maddow's show tonight, Rather declared himself "suspicious" about the battle between Donald Trump and Fox News, suggesting that Trump and Roger Ailes might have "gotten together and planned out" the feud for their mutual benefit.
For good measure, Rather went on to analogize Trump to segregationist presidential candidates George Wallace and Strom Thurmond.
Note: while floating his conspiracy theory, Rather admitted that he was "without very much evidence." But when has that ever deterred Dan from attacking a Republican?
RACHEL MADDOW: Could Donald Trump, or could any of these candidates win the Republican nomination while also being at war with the Fox News channel specifically? Never really had anything like the Fox News channel in a previous era in history. It seems to me, that I believe that there can't be a nominee without Fox's support.
DAN RATHER: I tend to agree with that. However, Trump is raising that question anew. Now, having said that, and keeping in mind that reporters such as myself get paid not to be cynical, never cynical, but to be skeptical.
I'm a little suspicious, without very much evidence, but I'm a little suspicious of this battle between Trump and Fox. What we do know is that Trump is really smart. As I said when he started this run, don't underestimate him. And Roger Ailes, whether you agree with his politics or not, another smart guy. Whether they've gotten together and planned this out or not, it works to their mutual benefit right now. Fox can argue, listen, we don't give sweetheart deals to every Republican candidate and Trump can say: I tell you I'm independent and when I say I'm independent I'm really independent. Cause look at even Fox.
