Republicans have been claiming that all the Republican town hall protesters are paid shills by the left, but Fox News went exponentially further today by claiming Obama is pulling all the strings.

Fox and Friends host Brian Kilmeade began the segment playing an OFA video that's promoting their nonprofit organization. To conservative cranks, it's intended to activate Stepford Obots into action against Republican town halls.

First up was New Zealand's Danielle McLaughlin (a lefty I assume). Kilmeade asked, "Did you ever think that President Obama is on the beach pulling the strings?"

See what he did there?

Danielle told him that Obama is on the beach enjoying himself. She said he eventually will probably help to build a bench of young Democrats to promote progressive ideals.

Brian then switched to Matt Schlapp, who replied, "Ben, there is a sense that these uprising in these town halls, these demonstrations from Minneapolis to North Carolina to New York and San Francisco over the weekend are orchestrated by this group."

When Kilmeade says there is a sense, he means he's got a feeling, a hunch, an instinct, a twinge in his belly that these protests are not real!

See, no evidence, proof, facts, dossiers, oppo-research, just a sense.

Or put more basically, Kilmeade and Schlapp are spreading conservative propaganda to help Donald Trump.

Schlapp confidently replied, "Yeah. They absolutely are."

That clinches it. I'm convinced, are you?

He continued, "And let me just say I think it's President Obama just can't get enough. It's very graceless to continue to want to be front and center of politics after you have been president."

How dare President Obama voice an opinion during a rugged general election campaign against a candidate promoting xenophobic values? How dare he want to organize a fight against the repeal of his signature accomplishments?

Schlapp then melted down into Alex Jones territory and said, "Look they have a big race to see who the next head of the DNC is. I think it's Barack Obama."

Riiight. I mean if you were the most powerful person in the world for eight years, wouldn't you then like to head up the DNC in your retirement years?

Matt complained, "I think he is pulling strings. I think is he involved and I think he is going to be the head of the democratic resistance throughout these Trump years and i think it's very tacky."

Your words are tacky, Matt. Better book a ticket to Texas, so Infowars can properly assess your wingnuttery.

Kilmeade then promoted another conspiracy theory, suggesting that Ben Rhodes is responsible for ousting Gen. Flynn because Obama was mad at him of criticizing the Iranian deal.

Danielle explained in a measured tone that Obama has no interest in staying in politics but is going to support progressive values.

Schlapp couldn't get over that video and continued, "He appears in this video. He is standing side by side with the people going to these town halls."

Even though Obama is out of office, conservatives still can't get enough of him. Or at least, criticism of him. If there's a conspiracy, you can expect them to make it Obama's fault.

Now that's tacky.

I'm shocked there wasn't a mention of George Soros, conservatives' favorite boogeyman.

Oh, hey, Brian and Matt. Does this look like a guy who's busy at work organizing town hall protests behind the scenes?

We didn't think so either.