# Washington Post: Russian propaganda effort helped spread ‘fake news’ during election, experts say **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 25, 2016, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945 "2016-11-25T03:41:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 15
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2016, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/281 "2016-12-14T08:33:32Z")
> [@voltaire](#): > > That’s a brilliant idea, actually. We just need Google, Microsoft, Apple, Facebook and the like to build some strategically placed company towns on some cheap, empty land in some relatively unpopulated red states to swing some of those sweet, juicy land-based electoral votes our way. Jobs for majors like that are about the only thing that could motivate such a diaspora to the hinterland. > > I like your thinking! I’ll let you know what Bill thinks about your proposal. That’s not the context of the post I was responding to. Bridget Burke’s post about “urban” and 3/5th is implying something. Well, if people feel they are unfairly penalized then take advantage of geography and move and get an advantage. The rules are what the rules are and what they needed to be to form a country in the first damn place. This petulance is old. ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2016, 8:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/282 "2016-12-14T08:36:36Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Actually, hacking into a server of political opposition is similar in my mind to breaking into their office to get political material, and _should_ be treated as a moral failure and a crime. It should lead to heads rolling at the highest political level, even to the point of the resignation of a president. > > But that was the Republican party of Nixon. They’ve moved beyond personal responsibility, and now _celebrate_ break-ins, as long as they benefit. > > And if it was the Russians breaking in to steal political material to influence an election in the direction they wanted? Who gives a shit, say Republicans, as long as we won. > > Completely, utterly morally bankrupt. Obama knew about this if you read the NYT article. Why the hell didn’t he do anything about it? [http://www.nytimes.com/](http://www.nytimes.com/) Shouldn’t the president who is actually in charge of the country and knew about hacking of the DNC originating in Russia actually share more responsibility than the Republican Party? The Democrats need to take responsibility for shitty security more than the Republicans do. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2016, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/283 "2016-12-14T08:40:47Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > …When he ran in the primaries, I thought of him as the NYC liberal in the race. … Oh for sure, New York liberals are all about building the Wall, dissing Muslims, sneering at climate science. Boy, you sure got those guys figured out! ---
**Author:** ![WillFarnaby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/willfarnaby/32/514_2.png) [@WillFarnaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WillFarnaby)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2016, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/284 "2016-12-14T10:31:39Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > You said “Treason” and associated it with ideology. It has nothing to do with it. Unless you have a guilty conscience. > > I’m progressive and I can’t see associating treason with ideology. > > Trumps behavior has been anti-american in a few dozens of ways already. It’s not even in dispute. No. As I clearly explained, I was responding to the poster’s two claims. That’s why I separated the responses into two paragraphs, a standard convention in English writing. ---
**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:** [December 14, 2016, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/285 "2016-12-14T11:34:12Z")
The NY Times says that congressional elections were also targeted. > **[Democratic House Candidates Were Also Targets of Russian Hacking (Published...](https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/13/us/politics/house-democrats-hacking-dccc.html?referer=http:%2F%2Fcrooksandliars.com%2F2016%2F12%2Frussia-also-meddled-key-congressional)** > > The fallout for nearly a dozen congressional candidates underscores the effect of the Russian influence operation on the American electoral system. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2016, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/286 "2016-12-14T11:52:22Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Another view might as easily be that Trump doesn’t want to believe it because he doesn’t want to believe that Putin is playing Geppetto to his Pinocchio. Man, imagine if Trump really WERE Pinocchio. The dowel industry alone could add thousands of manufacturing jobs to the US economy: he’d save us singlenosedly! ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2016, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/287 "2016-12-14T14:33:25Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Man, imagine if Trump really WERE Pinocchio. The dowel industry alone could add thousands of manufacturing jobs to the US economy: he’d save us singlenosedly! DA! Order of Lenin, comrade. So, what cabinet post/will YOU have…? Press Secretary…? ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2016, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/288 "2016-12-14T15:13:19Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > That’s not the context of the post I was responding to. Bridget Burke’s post about “urban” and 3/5th is implying something. Well, if people feel they are unfairly penalized then take advantage of geography and move and get an advantage. The rules are what the rules are and what they needed to be to form a country in the first damn place. This petulance is old. Well, not all the rules needed to form our country in the first place were good ideas. Even then, many of the Founders had problems with slavery. Surely, they thought, a solution can be found–in the meantime, let’s not anger Virginia. (Not to mention South Carolina.) But too many of the good Founders died young; long-lived TJ ended his life in elegant bankruptcy. His only accomplishment post-Presidency was founding the UVA–so the young gentlemen of Virginia would not have their minds polluted at those foul Yankee schools–or, even worse, “foreign” colleges. Then we got a generation of Southerners who considered slavery a positive good–and tried to destroy the country. They failed. Hard work in many of the states that went Red–mostly, if not totally, by the people who live there–is the way to a better America. Yes, it’s difficult. But let’s see whether Trump & the rest of his dreadful party really improve those people’s lives. My own [Blue County in a Red State](https://www.texastribune.org/2016/11/11/harris-county-turned-blue/) was a small note of hope. The Donald is your King of Petulance; not even elected, and most of the country is tired of his shit. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2016, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/289 "2016-12-14T15:37:47Z")
> [@Bridget\_Burke](#): > > The Donald is your King of Petulance; not even elected, and most of the country is tired of his shit. Actually, his favorability rating is still rising. [https://elections.huffingtonpost.com/pollster/donald-trump-favorable-rating](https://elections.huffingtonpost.com/pollster/donald-trump-favorable-rating) ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2016, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/290 "2016-12-14T16:15:36Z")
And actually, it’s still underwater. Actually. ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2016, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/291 "2016-12-14T16:20:31Z")
