We’ve been waiting for some time for the report on Vladimir Putin’s (R-RU) interference in the US election to harm Hillary Clinton and assist Trump. We may never find out "how" the intelligence community knows what it does, largely because Putin would kill our HUMINT assets, if he knew who they were. The "why" is actually fascinating, but I think they missed an angle. And the lies coming from the Tangerine Traitor are deplorable.
Russian president Vladimir Putin interfered in the US presidential election to aid Donald Trump, according to a declassified assessment by the NSA, CIA and FBI.
“We assess Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an influence campaign in 2016 aimed at the US presidential election. Russia’s goals were to undermine public faith in the US democratic process, denigrate Secretary [Hillary] Clinton, and harm her electability and potential presidency. We further assess Putin and the Russian Government developed a clear preference for President-elect Trump,” the agencies found in a long-awaited report that stands to hang over the head of the incoming Trump administration.
The report (pdf), for weeks the subject of leaks that have incensed and vexed Trump, contradicts the contention from his transition team that Russia did not prefer him in the 2016 election, as well as Trump’s insistence that the culprits behind the hacks of Democratic political figures are fundamentally unknowable.
The report keeps classified any crucial technical data demonstrating Russian culpability, which means its release is unlikely to persuade skeptics that the intelligence agencies have definitively proven their case. Nor does the intelligence assessment claim that Russian interference was decisive in the election.
Though the report lacks detail, never before has the US intelligence apparatus publicly assessed a foreign power to have interfered in an election for the benefit of an incoming president… [emphasis added]
From <The Guardian>
Photo Credit: Daily Kos:
I have read the report. You can too.
The best explanation as to why Putin did what he did. comes from Rachel Maddow.
I agree with everything she said, but here’s the other angle. Had Clinton been elected, she would have opposed Putin’s international abuses of power and war crimes to expand Russia’s sphere of influence. As long as Putin strokes his pet’s ego, Trump will roll over and give him free reign.
Rachel also covered Trump’s lies.
For those of you who cannot watch the video, let me reiterate. The Fuhrer said that Report said that Russia had absolutely no effect on the election. The report actually said that the report does not cover whether or not Russia had an effect on the election. The Fuhrer said that the Report said Russia had tried to hack Republican Party computers but had failed, because Republican cyber security was so supereior. The Report actually said that Russia successfully hacked Republican computers, but had opted not to make that information public. I don’t think Trump would go so far out of his way to try to cover that up, if Putin wasn’t blackmailing Republicans with the information he obtained, and that explains why I chose the graphic I did.
14 Responses to “The How, the Why, and the Lies”
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Well, duh. Democrats can live closer together because they are not stabbing each other in the back all the time! Would YOU want to live surrounded by Republicans? They HAVE to spread out in unoccupied territory! We have just got to find ways to give them less power.
WRT Russian hacking, it really didn't matter who won. Had Hillary won, the hacking really had set her up to be delegitimized, and in even a worse position than Obama. [In our country, women really are the Navy (and, Pat, I mean no insult to you or any other sailors, I am referring to Yahoo's recent viral typographical error regarding the Navy) in our country. The bottom of the barrel. I saw that in 2008, and I was very worried for 2016. The election in 2016 confirmed my fears in spades.] So, for Putin, the whole hacking project was a win-win. Trump was the cherry on the sundae.
RESIST !!!
That cherry would taste like a turd!
Yes, imho, Trump is a Traitor, and Putin loves him as a puppet! Makes me ill. ick!
No worries, Joanne, when I first read it, I was stunned. (Yahoo needs to get a better proof reader).
"That blunder was the second one of the day for a media outlet. Earlier in the morning, The Washington Post Express, a free daily tabloid given to mass transit passengers in D.C., shared its cover about the Women’s March on Washington that mistakenly featured the male gender symbol."
*business2community.com
Twitter certainly had a lot of fun with the error, though.
The real blackmailing of Trump is that Putin could claim that Trump was aware of the hacking and cooperating with Putin all along. Even IF that claim were false it would ;leave Trump weakened and America in shambles.
Welcome Joe.
Good point, except wouldn't weakening Trump be good for America?
Even if Putin put out a video in which he gleefully admits to have ordered the hack to interfere with American elections and destabilize the US, Drumpf and the Republican leaders will just call it a fake and the Russian interference not proven. And in twelve days or so this will all melt into the background of Drumpf's reign and the atrocities his cabinet and Congress have in store for the country.
Democrats are not willing to draw blood on this issue, or any other issue for that matter, so unless people are prepared to take to the streets on this, nothing will happen and it will become an entry in the history books for future generations to be shocked by.
So either get used to the New Dark Ages or unite and fight for a New Age of Enlightenment (thanks, Lynn) and
RESIST!
Democrats are, but the Senate Minority leader is not.
Lona makes the most cogent point here: "Democrats are not willing to draw blood on this issue, or any other issue for that matter…." I do not know why the Dems are so damned quiet on so many issues! Schumer is "going to ASK McConnell to not hold simultaneous hearings…." ASK? Geeeeeez! McConnell will eat him for lunch! I suggest that the reason Putin did what he did is not what counts, it was the sooo weak response that Pres. Obama had to (once again!!!) McConnell, in September, allowing the hacking to be kept secret, that hurts. As much as I admire Obama, and as per your other posting of today, Clinton, each lost respect with me for their failure to think ahead. Oh, sorry, Clinton thought with the wrong head. Can you imagine what Clinton might have accoplished had he not had to focus so much energy on his idiot denial and defense of the impeachment? Then, he became an albatross in regard to Gore's campaign, and we got Dumbo and two wars for it!!!
I doubt Rachel Maddow is really surprised that Trump lied to us. That is what he does almost every time he opens his mouth. I resent that Obama went along with McConnell and did not release the information prior to the election. I read to day that at least 50 of the electoral voters for Trump were not legal, some held state jobs, for example. I also wonder how much money Trump owes the Russians and how Putin wants to be repaid. I am really worried about where our country will be by next year! Kentucky politicians rode Trump;s coattails and the Republicans control the House here for the first time in 95 years. Today they voted in a "Right to work" law and one that requires a woman to have an ultrasound before an abortion. Our yucky governor promised to have both bills signed by the end of the day.
Wow. I say way wow every time I read stuff about Drumpf and its getting old. He does so much stuff that years ago would NEVER happen in a Democratic White House. If ANY thing like THIS had happened with a Democratic PEOTUS, (Obama), he would have been impeached, hell shot for treason, and given a life sentence at the VERY LEAST!
Drumpf will show his true colors before long. Hopefully the people do the US will finally WAKE UP and THROW THIS DOG OUT!
"tangerine traitor" – good one, TC. No surprise he gets along with Putin as they are two of a kind. For me, there is NOTHING legitimate about the Trump presidency….it has a bad smell to it, like old socks or limburger cheese hidden in old socks. Trump is a sorry excuse for a human being and I weep for our country.
Trump = Liar-in-Chief! It certainly looks like Trump and Putin are cut from similar cloth, if not the same cloth. What is the maxim — "Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely!" Both Trump and Putin are power hungry and corrupt, menaces to their respective countries and the human race. I found Rachel's explanation of Putin's career aspirations and his electoral finagling very informative and interesting.
Resist!!!
Thanks all! Hugs!!