"Conway Supporter" Busted "Infiltrating" Rand Paul Event

[WhoIsNumberNone]

Run time: 01:34 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4bpgnkNN7Q   Posted on YouTube: August 08, 2010 By YouTube Member: CapitalistBanner Views on YouTube: 51376   Posted on DU: August 11, 2010 By DU Member: WhoIsNumberNone Views on DU: 877

 
Your right wing friends may try to show you this video to "prove" that all racist Teabaggers are actually liberal plants

All you need to know is that Andrew Breitbart is behind it:

http://www.breitbart.tv/tea-party-infiltrator-exposed-posing-as-racist-at-rand-paul-rally/

[joebaur42]

1. Saw this on a conservative website...

Was interested to learn more about it.

Where does it say Breitbart was behind it? Or are you assuming he is, because he posted the video on his site?

Thanks!

[KingFlorez]

2. That's exactly proof of what?

Yet another dodgy video. I think the whole thing was a set up by Breitbart, it's what he does.

[joebaur42]

3. Innocent until proven guilty...

Not saying the video is legit, but I don't think we should implicate certain people are behind it without proof, no matter how much we might loathe someone. It just increases partisan anger. After all, innocent until proven guilty applies to everyone. Even douchebags.

[WhoIsNumberNone]

4. OK, well let's take a look at Breitbart's scorecard:

He's had two very high profile incidents in which he posted videos that were later shown to have been edited to fit his agenda. He's cried wolf to the nation twice already. In this one we see someone being questioned about a conversation he was having with Conway supporters (conveniently before the tape started rolling) then later, the same cameraman happens to be at a Conway march and catches the same guy marching in it. Funny how the guy with the cell phone intuitively knew where to find "Tyler", isn't it? We also don't see any footage of "Tyler" doing any crazy racist rants at the Paul event.

I'd say it's much more likely that "Tyler" is a Rand Paul supporter posing as a "liberal infiltrator", then going to the Conway event to get "busted" marching with the opposition. He's even wearing a tinfoil hat!

[joebaur42]

6. Fair enough...

But still innocent until proven guilty. Just as conservatives shouldn't peddle that video around saying "LIBERAL INFILTRATOR!" without any proof. Come to think of it, the video is a great symbol for the state of the nation.

Liberals will look at it and say "Looks like the stuff of Breitbart! Probably a conservative posing as a 'liberal infiltrator.'"

Conservatives will look at it and say "Just another liberal posing as a racist Rand supporter!"

Both sides will interpret it to support their ideology, even though there's no proof to support either claim. People need to disregard these kind of "partisan-baiting" videos that just get people worked up over nothing.

The people who think it's a liberal infiltrator were never going to vote for Conway anyway. The people who think it's a conservative posing as a liberal posing as a conservative ('bit of a roundabout way to support a candidate) were never going to vote for Rand anyway.

[WhoIsNumberNone]

8. Well it's only been up a couple of days-

Don't be surprised if a week from now "Tyler" is revealed to be an RNC staffer or some other such thing.

[joebaur42]

9. A conservative would say...

Don't be surprised if a week from now "Tyler" is revealed to be a Conway staffer.

See what I mean? People are just going to speculate resolutions that fit their ideology. Although that's normal and understandable, I think we should rise above that gut-reaction and say, "You know what? Both arguments are hearsay fueled by partisan blinders" and throw the video in the trash until concrete evidence comes out, if it ever does (wouldn't be surprised if it doesn't).

[KingFlorez]

10. That's exactly what I think

It all seems a bit too convenient.

[WhoIsNumberNone]

5. If you want to see what it "proves"-

Click the link and read some of the comments posted by Breitbart's fans.

[joebaur42]

7. Comments...

I read them before. It's the internet. People are always going to be posting partisan hate, especially with most comments being anonymous.

Again, the people commenting on Breitbart's site were never going to vote for Conway, even if it did come out that Breitbart or some conservative was behind it. The same people probably said embarrassing stuff during the Shirley Sherrod incident, and they probably didn't take it back after it was revealed Breitbart edited the video. These people aren't going to be swayed. They, like most people, will interpret information to fit their ideology, even when wrong.

These videos that lead to hearsay accusations serve no purpose other than to keep the political divide alive and well, in my opinion.

[Althaia]

11. I smell a rat...

CapitalistBanner created his youtube account on June 20th, 2010. He's uploaded only 4 videos, all rabidly supportive of Rand Paul. I suspect "Tyler" is a buddy of CapitalistBanner, seeking to discredit Conway's campaign. I am suspicious because he 'caught' Tyler marching with Conway supporters. It looks like a setup to me. It was likely inspired by the Acorn/fake pimp debacle.

[ellenfl]

12. not only did he pick the guy out of the crowd but the 'supporter'

came right over to the videographer when approached. furthermore, at the rand paul rally, the videographer was saying that the conway supporters were outing him and he was quite specific about what they said. why would they do that if he were one of their own? they wouldn't.

why's dave weigel on breitbart's site?

ellen fl

[chelsea0011]

13. Amazing how they were able to easily track this guy down...

almost like they knew where he would be.

[The Northerner]

14. The guy in the video is named Tyler Clay Collins and

he claims to have done it for satire or something:

http://pageonekentucky.com/2010/08/10/faux-teabagger-is-a-newspaper-contributor/

http://www.slate.com/blogs/blogs/weigel/archive/2010/08/11/more-about-tyler-collins-the-man-who-posed-as-a-rand-paul-fan-complete-with-tinfoil-hat.aspx

[joebaur42]

15. Eureka!

Thanks for the links, Northerner. As I expected, neither side was behind it. Nothing like concrete evidence.

Now we can stop dragging Breitbart's name through the mud!

...Wait, what'd I just say?

[KingFlorez]

17. Breitbart already dragged his own name through the mud

After Shirley Sherrod video, he's got no credibility. You should understand why it's not a good idea to trust him.

[joebaur42]

18. 'Twas kidding.

[joebaur42]

16. Read it more closely...

And it looks like he is actually a liberal activist according to the Slate article. Wonder how those who said "Probably a conservative trying to make liberals look bad" feel knowing now that he IS in fact a liberal trying to make the Tea Party look bad.

(P.S. Since when did the Tea Party need helping looking bad?)

I still maintain this kind of stuff serves no greater purposes than rallying people along their partisan blinders. Especially since this guy turned out to be on his own, not working for either the Conway or Paul campaign.

Again, thanks for posting the links!