# U.S. intercepts capture senior Russian officials celebrating Trump win. **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [January 6, 2017, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-intercepts-capture-senior-russian-officials-celebrating-trump-win/776441 "2017-01-06T03:08:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Little\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Little\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Pig)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-intercepts-capture-senior-russian-officials-celebrating-trump-win/776441/1 "2017-01-06T03:08:55Z")
[U.S. intercepts capture senior Russian officials celebrating Trump win](http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-russian-celebrate-trump-win-20170105-story.html). Senior ranking Russian official: “Congratulations comrade, Trump in White House.” Putin: “Kill Moose and Squirrel”. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-intercepts-capture-senior-russian-officials-celebrating-trump-win/776441/2 "2017-01-06T03:34:36Z")
Sad! ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-intercepts-capture-senior-russian-officials-celebrating-trump-win/776441/3 "2017-01-06T03:48:36Z")
“Is small problem, Comrade Awesome. Agent Natasha Fatale has dyed hair blonde, went to Serbia and now deep undercover mole, too valuable to send for moose and squirrel.” “Oh,\* bolshoi\*! Is nothing so valuable, what is she doing, so important!” “Are you sitting down, Comrade Awesome?” ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-intercepts-capture-senior-russian-officials-celebrating-trump-win/776441/4 "2017-01-06T04:15:21Z")
It’s perfectly natural that they should celebrate a Trump victory, just as Western leaders celebrated when Medvedev took over the Russian Presidency (failing to realize that Putin was still very much in control.) And just as with Medvedev and the West’s hope that here was a man they could work with, so with Trump. The Russians figure that far better relations lie ahead between Russia and the US. I have to say I share that hope. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-intercepts-capture-senior-russian-officials-celebrating-trump-win/776441/5 "2017-01-06T04:25:44Z")
It’s perfectly natural for the Russians to celebrate a Trump victory, just as it was perfectly natural for the Germans to celebrate Chamberlain’s tenure at Downing Street. A weak, easily manipulated leader who will be entirely ineffective in opposing their geopolitical goals is the best Christmas gift the Russians could have bought for themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-intercepts-capture-senior-russian-officials-celebrating-trump-win/776441/6 "2017-01-06T04:30:55Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > And just as with Medvedev and the West’s hope that here was a man they could work with, so with Trump. The Russians figure that far better relations lie ahead between Russia and the US. I have to say I share that hope. If by “work with” you mean “manipulate the ever-loving fuck out of” then you’d be approximately correct. If Trump thinks he’s going to use his _Art of the Deal_ intimidate by threatening to sue or refusing to pay, he’s in for a surprise by despot who uses threat of military intervention or inciting conflicts to get what he wants. The mutual lovefest between Trump and Putin is over the first time Putin doesn’t get what he wants. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![ganthet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de0a6/32.png) [@ganthet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ganthet)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-intercepts-capture-senior-russian-officials-celebrating-trump-win/776441/7 "2017-01-06T04:39:56Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > It’s perfectly natural that they should celebrate a Trump victory, just as Western leaders celebrated when Medvedev took over the Russian Presidency (failing to realize that Putin was still very much in control.) Why would Russian officials [congratulate themselves](https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/us-intercepts-capture-senior-russian-officials-celebrating-trump-win/2017/01/05/d7099406-d355-11e6-9cb0-54ab630851e8_story.html?