 May 27, 2021 | by Chris Cillizza and Lauren Dezenski This is how dangerous right-wing media *actually* is  One of the many noxious developments of Donald Trump's presidency was the rise of several cable TV outlets that aimed to out-Fox Fox News.
As in, Fox News wasn't Trump-y enough, so more pro-Trump alternatives were required, with Newsmax and OAN emerging as the preferred options.
Trump, in his final year or so, would regularly call out Fox News for its lack of total fealty to him -- and urge his supporters to go somewhere (like OAN and Newsmax) where they could get nothing but good news on him and his presidency.
It worked -- for Trump. But a new PRRI national poll shows how corrosive the creation of a media subservient to Trump (and the various conspiracy theories that have grown up around him/he has helped stoke) is for the body politic.
* Four in 10 (40%) agree with the statement that "the government, media, and financial worlds in the US are controlled by a group of Satan-worshipping pedophiles who run a global child sex trafficking operation."
* Almost half (48%) believe that "there is a storm coming soon that will sweep away the elites in power and restore the rightful leaders."
* More than 4 in 10 say they agree that "because things have gotten so far off track, true American patriots may have to resort to violence in order to save our country."
All three of those statements are beliefs held by the QAnon conspiracy movement, which has been completely and thoroughly debunked any number of times.
Worth noting: QAnon has as its central tenet that Trump was installed as president by the military and would eventually arrest major Democratic figures for sex crimes. Trump isn't president anymore. And those arrests, um, didn't happen.
Now compare the numbers on those same questions among people who say they trust Fox News most. Less than 1 in 5 (18%) say the government and media are "controlled by a group of Satan-worshipping pedophiles." One in 3 say a "storm" is coming to sweep out elites. One in 4 (27%) say violence may be necessary to save the country.
The Point: The rise of far-right channels like OAN and Newsmax has led to a massive amount of disinformation flowing through American democracy. While espousing this garbage is a business model for these channels, it has massive impacts on Americans -- many of whom are living in a conspiracy theory that they have been tricked into thinking is the real world.
-- Chris QUOTE OF THE DAY "It's time to come together. I think there's 10 good people." -- Sen. Joe Manchin on the proposed January 6 commission's prospects in the Senate, which needs 10 GOP votes to pass. Senate Republicans are expected to block the vote, with GOP leader Mitch McConnell asking members to vote no. MEANWHILE, IN ARIZONA  The Republican-led Arizona House rejected a measure that would require voter identification for mail-in ballots on Wednesday -- a blow to GOP efforts in the state seeking more restrictive voting measures.
This comes amid the so-called audit underway in Maricopa County and the intraparty fight between state senators who sought the audit and county officials who have called it a sham.
As CNN's Eric Bradner aptly puts it: "The audits are a continuation of Republicans' search for justification for former President Donald Trump's lies that widespread fraud helped President Joe Biden defeat him in the 2020 election, a victory that included narrow Democratic wins in Arizona and Georgia."
If you haven't seen it, check out CNN's Kyung Lah's excellent interview with Arizona state Senate President Karen Fann about the ongoing audit.
THURSDAY'S MUST-SEE TWEETS  1. Joe Manchin isn't changing his mind 2. This is the kind of map I like to see 3. There are "Wyoming" hot dogs? 4. The most Philly thing ever 6. Baseball is weird
CHRIS' GOOD READS  "Trump 2024" strikes fear in the heart of Republican strategists, according to Politico.
Jonathan V. Last is typically essential in The Bulwark on George P. Bush and the Trump cult of personality.
Summer unofficially begins this weekend! Yes! Here are the TV shows you need to watch this summer, courtesy of the Los Angeles Times. And The New York Times has all the summer books we can look forward to! The Washington Post has even more summer books! And just for kicks: Here's Mental Floss' list of the 25 best movie trailers ever.
A Vulture interview with Jason Isbell? Oh, yes please.
MUSICAL INTERLUDE The Head and the Heart just released a cover of CSNY's "Our House." Which makes Chris want a new Head and the Heart album! THE GOP'S MTG CONUNDRUM  Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has already been removed from her committee assignments but has shown no interest in cutting back on controversial, and often offensive, comments. Her latest remarks compared life under Covid-19 to living in Nazi Germany, but will these comments force GOP leadership to actually hold her accountable?
Chris gets to the bottom of the GOP's calculus over its most controversial member in the latest episode of The Point on YouTube.
Stick with The Point and subscribe!  ONE BIG LIST  President Joe Biden said he has a list of the Republican lawmakers who opposed his Covid-19 relief package and then later touted the package's funding to their constituents back home.
Holding the list up to the crowd (and cameras), Biden told supporters in Cleveland, "I'm not going to embarrass any one of them, but I have here a list. ... I mean, some people have no shame." You are receiving this message because you subscribed to CNN's The Point with Chris Cillizza newsletter. Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up now to get The Point in your inbox.
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