‘Epic case of projection’: Trump allies delusional attempt to say Democrats are election deniers

>>> HI THERE, EVERYONE. WE MADE IT TO FRIDAY. IT IS 4:00 IN THE EAST. IT IS A CLAIM THAT IS BREATHTAKING AND IN BOTH ITS AUDACITY AND ITS DANGER. FROM THE VERY SAME PEOPLE WHO ARE BUILDING THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO HELP DONALD TRUMP TEAR DOWN THE VERY PILLARS OF OUR DEMOCRACY, SHOULD HE PREVAIL IN NOVEMBER, AND RETURN TO THE WHITE HOUSE, ALLIES OF THE EX-PRESIDENT, MANY AFFILIATED WITH THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION ARE CLAIMING THAT THE CANDIDATE WILL WHO DISRUPT THE PEACEFUL TRANSFER OF POWER WON'T BE THE REPEAT OFFENDER, DONALD TRUMP, IN THEIR TELLING AND THEIR DELUSION AND WHAT AMOUNTS TO AN EPIC CASE OF PROJECTION, THEY'RE ACCUSING THE BIDEN CAMPAIGN OF DOING SO. STUNNING NEW REPORTING FROM "THE WASHINGTON POST" ON A DISCUSSION OF SUPPOSED THREATS TO THE 2024 ELECTION BYTRAP ALLIES REVEALED REVEALED THAT THE WASHINGTON HEADQUARTERS STATES AS A GIVEN THAT THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION WAS ALREADY ENGAGED IN A SWEEPING CONSPIRACY TO USE MULTIPLE FORCES OF FEDERAL POWER TO INFLUENCE THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. IT DID NOT SUPPLY ANY EVIDENCE. QUOTE, AS THINGS STAND RIGHT NOW, THERE IS A ZERO PERCENT CHANCE OF A FEAR AND FAIR ELECTION. THAT WAS PIKE HOWELL, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE OVER SIGHT PROJECT. QUOTE, I'M FORMALLY ACCUSING THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION OF CREATING THE CONDITIONS THAT MOST REASONABLE POLICYMAKERS AND OFFICIALS CANNOT IN GOOD CONSCIENCE CERTIFY AN ELECTION. ONLY ONE CANDIDATE IN HIS SUPPORTERS HAVE DONE THAT. HAVE REFUSED TO SAY IF THEY WILL ACCEPT THE RESULTS OF THE 2024 ELECTION AND IT IS NOT PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN OR ANY DEMOCRAT. >> THE QUESTION WAS, WILL YOU ACCEPT RESULTS OF THE ELECTION REGARDLESS OF WHO WINS, YES OR NO, PLEASE? >> IF IT IS A FAIR AND LEGAL AND GOOD ELECTION, ABSOLUTELY. >> WILL YOU ACCEPT THE RESULTS OF THE 2024 ELECTION NO MATTER WHO WINS? >> YEAH, I'LL ACCEPT IT. I THINK THAT THERE IS NO MASSIVE CHEATING. >> SENATOR, WILL YOU COMMIT TO ACCEPTING THE ELECTION RESULTS OF 2024, BOTTOM LINE? >> AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE 47th PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES WILL BE PRESIDENT, DONALD TRUMP. AND I'M EXCITED TO GET BACK TO LOW INFLATION, LOW UNEMPLOYMENT. >> SENATOR, YES OR NO, WILL YOU ACCEPT THE ELECTION RESULTS OF 2024, NO MATTER WHO WINS? >> THAT IS MY STATEMENT. >> WILL YOU COMMIT TO ACCEPTING THE RESULTS OF THIS YEAR'S ELECTION? >> LOOK, DANA, I TOTALLY PLAN TO ACCEPT THE RESULTS OF 2024. I THINK THAT DONALD TRUMP WILL BE THE VICTORY AND IT IS A FREE AND FAIR ELECTION, AND I THINK EVERYONE REPUBLICAN WILL ENTHUSIASTICALLY ACCEPT THE RESULTS. >> WHAT ABOUT 2024? >> WE WILL SEE. IF THIS IS A LEGAL AND VALID ELECTION. >> STOP RIGHT HERE FOR A SECOND. CHRIS KREBS DESCRIBED THE 2020 ELECTION AS THE, QUOTE, MOST SECURE IN AMERICAN HISTORY. BILL BARR, BILL BARR, SAID THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF FRAUD. SO IF YOU THINK OF THIS DELUSIONAL AND DESPERATE BUT VERY STRATEGIC ATTEMPT TO SOMEHOW TURN THE TABLES ON THE DEMOCRATS, TO DEPICT THEM AS THE REAL THREAT TO DEMOCRACY AS PART OF BIG LIE 2.0. AND IT IS THE FIRST ITERATION OF THE BIG LIE, WAS USED TO JUSTIFY EVERYTHING FROM BASELESS LAWSUITS TO THE DEADLY VIOLENCE THAT WE SAW ON