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-high_usrussia620p%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.61e222c34928) (and not just celebrate) over the results of an election that they had no part whatsoever in? > [@Washington Post story](#): > > Senior officials in the Russian government celebrated Donald Trump’s victory over Hillary Clinton as a geopolitical win for Moscow, according to U.S. officials who said that American intelligence agencies intercepted communications in the aftermath of the election in which Russian officials congratulated themselves on the outcome. > … > Even so, the messages also revealed that top officials in Russia anticipated that Clinton would win and did not expect their effort to achieve its goal. > [@aldiboronti](#): > > And just as with Medvedev and the West’s hope that here was a man they could work with, so with Trump. The Russians figure that far better relations lie ahead between Russia and the US. I have to say I share that hope. It is gratifying to see that some conservatives who rightly criticized Obama’s “reset” attempt at Russian relations in 2009 are equally critical of Trump’s own nascent reset attempts now. Better relations with the Russians, at least under their current leadership, would require surrendering to their demands for a sphere of influence over significant portions of Eastern Europe, essentially kicking out the Baltic states at the very least from NATO (which would destroy the entire credibility of NATO and any Central European country’s desire to remain in it), and blessing the burgeoning alliance between Russia, Syria, and Iran. That last part wouldn’t sit too well with our current Middle Eastern allies. And might be slightly contradictory to Trump and the other Republicans who are itching to tear up the Iran deal on day one. So, sure, the U.S. and Russia could have better relations on Putin’s terms if we don’t mind imploding the U.S.'s European and Middle Eastern alliances. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-intercepts-capture-senior-russian-officials-celebrating-trump-win/776441/8 "2017-01-06T05:02:57Z")
And after Hillary gave them that nice Reset Button! Why, the nerve!! ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-intercepts-capture-senior-russian-officials-celebrating-trump-win/776441/9 "2017-01-06T05:05:00Z")
> [@ganthet](#): > > So, sure, the U.S. and Russia could have better relations on Putin’s terms if we don’t mind imploding the U.S.'s European and Middle Eastern alliances. On the other hand, it would probably makeformsome pretty good deals for [Rex Tillerson’s portfolio](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-01-04/rex-tillerson-embraces-biggest-oil-rivals-in-personal-portfolio). I mean, of he weren’t seperating himself from all of those conflicts of interest. Right? Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-intercepts-capture-senior-russian-officials-celebrating-trump-win/776441/10 "2017-01-06T05:47:24Z")
The Democratic candidate was planning on committing acts of war against Russia and her ally. Why _wouldn’t_ they be celebrating her defeat? ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-intercepts-capture-senior-russian-officials-celebrating-trump-win/776441/11 "2017-01-06T05:50:37Z")
The Republican opinion of Putin’s Russia is giving me whiplash. ---
**Author:** ![ganthet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de0a6/32.png) [@ganthet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ganthet)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-intercepts-capture-senior-russian-officials-celebrating-trump-win/776441/12 "2017-01-06T06:30:40Z")
> [@Grumman](#): > > The Democratic candidate was planning on committing acts of war against Russia and her ally. Why _wouldn’t_ they be celebrating her defeat? But why were they also congratulating themselves? You usually only congratulate someone for some accomplishment that the other person achieved or performed. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-intercepts-capture-senior-russian-officials-celebrating-trump-win/776441/13 "2017-01-06T06:56:23Z")
> [@ganthet](#): > > But why were they also congratulating themselves? You usually only congratulate someone for some accomplishment that the other person achieved or performed. Keep in mind that they’re waging a psychological war intended to delegitimize American democracy. Whether or not they actually had an effect on the outcome of the election, they want people to think that they did. It’s possible that these intercepts were intended to be intercepted. It struck me as odd that these master hackers left fingerprints on some of those emails. I think that they may have wanted us to know that they were responsible for the hacks. That said. I do think that they’re thrilled that we elected an incompetent and easily manipulated ass. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 9:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-intercepts-capture-senior-russian-officials-celebrating-trump-win/776441/14 "2017-01-06T09:32:28Z")
