Vast right-wing conspiracy

The vast right-wing conspiracy is a belief that conservative opinion in the US is somehow controlled and manipulated by insidious forces working in unison. It is believed that Hillary Clinton coined this phrase in 1999 as an explanation for the concerted efforts of her husband's enemies with regard to scandals, notably the Monica Lewinsky scandal.

Clinton allies identify billionaire Richard Mellon Scaife as the key financier of this so-called conspiracy, given his generous support of many conservative bodies, such as the Heritage Foundation. In particular, he provided The American Spectator with $2.4 million to look into Bill Clinton's past, as part of the so-called Arkansas Project.

Others argue that the network of conservative religious groups is also part of the so-called conspiracy, or that conservative media, such as Fox News and many right-leaning talk show hosts, play a key role in coordinating conservative activity by repeating a coordinated spin, or message, on a given issue. This is sometimes called the "echo chamber" or "Mighty Wurlitzer" effect, in that rumors circulate so heavily in conservative media that mainstream media end up reporting the same stories as well.

Many conservatives have found the idea laughable or amusing, and wear the term with as a badge of honor, in much the same vein as Soviet Canuckistan.