JANUARY 6. THIS NEW VERSION IS NO DIFFERENT BUT PERHAPS MORE DANGEROUS. WASHINGTON POST REPORTS THAT A HERITAGE FOUNDATION STAFFER SAID THIS, QUOTE, THE EXERCISE WOULD LEAD HERITAGE TO FILE MORE LITIGATION OVER ELECTION PROCEDURES. HE ALSO SAID IT SHOULD HELP THE PUBLIC RESIST, QUOTE, PSYCHOLOGICAL OPERATIONS, HE CLAIMS WERE BEING USED IN 2020 AND AGAIN. AND HE DIDN'T SAY WHO RAN THE OPERATIONS. THE UPSHOT IS THAT WE'LL SEE A CONTESTED ELECTION THE LIKES OF WHICH WE'VE NEVER SEEN. IF WE SEE THE KIND OF MANIPULATIONS WE SAW IN 2020, I WONDER IF AVERAGE AMERICANS WHO ARE SUPPORTERS OF DONALD TRUMP WILL SWALLOW THAT SO EASILY AS THIS HE DID IN 2020. THE IDEA THAT TRUMP SUPPORTERS SWALLOWED ANYTHING OR TOOK THE 2020 ELECTION RESULTS FOR WHAT THEY WERE LYING DOWN IS ABSURD. WE ALL SAW WHAT THEY DID. WE ALL SAW WHAT HAPPENED ON JANUARY 6. A MOB OF TRUMP SUPPORTERS SENT BY DONALD TRUMP STORMED THE UNITED STATES CAPITOL, INJURED AND MAIMED AND LED TO THE DEATH OF POLICE OFFICERS, CAME INCREDIBLY CLOSE TO HARMING MIKE PENCE AND HIS FAMILY AS TRUMP SUPPORTERS AND MEMBERS OF THE MOB CALLED FOR HIM TO BE HANGED ON SITE. AND THE WAR GAME PRESENTED BY THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION, THE BIDEN CAMPAIGN RESPONDED THIS WEEK. THIS DOCUMENT IS NOTHING MORE THAN AN ATTEMPT TO JUSTIFY THEIR EFFORTS TO SUPPRESS THE VOTE, TO UNDERMINE THE ELECTION AND ULTIMATELY ANOTHER JANUARY 6. ATTEMPTS TO SOW DOUBT ABOUT THE INTEGRITY OF THE 2024 ELECTION BY TRUMP ALLIES IS GAINING STEAM IS WHERE WE BEGIN TODAY WITH OUR MOST TRUSTED REPORTERS AND FRIENDS. NATIONAL POLITICAL REPORTER FOR "THE WASHINGTON POST," ISAAC AARONSDORF IS BACK. AND HELLO TO SOMEONE'S DOG. AND FOUNDER MARK ALIAS IS BACK AND HOST OF THE PODCAST IN POLITICS FOR PUCK, AFFAIRS ANALYST JOHN HEILEMANN IS HERE FOR THE HOUR AND MY FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE VAUGHN HILLYARD IS HERE. ISAAC, SINCE THIS IS YOUR REPORTING THAT INSPIRED THE WAY WE ARE STARTING TODAY, TAKE ME THROUGH WHAT YOU AND YOUR COLLEAGUES ARE REPORTING. >> YEAH, IT WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A WEIRD DAY AT THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION YESTERDAY AFTERNOON. DIDN'T TOTALLY KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT WITH THIS TRANSITION INTEGRITY PROJECT. WHICH WAS -- THEY DESCRIBED AS A SIMULATION, LIKE A ROLE-PLAYING GAME WHERE THEY HAD DIFFERENT PEOPLE ASSIGNED TO DIN PARTS TO GAIN BACK OUT WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN IN THE ELECTION. PART OF WHAT WAS SO STUNNING, THE CONCLUSION THEY REACHED WAS THAT THE SITTING PRESIDENT AS THEY DESCRIBED THEIR FINDING, THE SITTING PRESIDENT IS THE BIGGEST DANGER TO THE PEACEFUL TRANSITION OF POWER. BUT THAT WAS AS IF TRUMP'S EFFORTS TO OVERTURN THE 2020 ELECTION HAD NEVER HAPPEN AND INSTEAD THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT AS A GIVEN THAT IT WAS ALREADY THE CASE, NEVER MIND WHAT THEY WERE PREDICTING OR IMAGINING, BUT ALREADY THE CASE THAT SOMEHOW THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION WAS ENGAGED IN USING THE SMALL BUSINESS ASSOCIATION AND THE BORDER PATROL AND ALL OF THE LEVERS OF FEDERAL POWER, THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT, SOMEHOW TO INFLUENCE THE UPCOMING ELECTION, ALTHOUGH THERE WAS -- THE EVIDENCE THAT THEY PROVIDED FOR THIS, FOR EXAMPLE, WAS THAT THEY HAD SENT A CAMERA CREW TO A HOUSING COMPLEX IN THE VICINITY OF CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA, AND WERE ASKING PEOPLE