To avoid any misunderstanding, my answer is an unequivocal “NO!” Nevertheless the propaganda mavens and liars, who speak for the Republican Reich, are crowing that Russia is getting involved in the 2020 election to help Bernie Sanders, not their own criminal Fuhrer, Donald Trump*, based on the following.
Russia has been trying to intervene in the Democratic primaries to aid Senator Bernie Sanders, according to people familiar with the matter, and Mr. Sanders said on Friday that intelligence officials recently briefed him.
The disclosure came a day before the Nevada caucuses, where Mr. Sanders is a favorite, and followed revelations a day earlier that Moscow was interfering on President Trump’s behalf this year, as it did in 2016.
Mr. Sanders denounced Russia in a statement, calling President Vladimir V. Putin an “autocratic thug” and warning Moscow to stay out of the election. Drawing a contrast with Mr. Trump, he said he would stand against any efforts by Russia or another foreign power to interfere in the vote…. [emphasis added]
Inserted from <NY Times>
Here is more of Bernie’s response.
Officials tell Sanders Russia is trying to help his campaign
Although Republicans are blaming Bernie for not coming forward with this information a month age, remember that intelligence briefings to presidential candidates are classified and may not be divulged.
So why is Putin [R-RU] trying to help Bernie? The obvious answer is that he’s trying to move voters away from moderate candidates, because it’s easier to hand the election to Trump*, if he’s running against a progressive. I think the obvious answer, like the common wisdom it reflects, is wrong, because Putin knows that the publicity surrounding Russian help will really hurt Bernie. That’s what Putin is trying to do.
Putin appearing to help Trump doesn’t hurt Trump, because Republicans, lacking in ethics, drool for Russian help. But Democrats, who are far more ethical, object to Russian interference, so it hurts any candidate that appears to receive it. So the real question is this. Why is Putin trying to hurt Bernie?
Putin is afraid to have his puppet run against a progressive, who can excite and motivate voters to turn out. He thinks he can steal the White House from an establishment Democrat, like he did from Hillary. Since Putin wants Trump to run against an establishment Democrat, and Bernie is the progressive front runner, he’s pretending to support Bernie. If Liz were the progressive front runner, we’d be having this discussion about her.
RESIST!!
12 Responses to “Is Bernie Russia’s Choice?”
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I fully concur with your assessment. The only reason Putin would show support for Bernie is to hurt him.
I agree with you on your opinion about Putin.
What Mitch said (too).
I see two ways of looking at this.
1. Russia thinks Bernie will be the easiest for Trump to beat, so is trying to make him the candidate.
2. Russia thinks Bernie will be the hardest candidate for Trump to beat, so they are acting like they support him, but making sure we find out they are, in order to make us think #1 is true and disqualify him.
Yes, I’m devious. So is Putin. (He is more devious than I am so I may still be missing something.)
But until we can be sure which alternative is correct, which may be never, I would recommend we not allow it to distract us from fairly considering ALL the candidates based on their stands and plans.
I’m seeing responses to the Russians-Bernie thing, and some are able to back their thoughts up with fact –
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2020/2/22/1921195/-Bernie-is-The-Real-Deal
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2020/2/22/1921225/-PROOF-The-Russian-Plot-to-Help-Bernie-Sanders-is-Being-Led-By-Donald-Trump
I think that if #1 were true, they would not help him, knowing their help will make getting the nomination more difficult for him.
Agreed.
agree with assessments above and would add that in 2016 Putin also used ANYTHING that would be divisive and this fits that to a tee.
I too agree with you and others opinions regarding pUtin. He’s not going to help anyone but tRump.
Glad Bernie has a brain to know that. Not like brainless tRump.
I don’t think the Russians are interested in the winner per se, their interest is solely disruption and especially division. Trump, of course, will welcome any help he gets; Bernie, on the other hand, is already the better man, i.e. better president in his denouncement of their interference.
Thanks and hurried Hugs to all.
Sorry, but I have to disagree. That’s way too much triangulation, 4-cushioned bank shot or 11-dimensional chess. Gotta go w/ Occam’s Razor, and “not multiply entities without necessity”.
But I’m probably more in line w/ Lona: While I think the Russians would truly prefer Sanders because they figure he’d be easier to beat – what they really want is to create more chaos.
The more the Russians can divide parties and our country, the weaker it makes us and the stronger it makes them.
You’ve got that right. Bernie even laid it out that Russia is interested in and trying to sow division and chaos.
Today I had a rather heated but civil discussion in a parking lot about US politics with a fellow who just happened to notice I was reading Democracy in Chains (Thanks Mitch. Very interesting and informative!). To say the least, this fellow, were he American, would be part of the far right. He called Bernie a communist and also accused the radical left (aka anyone who is not on the right) of promoting live birth abortions. I could not believe what I was hearing but there he was, chapter and verse. He asked me who I would vote for could I vote and I said Bernie of course. He just shook his head. I finally ended the conversation because I was getting wet (rain) and I was hungry. I guess it takes all kinds but I was ashamed that he was Canadian.