This being the age of the influencer, it makes for a good lesson to be very wary of who it is you follow or rely upon in the political spectrum. A recent episode that took place and the ensuing fallout from it could be the best way to show how your best interest and even political activism often take a backseat to the self-interest of those involved. That a named conservative turns to the press for help getting their messaging amplified, and that the news outlet is unconcerned with finding out details, explains so much.

Rob Smith is a black and gay former Marine who is a frequent face and voice in the conservative sphere. He appears at political events and news outlets and is published frequently, as expected from political personalities. He was in Arizona at the latest Turning Point USA convention. While attending, he later went to another ancillary gathering in the city where he was confronted with an opposing, allegedly hostile group that chanted intolerant things aimed directly at Smith.

Rob went on CNN to discuss this episode with Abby Phillip, and they provided some video of the confrontation.

After being confronted by MAGA members at a pro-Trump event how is it @RobSmithOnline manages to call out all other GOP candidates except the one who saw his own supporters doing this? pic.twitter.com/3O42OjifFY

— Lie-Able Sources (@LieAbleSources) December 24, 2023

Following his appearance, Smith put up a post regarding the incident, and he systematically listed off Republicans who are running for the presidency, challenging them to speak out about the intolerance he faced.

For preservation purposes, here is the post where Rob Smith calls out the candidates about his confrontation in Arizona. pic.twitter.com/wDI4Snae55

— Lie-Able Sources (@LieAbleSources) December 24, 2023

Smith has since taken down this particular tweet from his feed, and it is for a reason. You will notice one name had been excluded from his lecturing post - Donald Trump. This secondary event Smith attended was Republicans for American Renewal, and its name is more than just reflective of Make America Great Again - even Abby Phillip acknowledged this is a “right-wing pro-Trump advocacy group.” So why then, of all the candidates to call out for their silence on this confrontation, would Rob not bring up Trump’s name?

Additionally, this crowd that was berating Smith was the Nick Fuentes Groypers, the noted problematic gang leaning towards supremacy. These dolts have no affiliation with those candidates, but Fuentes has at least a past connection with Trump, and they support him for reelection. Smith provides a fuller video of the episode and in it you see that he is clearly not feeling threatened, laughing throughout and even provoking them at times. You also hear him responding to one of the taunts by turning the crowd’s chant onto Nick Fuentes.

Last night in Phoenix, I was confronted and surrounded by some White Supremacists that don’t like gays or blacks in the Republican Party.

They shouted “nigger” and “faggot” at me to make their point.

However, I served in Iraq.

I never back down.

Ever. pic.twitter.com/zbZbuFlObM

— Rob Smith (@robsmithonline) December 18, 2023

This completely undermines any attempt at leverage Smith might have. It is purely a deflection attempt, as he fully understands that this display is not a good look for most everyone involved. But what is clear is that he is not looking at making a political needle move in a positive manner, he is looking out for his own benefit. Look at the very fact that as he tries to turn the narrative away from the candidate with the most culpability, he turns to a network derided as a fountain of fraud.

Making Rob Smith’s visit with Phillip more insincere is that not only has CNN been known as a hostile haven towards conservatives in general and Republicans directly, but he has called out the network himself. Prior to his supposedly tragic confrontation, and then sitting in with Phillip to deliver a scripted accusation, Smith was critical of the validity of CNN - less than a week earlier.

I don’t base any of my criticism off of the CNN/MSNBC propaganda. They’re liars and not to be trusted.

— Rob Smith (@robsmithonline) December 15, 2023

Here we see all the reasons to be dismissive of anything concerning this plotline. Rob Smith turning to the outlet he has described as a factory of lies to lambaste candidates in support of Donald Trump, who CNN has described as a severe threat to the nation on a near-daily basis. This would classify his narrative as rooted in falsehoods, and CNN is doing so in support of the man they in truth want to see remaining on the political radar. 

What we have is cooperative grifting at play. Smith wants to deflect a controversy away from Trump, and he attempts to do so with the news outlet that misrepresents its intentions. This is a clown show on all sides that needs to be called out for what it is.