Author Walter Kirn said in a video clip from a recent podcast that “everything that happens before the election is a PSYOP,” arguing that pre‑election narratives are designed to influence behavior. The clip was posted on X by Jay Plemons on October 25, 2026.
‘Everything is subordinate to that election’
In the clip, transcribed by Jay Plemons, Kirn states: “Everything that happens, the polling, the rumors, the word of mouth, the social media posts, the trends, the little anecdotes that get repeated and go viral. Everything is subordinate to that election. And none of it is true in and of itself. It’s all instrumental.”
Kirn adds: “Not only don’t I trust the polls, I do trust the polls. I trust them to be nudging people in all the ways that polls can for all the people who can pay for polls.” He continues: “The news now is all about behavior modification. It’s not about truth.”
Video source and context
The remarks come from a recent podcast appearance; the specific program was not identified in the post. The video and transcript were shared by Jay Plemons on X on October 25, 2026.
Example circulating online
Soon after, the account Kalshi Politics posted “MICHIGAN SENATE ODDS: Abdul El‑Sayed: 68% / Mike Rogers: 32%” on October 24, 2026. That post was cited as an example of the kind of pre‑election content Kirn was describing.
Kirn’s background
Kirn is an author whose 2001 novel “Up in the Air” was adapted into a 2009 Hollywood film.
Watch the clip
Video via X post by @jayplemons, October 25, 2026.
