Podcast hosts and disinformation researcher Mike Rothschild deconstruct the online behavior of Jim Stewartson, highlighting the vulnerability of the political left to conspiratorial thinking. | Kinexis.AI
This report provides a probabilistic, AI-generated analysis. It may contain errors and should not be relied on as the sole basis for legal, employment, medical, or safety-critical decisions.
Podcast hosts and disinformation researcher Mike Rothschild deconstruct the online behavior of Jim Stewartson, highlighting the vulnerability of the political left to conspiratorial thinking.
Low Risk
No significant concern signals were detected in this content.
This podcast episode features hosts Jared Holt, Jay McKenzie, and Griff Sombke, alongside disinformation researcher Mike Rothschild, discussing the phenomenon of left-wing conspiracy theories. The primary focus is a critical analysis of Jim Stewartson, a figure known for promoting unverified claims regarding Michael Flynn and QAnon. The hosts utilize audio clips of Stewartson to highlight his aggressive rhetoric and claims of victimhood, contrasting his approach with the rigorous, fact-based standards of professional researchers.
Throughout the discussion, Rothschild explains the psychological drivers behind conspiracy belief, noting that the political left is equally susceptible to the desire for secret knowledge and retribution against political enemies. The episode serves as both a specific critique of Stewartson's online behavior and a broader warning about the dangers of unchecked conspiratorial thinking, urging listeners to maintain skepticism and demand evidence regardless of political alignment.
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P1Jim Stewartson (Audio Clip)
Requires human review. These interpretations are AI-generated assessments, not definitive conclusions.
High
No evidence of synthetic media or AI voice generation detected.
Caveats
The audio clips of the subject are presented out of their original context and may have been selectively edited for brevity or impact, though the voices themselves appear authentic.
Requires human review. These interpretations are AI-generated assessments, not definitive conclusions.
Mike Rothschild
A mis/disinformation researcher and author specializing in conspiracy theories. He was the featured guest on the podcast episode, discussing the prevalence of conspiracy theories on the political left.
Jim Stewartson
A self-proclaimed anti-disinformation activist and writer of the 'MindWar' Substack. He is the subject of the 'StewAnon' moniker discussed in the podcast, known for promoting the conspiracy theory that Michael Flynn created QAnon. He has faced defamation lawsuits from Michael Flynn and Kash Patel, the latter resulting in a $250,000 default judgment against him that he is attempting to appeal as of April 2026.
Michael Flynn
Former U.S. National Security Advisor. He is central to the narrative discussed in the podcast, as Jim Stewartson claims Flynn is the mastermind behind QAnon. Flynn filed a defamation lawsuit against Stewartson in late 2023 over these claims.
Jared Holt
Host of the 'Posting Through It' podcast, which released the episode in question.
Jay McKenzie
Co-host of the 'Did Nothing Wrong' podcast, which collaborated on this episode.
Griff Sombke
Co-host of the 'Did Nothing Wrong' podcast, which collaborated on this episode.
Event Context
The video is actually an audio podcast episode titled '#186: StewAnon,' released on March 20, 2023, by the 'Posting Through It' podcast in collaboration with the 'Did Nothing Wrong' podcast. The episode features researcher Mike Rothschild and focuses on criticizing Jim Stewartson, whose followers are dubbed 'StewAnon.' The hosts deconstruct Stewartson's left-wing conspiracy theories, particularly his unverified claim that Michael Flynn is the mastermind behind QAnon. The user-provided description ('A group of men protecting a narrative centered around Michael Flynn and attacking another man') is a biased framing of the hosts' critique of Stewartson.
Defamation Case Against Jim Stewartson · 2023-12-26
Searched 2026-04-27
Analysis Gap0:00 - 10:00
Content policy restriction
This time window (0:00–10:00) could not be analyzed. The AI engine was restricted from processing this content (RECITATION). No behavioral data is available for this period.
Requires human review. These interpretations are AI-generated assessments, not definitive conclusions.
Speaker Profiles
Jared Holt— Jared Holt(host)
Voice
Accent / Dialect
American · Standard American
Register
conversational
Pace
150 wpm
Pitch
mid-range, expressive, frequent laughter
Credibility Assessment
Specificity
high
Consistency
high
Deception Indicators
Qualifier Inflation
none
Pace Changes
none
Pause Anomalies
none
Influence Tactics
17:04humor_and_mockeryUses laughter and sarcastic repetition to undermine the subject's claims of prescience.
49:00appeal_to_reasonOffers a 'general rule of thumb' to encourage audience skepticism regarding online interactions.
Jay McKenzie— Jay McKenzie(host)
Voice
Accent / Dialect
American · Standard American
Register
conversational
Pace
145 wpm
Pitch
mid-range, steady, supportive
Credibility Assessment
Specificity
high
Consistency
high
Deception Indicators
Qualifier Inflation
none
Pace Changes
none
Pause Anomalies
none
Narrative Gaps
anonymized subject details
Influence Tactics
47:51anecdotal_evidenceShares a story about an autistic young man to illustrate the vulnerability of individuals to online conspiracy communities.
Griff Sombke— Griff Sombke(host)
Voice
Accent / Dialect
American · Standard American
Register
formal when reading, casual in banter
Pace
135 wpm
Pitch
clear, measured, announcer-like
Credibility Assessment
Specificity
high
Consistency
high
Deception Indicators
Qualifier Inflation
none
Pace Changes
none
Pause Anomalies
none
Influence Tactics
45:40framingIntroduces an audio clip by explicitly framing it as evidence of an 'unhealthy obsession'.
