In 1993, the 51-day standoff between federal agents and the Branch Davidians in Waco, Texas ended in tragedy with 76 people dead, including 25 children. For William Cooper, former Naval Intelligence officer turned conspiracy broadcaster, this wasn't just another government operation gone wrong—it was the smoking gun that validated everything he had been warning his listeners about.
This episode examines how Waco transformed Cooper from a UFO researcher into one of the most influential voices in the American militia movement. We explore how Cooper's military background shaped his worldview, his complex relationship with the UFO community, and how his radio show The Hour of the Time provided the ideological foundation for the modern American conspiracy landscape. The episode also examines Cooper's contentious relationship with a young Alex Jones, revealing how the torch of conspiracy broadcasting passed from one generation to the next.
Cooper's story—ending with his death in a shootout with law enforcement in 2001—offers a window into how fringe ideas about government power moved from the margins into the mainstream, and how a single tragedy in Texas became the catalyst for decades of anti-government sentiment that continues to shape America today.
GUEST: Mark Jacobson is a veteran journalist and author known for his deep dives into American subcultures and fringe movements. His work has appeared in prestigious publications including New York Magazine, The Village Voice, and Rolling Stone. In Pale Horse Rider, Jacobson delivers the definitive biography of William “Bill” Cooper.
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