> [@Bridget\_Burke](#): > > Well, not all the rules needed to form our country in the first place were good ideas. Even then, many of the Founders had problems with slavery. Surely, they thought, a solution can be found–in the meantime, let’s not anger Virginia. (Not to mention South Carolina.) But too many of the good Founders died young; long-lived TJ ended his life in elegant bankruptcy. His only accomplishment post-Presidency was founding the UVA–so the young gentlemen of Virginia would not have their minds polluted at those foul Yankee schools–or, even worse, “foreign” colleges. Then we got a generation of Southerners who considered slavery a positive good–and tried to destroy the country. They failed. > > Hard work in many of the states that went Red–mostly, if not totally, by the people who live there–is the way to a better America. Yes, it’s difficult. But let’s see whether Trump & the rest of his dreadful party really improve those people’s lives. > > My own [Blue County in a Red State](https://www.texastribune.org/2016/11/11/harris-county-turned-blue/) was a small note of hope. > > The Donald is your King of Petulance; not even elected, and most of the country is tired of his shit. The framework that led to a flawed, like every other human endeavor, nation that had the potential to become the most powerful nation in history is not too shabby. And you know we have peaceful mechanisms to modify that framework. With regards to The Donald, I guess it’s time to start the race for 2020. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2016, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/292 "2016-12-14T21:43:16Z")
Republicans are, all of a sudden, [big fans of Russia](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/vladimir-putin-popularity-republicans_us_58518a3ce4b092f08686bd6e) for some reason according to polling. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2016, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/293 "2016-12-14T21:58:39Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > Republicans are, all of a sudden, [big fans of Russia](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/vladimir-putin-popularity-republicans_us_58518a3ce4b092f08686bd6e) for some reason according to polling. “According to polling”? Seriously? Are these the same polling organizations which predicted Hillary’s POTUS win? Did the polling organizations suddenly become more accurate? ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2016, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/294 "2016-12-14T22:10:23Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > “According to polling”? Seriously? Are these the same polling organizations which predicted Hillary’s POTUS win? Did the polling organizations suddenly become more accurate? That polling indicated that Trump had a 30% chance of winning, and he won. I’m not seeing where the polling was particularly inaccurate. Are you going to seriously make the claim that all polls everywhere are not data? Because that’s just silliness considering how accurate presidential polling has been historically. This is polling by Yougov, a well regarded firm. So, do you have any explanation for why Republicans are now, very suddenly, so pro Russia? ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2016, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/295 "2016-12-14T22:42:54Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > That polling indicated that Trump had a 30% chance of winning, and he won. I’m not seeing where the polling was particularly inaccurate. Are you going to seriously make the claim that all polls everywhere are not data? Because that’s just silliness considering how accurate presidential polling has been historically. > > This is polling by Yougov, a well regarded firm. So, do you have any explanation for why Republicans are now, very suddenly, so pro Russia? Well regarded firm by whom, and based on what time frame? I’m saying that “current”, and “recent” polling numbers have to be taken with a grain of salt. “Historically” includes the latest poll numbers that have actually been vetted by the results of a general election. The polls have been proven wrong. Political polling results/claims made in April, or September, are simply claims. Unproven claims. Polling results vetted by a general election should make, or break, a polling organization. Unless you simply assume all polling is correct even when it’s been proven wrong. ---
**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:** [December 14, 2016, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/296 "2016-12-14T22:44:09Z")
I have to wonder why Russia is so pro Republican (or at least anti Democrat) at this point. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2016, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/297 "2016-12-14T22:53:04Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > I’m saying that “current”, and “recent” polling numbers have to be taken with a grain of salt. “Historically” includes the latest poll numbers that have actually been vetted by the results of a general election. The polls have been proven wrong. No. No they [haven’t](https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2016-election-forecast/?ex_cid=rrpromo). The polls indicated that Trump had roughly a 30% chance of winning. Things that have a 30% chance of happening happen all the time. 30% of the time, in fact. ---
**Author:** ![Okrahoma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90db22/32.png) [@Okrahoma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Okrahoma)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2016, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/298 "2016-12-14T22:54:41Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > I have to wonder why Russia is so pro Republican (or at least anti Democrat) at this point. Russia is anti-American. For lots and lots of reasons, some leftovers of the cold war, some tied to a need for an external enemy to unify the people and justify some authoritarian internal policies, some due to Russia’s traditional and continued xenophobia, and some due to what is perceived as American meddling in internal Russian affairs by providing funding for numerous Russian internal dissident organizations. Since for the last 8 years US was considered, at least superficially, for a foreign observer, to be run by Democratic administration, that anti-Americanism equates to anti-Democrat. Nothing to wonder about, it’s pretty straightforward. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2016, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/299 "2016-12-14T22:54:55Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > I have to wonder why Russia is so pro Republican (or at least anti Democrat) at this point. You’d think more people would be wondering that. Some, perhaps, tell themselves: ‘the Russians worked so hard–devoting resources that could have been devoted to productive ends–out of Pure Admiration (of Trump). Because he’s just that admirable!’ Others might ponder the question: could the Russians be expecting to get an actual _return_ on their investment? Could their devotion of resources to the cause have some purpose _other_ than Pure Admiration? ---
**Author:** ![Okrahoma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90db22/32.png) [@Okrahoma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Okrahoma)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2016, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/300 "2016-12-14T22:55:58Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > No. No they [haven’t](https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2016-election-forecast/?ex_cid=rrpromo). The polls indicated that Trump had roughly a 30% chance of winning. Things that have a 30% chance of happening happen all the time. 30% of the time, in fact. Only one model (538’s) indicated anything like 30%. Lots of other major ones indicated percentages in the 90s. That’s why Wang ate that insect on national TV. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945.md?page=14) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945.md?page=16)