> [@ganthet](#): > > Why would Russian officials [congratulate themselves](https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/us-intercepts-capture-senior-russian-officials-celebrating-trump-win/2017/01/05/d7099406-d355-11e6-9cb0-54ab630851e8_story.html?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-high_usrussia620p%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.61e222c34928) (and not just celebrate) over the results of an election that they had no part whatsoever in? I’m not convinced (I usually distrust intelligence sources, they don’t exactly have a sterling record for telling the truth) but even if it’s true the celebratory high-fives would simply be echoing those in the CIA when the many South American elections the US has rigged end in victory for their candidate. And dollars to donuts if a viable moderate candidate ever stood against Putin US intelligence would be knee-deep in dirty tricks to assist him, and so they should if it’s to America’s advantage (and of course they don’t get caught). There’s nothing new about any of this stuff, just the usual spy games. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-intercepts-capture-senior-russian-officials-celebrating-trump-win/776441/15 "2017-01-06T11:40:24Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > I’m not convinced (I usually distrust intelligence sources, they don’t exactly have a sterling record for telling the truth) but even if it’s true the celebratory high-fives would simply be echoing those in the CIA when the many South American elections the US has rigged end in victory for their candidate. > > And dollars to donuts if a viable moderate candidate ever stood against Putin US intelligence would be knee-deep in dirty tricks to assist him, and so they should if it’s to America’s advantage (and of course they don’t get caught). > > There’s nothing new about any of this stuff, just the usual spy games. I read posts like this and think how Republicans reacted to allegations that Chinese Buddhist nuns gave some money to the Clinton reelection campaign in 1996. The response was a year-long congressional investigation into whether the Chinese had subverted freedom in 'Murka, led by Fred “Law & Order” Thompson. Now, Russians are caught red-handed with actual espionage in order to mess with our elections, and the conservative response is: “Meh, everyone does it.” ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-intercepts-capture-senior-russian-officials-celebrating-trump-win/776441/16 "2017-01-06T12:36:36Z")
That’s the Republican way. Remember the Republican adulterers who finally got something to stick to Bill Clinton- that he cheated on his wife? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-intercepts-capture-senior-russian-officials-celebrating-trump-win/776441/17 "2017-01-06T12:48:25Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > “Is small problem, Comrade Awesome. Agent Natasha Fatale has dyed hair blonde, went to Serbia and now deep undercover mole, too valuable to send for moose and squirrel.” > > “Oh,\* bolshoi\*! Is nothing so valuable, what is she doing, so important!” > > “Are you sitting down, Comrade Awesome?” I will tell Fearless Leader! ---
**Author:** ![OldOlds](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a3d4f5/32.png) [@OldOlds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldOlds)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-intercepts-capture-senior-russian-officials-celebrating-trump-win/776441/18 "2017-01-06T13:25:27Z")
You know that guy at the office who thinks he’s so awesome, but everyone else knows he’s an idiot? You know how everyone makes fun of him, sometimes behind his back, but sometimes in an oblique way in the meeting, because you know he won’t get the joke? Trump is the head of state equivalent. Were I good at voices, I’d love to do a Russian or Chinese accented version of a Trump impersonation. ---
**Author:** ![BeepKillBeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@BeepKillBeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeepKillBeep)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-intercepts-capture-senior-russian-officials-celebrating-trump-win/776441/19 "2017-01-06T13:29:21Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > It’s perfectly natural that they should celebrate a Trump victory, just as Western leaders celebrated when Medvedev took over the Russian Presidency (failing to realize that Putin was still very much in control.) > > And just as with Medvedev and the West’s hope that here was a man they could work with, so with Trump. The Russians figure that far better relations lie ahead between Russia and the US. I have to say I share that hope. I hate to tell you this because I don’t think it is something you want to hear. Russia just won a battle against the USA. And if Americans like you don’t realize that they just lost a battle against Russia, you’re going to continue losing. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-intercepts-capture-senior-russian-officials-celebrating-trump-win/776441/20 "2017-01-06T13:55:58Z")
Good relations between our countries are certainly ahead… from the Russian point of view. What makes you think that what’s good for them will be good for us? Doubtless the fox expects good relations with the hen, too. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-intercepts-capture-senior-russian-officials-celebrating-trump-win/776441.md?page=2)