THERE IF THEY WERE CITIZENS AND IF THEY WERE REGISTERED TO VOTE AND THEY SAID THAT SOME NUMBER OF PEOPLE SAID YES BUT THEY NEVER FOLLOWED UP TO SEE IF THOSE WERE PEOPLE THAT WERE REGISTERED TO VOTE AND THEY WERE PRESENTED THAT AS PROOF OF THOUGHT. >> JOHN HEILEMANN, THERE IS SOMETHING SO INSANE ABOUT THIS THAT WE SOMETIMES BRUSH IT ASIDE. WE DECIDED TO LEAD WITH IT. BUT HE DON'T WANT TO SHAVE OFF THE INSANITY. IF YOU KNOW WHERE I'M HEADING HERE. BARBRA STREISAND KIDNAPPED BY HAMAS. AND ANTIFA AND BLACK LIVES MATTER PROTESTS TAKING OVER MIGRANT DETENTION FACILITY AND THE FBI ARRESTING DONALD TRUMP. THESE ARE AMONG THE FARFETCHED SCENARIOS IMAGINED BY THE 2024 ELECTION SHOW CASED ON THURSDAY BY THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION. AND IN THE 2024 PROJECT, HERITAGE PLAYED BY ROBERT TORSELY AND THE WAR GAMES INCLUDED SURPRISE EMERGENCIES SUCH AS THE BARBRA STREISAND KIDNAPPING. WE HAVE SPENT NINE YEARS, I THINK, UM, MAYBE LOOKING AWAY FROM SOME OF THE MOST INSANE THINGS PLANNED. THIS IS A PLAN ON PAPER. THIS IS A GROUP THAT IS LINKED WITH FORMER TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS AND PEOPLE WHO ARE ON LIST TO BE FUTURE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS SHOULD HE PREVAIL. TRUMP IS AHEAD IN MOST OF THE BATTLEGROUNDS AND WE THOUGHT TODAY WAS A GOOD DAY TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PLANS ARE FOR RIGGING THE NOVEMBER ELECTION. >> WELL, I WANT YOU TO KNOW, NICOLLE, THAT IN MY WEEKEND WAR GAME EXERCISE THAT I DO OVER HERE AT MY PLACE, YOU HAVE SOMETIMES COME AND DONE THAT, WE'RE DECIDING BETWEEN A BODY SNATCHER THING AND A MARTIAN THING THIS WEEKEND. SO IF YOU HAVE A POINT OF VIEW, LET ME KNOW. YEAH, I MEAN, I THINK THIS GETS BACK TO A THEME THAT WE HAVE RETURNED TO OF LATE, PARTICULARLY, BECAUSE OF THE PROJECT 2025 KIND OF EXPOSURE THAT IT HAS BEEN GETTING, NOT GETTING AS MUCH ATTENTION AS OTHER STORIES RECENTLY. BUT THE FACT THAT THE KIND OF CAT IS OUT OF THE BAG AND I DO THINK THAT IT SPEAKS TO A LOT OF THINGS HERE, IT SPEAKS TO -- IT SPEAKS TO THE WAY IN WHICH -- IT SPEAKS TO THE TOTAL CAPTURE OF ALL OF THE THESE NOT JUST OF THE MAGA MOVEMENT THAT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY AND ALL OF THE ASSOCIATED AND ANCILLARY EXTRA CAMPAIGN AND POLITICAL ORGANIZATIONS, THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION ONCE UPON A TIME WAS A MAINSTREAM CONSERVATIVE ORGANIZATION IN WASHINGTON, D.C. NOW THEY ARE NOT JUST A MAGA ORGANIZATION, BUT THEY ARE DOING WAR GAMES OF THIS KIND. I THINK LARGELY, MAYBE NOT -- LET'S SAY AT LEAST PARTIALLY, TO CONTINUE TO CURRY FAVOR WITH DONALD TRUMP. YOU ARE -- THESE ARE LIKE SO MUCH OF THIS IS PERFORMAIVE, RITUALS BY INSTITUTIONS TO CURRY FAVOR WITH THE CULT LEADER, WITH THE DEAR LEADER, WITH DONALD TRUMP. YOU DO THESE THINGS TO GET IN HIS GOOD GRACES AND MAINTAIN YOUR CREDIBILITY. I'M SURE THEY HAVE HAD THIS PLANNED FOR A VERY LONG TIME. BUT AS TRUMP DISTANCES HIMSELF PUBLICLY FROM SOME OF THEIR WORK, I BET THEY'RE REALLY HAPPY TO BE DOING THIS. THIS IS A QUALITY OF THIS, HEY, YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN WITH TRUMP. WE HAVE TO KEEP CURRYING FAVOR WITH HIM AND CERTAINLY AS WE WERE TALKING LAST TIME I WAS ON THE SHOW, EVERY ELEMENT OF THIS MATCHES UP TO THE DESCRIPTION THAT WE TALKED ABOUT THAT DAY WHERE I GET OUR CALL, AN ATLANTIC WRITER WHO SAID THAT THE JANUARY 6 INSURRECTION WAS A DRESS REHEARSAL, THIS IS LITERALLY A DRESS REHEARSAL, ONLY IT IS A COS PLAY DRESS REHEARSAL, IT IS