Mike Rothschild— Mike Rothschild(guest)
Voice
Accent / Dialect
American · Standard American
Register
analytical, conversational
Pace
155 wpm
Pitch
steady, authoritative, dynamic
Credibility Assessment
Specificity
high
Consistency
high
Unsolicited Denials
I didn't do any of this. I did not.
Deception Indicators
Qualifier Inflation
frequent use of 'I think' and 'you know'
Pace Changes
accelerates when defending his own work
Pause Anomalies
none
Narrative Gaps
I don't want to name any names
Influence Tactics
34:44appeal_to_authorityCites his rigorous publishing process (fact-checking, legal reads) to contrast his credibility with the subject's.
36:20analogyCompares the subject's predictive claims to a 'strip mall psychic' to diminish their perceived value.
Jim Stewartson— Jim Stewartson(subject)
Voice
Accent / Dialect
American · Standard American
Register
serious, dramatic, confrontational
Pace
140 wpm
Pitch
strained, emphatic, elevated, tense
Credibility Assessment
Specificity
low
Consistency
moderate
SCAN Flags
high emotional volatility in claims
Deception Indicators
Qualifier Inflation
high use of intensifiers (intentionally so, aggressively so)
Pace Changes
slower pace for emphasis, rapid delivery during accusations
Pause Anomalies
dramatic pauses, frequent 'um' and 'uh' pauses
Influence Tactics
45:49ad_hominemDirectly attacks the guest as a liar and part of a 'team of trolls'.
12:46appeal_to_fearUses strong profanity and dire warnings about radicalization to elevate the perceived threat of his targets.
Narrative Analysis
Core Frame
The podcast frames left-wing conspiracy theories as structurally identical to right-wing ones, using Jim Stewartson as the primary case study of how unchecked online behavior devolves into toxic, unevidenced grievance.
Rhetorical Strategy
The hosts use a combination of mockery, incredulity, and structured interviews with a subject-matter expert to dismantle the target's credibility, contrasting his behavior with professional journalistic standards.
Framing Choices
The narrative deliberately avoids treating the subject's claims as legitimate whistleblowing, instead framing them as a psychological coping mechanism or a grift driven by a need for clout and financial gain.
In-Group / Out-Group Signals
Frequent use of shared laughter and validating interjections among the hosts and guest signals a cohesive in-group of rational observers, isolating the subject as an erratic out-group actor.
Coordination Indicators
The hosts exhibit seamless hand-offs, pre-planned insertion of audio clips, and structured questioning, indicating a rehearsed run-of-show typical of produced podcasts.
Target Audience Signals
The discussion assumes the audience is familiar with Twitter/X subcultures, QAnon lore, and left-leaning political dynamics, appealing to listeners interested in anti-disinformation.
Propaganda Techniques
36:20
Labeling
Comparing the subject to a 'strip mall psychic'.
32:46
In-group/Out-group signaling
Contrasting the rational 'we' (researchers, fact-checkers) against the irrational 'they' (conspiracy theorists).
System
Automated behavioral analysis with expression coding. Video frames, audio, speech content, and temporal patterns are analyzed across multiple modalities.
Expression Coding
Expressions are classified using action unit analysis and mapped to emotion prototypes using probabilistic matching, not deterministic rules.
Expression Taxonomy
The system classifies expressions into 7 basic emotions, 15 compound emotions, and an ambiguous category (23 types total):
Each expression event receives a confidence score from 0.0 to 1.0 based on visibility, duration, context, and cultural fit. Scores reflect model certainty in its classification, not ground truth accuracy.
Incongruence Detection
Speech-expression incongruence is flagged when the detected facial expression contradicts the concurrent verbal content. Incongruence is an indicator for further investigation, not evidence of deception.
Important Disclaimers
This analysis is not a substitute for expert human behavioral analysis.
Automated expression coding has known limitations including sensitivity to lighting, angle, resolution, and occlusion.
Cultural display rules, individual baseline differences, and medical conditions can affect expression patterns.
All findings are indicators and hypotheses, never verdicts. Do not use this report as the sole basis for legal, medical, employment, or safety-critical decisions.
Audio Quality
The recording contains standard remote-recording artifacts typical of podcast production, including slight variations in microphone quality among speakers.
Detection Challenges
The time window from 0:00 to 10:00 could not be analyzed due to AI content policy restrictions (RECITATION). No behavioral data or transcript analysis is available for this period.
Cultural Considerations
The discussion is heavily reliant on niche US political subcultures, specific Twitter/X dynamics, and QAnon lore, which requires specific contextual knowledge to fully interpret.
Confidence Caveats
The behavioral assessment of Jim Stewartson is based entirely on curated audio clips selected by his critics, which inherently lacks full context and may present a skewed representation of his overall communication style.
Probabilistic analysis. This report was generated by artificial intelligence and may contain errors, inaccuracies, or subjective interpretations. Authenticity signals and behavioral patterns are model-based assessments that should be one input among many. Nothing herein constitutes professional, legal, medical, or investigative advice. Use this report to inform your judgment, especially before making financial, reputational, or safety-critical decisions. Kinexis.AI disclaims all liability for decisions made based on this content.
\u00a9 2026 Web3 Studios LLC. All rights reserved. This Kinexis.AI report contains proprietary analytical frameworks, structured analysis, and compilation of findings that are protected by copyright. The AI-generated analytical content within this report is provided under license. Unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or republication of this report, in whole or in part, is prohibited without prior written permission.
