With respect to yesterday’s big news story, the report on Russian “meddling” in our recent election, while I definitely think we should investigate it I think the story to date is pretty weak tea. No actual evidence of anything has been shown to date other than the ineptitude of the Democratic Party organization with respect to data security.
I also think that it’s a bit amusing to see the consternation. I don’t recall anything like this level of dismay over U. S. meddling in Russian politics in the late 90s.
You know, David, just because you speak Russian you don’t have to be in the tank for Putin. Weak tea my ass. Mitch McConnell just called for an investigation, no doubt bullied into it by McCain and Graham.
Putin clearly tried to interfere to elect Trump. Trump is just as clearly in Putin’s pocket. Trump isn’t subtle enough to hide the fact that he is Putin’s buttboy.
Apparently, Democrats elected the wrong President. Instead of electing the President “reset with Russia” or President “tell Putin to wait until after the election” or President “the Cold War is over”, they should have elected Mr. “Russia is the “number one geopolitical foe”.
They should have elected Mitt Romney, and since I have been informed that a President Trump would nuke anybody who farts in our general direction, the Democrats should be happy.
But seriously, the Russians were misunderstood and abused by President Bush, but President Obama was there to save the day. Now, Russia has initiated a sneak attack like the Japanese at Pearl Harbor, and we should be ecstatic that the one candidate we were assured would annihilate any US enemy will soon have access to the nuclear codes.
Surely, Tasty, you don’t expect intellectual honesty or consistency from the sulking left. Apparently the Elegant Black Man’s views have “evolved.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2016/12/12/schumer-on-congressional-probe-of-russia-i-dont-want-this-to-turn-into-a-benghazi-investigation/?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-main_mcconnell-1110a%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.7e5b3cd56428
“The Russians are not our friends,†McConnell told reporters at a scheduled year-end news conference.
McConnell’s announcement came a day after a group of senators called for a thorough, bipartisan investigation of Russian interference. Some have endorsed the idea of a special select committee to lead an investigation, but McConnell stopped short of endorsing that, saying that any congressional probe would follow “regular order†through the current committee structure.
“This simply cannot be a partisan issue,†McConnell said, before adding that the Intelligence Committee “is more than capable of conducting a complete review of this matter.â€
First off, we don’t exactly have clean hands here when it comes to influencing elections. Secondly, to clear the air, we need full public accounting of what happened and what we are going to do about it. Lastly, looks like all the hot air on this will may melt the polar icecap.
https://www.thecipherbrief.com/article/exclusive/fmr-cia-acting-dir-michael-morell-political-equivalent-911-1091#.WE6RWJk6AUU.twitter
Mike Morrell, former acting director CIA, formerly George W. Bush’s briefer on 911, who broke with his lifelong practice of staying apolitical and endorsed Hillary because Trump was, “not only unqualified for the job, but he may well pose a threat to our national security.”
“.. political equivalent of 9/11..” Should we recall Maj Kong to the ready room or would another Siberian pipe line “accident” suffice?
Who needs a fictional cowboy when we’ve got John “False Flag” Bolton ready to saddle up?
Surprised Obama decided to highlight this. If he thought about it, he realize how this could make him look bad.
Who started poking at the Russians by appointing a “specialist on democracy, anti-dictator movements, revolutions” as the ambassador, wink winked nudge nudge the overthrow of the democratically elected Ukrainian government, and then practically call for “regime change” by slapping sanctions and trying to cut Russia off the world financial system.
In my organization, if there’s a hack, the person that the hack happened to will be investigated as to whether they did not negligently practice information security. The consequence upon finding negligence can be up to termination. If something as consequential as the election was “hacked”, who in the current administration let it happen, why was it not forseen? I’m sure the next administration would love to investigate this angle.
Or how about an investigation into what the Russians found and leaked. I’m sure Bernie Sanders would like a congressional investigation into how the DNC rigged the election against him, or John Podesta could talk about his emails under oath…
Finally, for those who support “regime change” around the world and didn’t like the election result (John McCain and Lindsay Graham both did not endorse Trump). Perhaps a little reflection is in order. If the Russian really did “hack” the elections, that’s twice you advocated for regime change abroad that has led to regime change at home in a way you didn’t like (Iraq led to Obama, Ukraine led to Trump).
They nominate perhaps the most dislikable, morally challenged and faux competent candidate in memory. They believe their own BS about the state of the economy and the current presidents stewardship. They are too arrogant to even campaign like they have a problem, or that their opponent has struck a cord. They all affirm each other’s opinions. They lose to an incredibly weak candidate, but all they have is..,
The electorate is stupid, Republicans are Nazis, and now, the Russians did it.
They shot their dirks off. And now are doubling down. It’s Monday. Is Obama mocking Romney on Russia, or telling us they are an existential threat? He could use Candy Crowly to run interference for him about now…..
The Economist:
http://www.economist.com/blogs/democracyinamerica/2016/12/house-divided
Interview with Michael Hayden, former director of the NSA, and former DCI (appointed by George W. Bush.)
https://www.thecipherbrief.com/column/network-take/president-elects-dismissal-cias-election-findings-not-acceptable-1091?utm_source=Aggregators&utm_campaign=f995dbfc25-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2016_12_10&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_b02a5f1344-f995dbfc25-117247
Yep. Nothing to see here. “Weak tea.”
