Under President Donald Trump, One America News Network (OANN) has seen its viewers skyrocket.
Trump has repeatedly encouraged his 80+ million Twitter followers to ditch Fox News in favor of the network, which is labeled "extreme" by Media Bias/Fact Check for "Far Right Bias, Poor Sourcing, Conspiracy Theories, Propaganda, Failed Fact Checks."
Nevertheless, Trump has legitimized the network by endowing it with a White House press pass, giving its reporters the privilege of asking Trump questions during White House press briefings.
Their questions, mostly posed by OANN White House correspondent Chanel Rion, are nearly always framed to favor Donald Trump.
Such was the case on Monday, when Rion asked for Trump's thoughts on a potential running mate pick from Democratic nominee Joe Biden.
Watch below.
Trump returns to finish the presser and he goes right to the OANN propaganda outlet. Watch the photographer in front of her and his reaction when she asks if Biden has Susan Rice at the top of his Veep list to help continue to "cover up" for Obama. 😂 pic.twitter.com/bd54MbNU6F
— Amee Vanderpool (@girlsreallyrule) August 10, 2020
With the preface "I have an opinion question for you," Rion asked:
"Joe Biden is set to announce his running mate at any time now...many of your supporters feel that the reason that Obama's former NSA Susan Rice is at the top of Biden's list is that she can best cover up a lot of the Obamagate surveillance crimes that have taken place during your campaign...What is your opinion? Do you subscribe to that line of thought?"
With the stage set by Rion, Trump falsely asserted that the "Obama campaign" spied on his campaign in 2016. He went on to say it was "probably treason."
The FBI under Obama's administration, aware of efforts by Russia to sabotage the United States election, was spying on the Russian Ambassador, where they discovered correspondence between him and then-Trump campaign advisor Michael Flynn. Flynn lied about those talks and was subsequently charged with providing false statements to the FBI.
Trump has frequently tried to use so-called "Obamagate" against his opponent, but when asked about what Trump calls the "biggest political crime in American history," the President couldn't name one single crime.
Even Trump's own Attorney General, William Barr, appeared to rebuke Trump at a news briefing in May, when the President was escalating speculation on the so-called crimes:
"The legal tactic has been to gin up allegations of criminality by one's political opponent based on the flimsiest of legal theories. This is not a good development. This is not good for our political life, and it's not good for the criminal justice system."
People related to the photographer caught on camera reacting to Rion's question.
OANN back to their conspiracy theories 🙄🤦🏻♀️ - but notice the photographer. 😂😂
I empathize with you, Mr. 😳 pic.twitter.com/EY9Rw1STU3
— Marcella L. (@Marcella555) August 10, 2020
That is some amazing self-control. I wouldn't have been able to show that kind of professionalism... they'd need to surgically remove my palm from my face.
— Oldguy🥋🌊 (@Oldguydoingfor1) August 10, 2020
I love the look on the photographer's face...like he can't believe she's THAT stupid.
— Laura Kaufman (@LauraKa32393400) August 11, 2020
That photographer was all of us.
— Zelda Forthwell (@Follow_Hopeful) August 10, 2020
Some speculate that the question was planted in order to give Trump a platform to spread conspiracy theories.
Chanel Rion from OANN is a fake reporter, just a plant to lob conspiracy theory questions at him to assist in spreading his damn lies.
— BrooklynDad_Defiant! (@mmpadellan) August 10, 2020
Trump planted fake “reporter" Chanel Rion from OANN and took her rehearsed question last to smear Joe Biden like the one today about Susan Rice
This is our new new normal #TrumpPressConference
— Mayday Mindy🌊 (@maydaymindy9) August 10, 2020
Trump often finishes up his pseudo-press conferences by calling on OANN. Taking her 'opinion question' at the end has a greater psychological-propaganda effect. #TrumpIsAFascist
— Dr. Jack Brown (@DrGJackBrown) August 11, 2020
OANN is a "news network" that sued for libel after being called Russian propaganda, and lost.
That is all.
— Grant Stern (@grantstern) August 11, 2020
On day 1 of Biden's Presidency, OANN should have their press pass revoked and be arrested on conspiring with Russia to meddle in the US election.
— John (@DotDotDot_John) August 10, 2020