@Drew I forgot to add:
“Trump supporters are meanies, and they stink, and they are racists, homophobes, misogynists, and …, and …, and …, and they have cooties and girl/boy germs, and we hate them and hope they die.”
But, I should be serious. Instead of restarting the Cold War, President Obama should nuke the commie bastards while we can. He could knock out their oil production and infrastructure plus all military targets. As to any radiation, they were not too concerned about Chernobyl, and they f*cked over Hillary (the smartest woman in the whole wide world). They will get what is coming, and if a few stray ICBM’s happen to hit a few red states – oops.
Yes, that’s why there should be a more thorough investigation. Do you really believe that we aren’t “conducting espionage” with respect to the Russians? I certainly hope we are. That’s why it’s weak tea. Espionage is obvious. It’s the intentionality that’s important and to date nobody seems to have produced much other than hypothesized motive.
Of course we interfere with everyone else when we can. Of course they do the same. However, it usually isn’t this blatant and they usually don’t get caught so soon. It sounds like the evidence is pretty good that it was Russians. Not so clear that it was the Russian government. If I had to bet, I would bet that they were trying to undermine Clinton whom they saw as the future president more than they were trying to elect Trump. That was just an extra benefit. Continuing the investigation certainly seems merited. If it is true that, as reported, the RNC was also hacked, would be nice to know why they didn’t release those.
Sure wish we had seen Trump’s tax returns and finances. Guess we will never know if he owes money to the Russians and how much if he does. Will just have to take the word of our financial whizzes like Drew who just believe whatever anyone says when it comes to money, or at least as long as they have an R after their name.
Steve
Yep. I also read quotes in the WP and the Guardian from unnamed administration sources who said that the CIA was blowing smoke.
How many tens of millions of dollars have the Clintons received from foreign governments & foreign groups through the years? The Saudis have been Fuck all more damaging to the US over the last 25 years than the Russians have, but it’s okay that they tried to buy (another) US President?
Please. We know Hillary was openly on the take from foreign governments. The concern now is just so much bullshit.
The best part of this is that the same people that thought Wikileaks was the best organization ever when they were releasing info damaging to Bush & Republicans now think that organization is a Russian front now that it’s releasing info inconvenient to them. Outstanding work!
Incidentally, it’s also funny as hell that they’re complaining about documents that showed HRC was colluding with the DNC in the primaries to rig those elections and that the HRC campaign was colluding with the media to win the general election. Their argument is that if only Hillary had been allowed to rig the elections in secret she could have won them fair and square! Lmao!
…
I still think she lost because she spent more money on Lena Dunham related campaigning than actually campaigning in places like Wisconsin. That and because people are sick and tired of the same old same old. But then, I’ve probably been hacked by the Russian government and just don’t know it.
“What a world! What a world!”
@steve: “If I had to bet, I would bet that they were trying to undermine Clinton whom they saw as the future president more than they were trying to elect Trump.”
Mostly agree. Before the U.S. elections, there were stories that explained Russian efforts in this area had historically been to create chaos, distrust and delegitimize the political process, not to throw an election to one side or the other. Since this explanation preceded the outcome of the election, I tend to favor it. The Russians probably don’t have a great idea of who they would necessarily favor; they face significant blowback if caught (particularly as the perceived pro-Russian candidate might be forced to become the most anti-Russian candidate) ; and delegitimization of the political process provides more bang for the buck. I may differ in this strategy wouldn’t solely be about Clinton, but about American democracy.
“How many tens of millions of dollars have the Clintons received from foreign governments & foreign groups through the years?”
This would justify the Russians buying Trump? Did they? I don’t know. Neither do you. Should be easy to find out, but he won’t release his financial info, and you guys don’t care. So, please stop pretending that you care about the issue.
Steve
“The best part of this is that the same people that thought Wikileaks was the best organization ever when they were releasing info damaging to Bush & Republicans now think that organization is a Russian front now that it’s releasing info inconvenient to them. Outstanding work!”
That’s unfortunately true, but it’s also true the GoP and Trump’s allies played the same game when the leaks went in their favor. It’s pretty obvious Wikileaks is a creature of the Russian government, but we still can’t seem to see past our partisan biases.
Speaking of partisanship, I don’t think we should look at this in terms of the Russians supporting one candidate or another. They would much prefer disruption designed to weaken whoever does get in office, and I think that’s what they got.
Setting the snark aside.
The elephant in the room is that if any of this is true Obamas apparatus was so weak he allowed this to happen. Only now it becomes important? Whatup with that?
And is it elephants, or elephanti? Where was the wailing and howling about Hillary’s home server getting hacked?
If I didn’t know any better I’d say this was all political. Recount? Oops. That didn’t work. Ban the electoral college. Crap. That didn’t work. How ’bout the Russians did it!? What next? Trump married a babe so he’s suffering from unnecessary loss of precious bodily fluids?
Michael thinks he can prove the case by spewing speculation by the pound. The FBI begs to differ. It’s bizarre to watch. A slow motion car wreck.
Did Putin meddle? Yes. Did Putin change the outcome? Nah. All of this deflects from the fact that Hillary was a pathetically awful candidate, with zero political skills and even less charisma.