# 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:** 19
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/361 "2016-12-16T02:52:20Z")
Doorhinge is more interested in avoiding the questions than answering them. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/362 "2016-12-16T03:01:01Z")
Doorhinge is the old flack ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/363 "2016-12-16T03:04:22Z")
Russian meddling is said to be [all over Europe’s major democracies](http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/russia-cyber-warfare-election-hack-1.3896613). Coincidence that Trump-style extremism is on the rise in Europe? Maybe, maybe not. France’s far-right Trump equivalent, Marie Le Pen, recently borrowed nine million euros for her campaign from a Moscow bank linked to Putin. ---
**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 16, 2016, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/364 "2016-12-16T12:59:01Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > Russian meddling is said to be [all over Europe’s major democracies](http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/russia-cyber-warfare-election-hack-1.3896613). Coincidence that Trump-style extremism is on the rise in Europe? Maybe, maybe not. France’s far-right Trump equivalent, Marie Le Pen, recently borrowed nine million euros for her campaign from a Moscow bank linked to Putin. The conspiracy is global. The Russian fifth columns will rise and form like Voltron. Putin will happen to be the head. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/365 "2016-12-16T13:03:29Z")
Trump is now suggesting that the Russian hacks were [a good thing](http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/16/us/politics/donald-trump-transition.html?smid=fb-nytimes&smtyp=cur). That likely gives comfort to the Russians who were acting as an enemy here. I think there is a word for that. "Are we talking about the same cyberattack where it was revealed that head of the DNC illegally gave Hillary the questions to the debate? " - Trump ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/366 "2016-12-16T13:45:46Z")
Russian hacking is a bad thing, but the information that was leaked was not damaging to national security and it didn’t undermine our election. If an American hacker did it, we wouldn’t be having this discussion. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/367 "2016-12-16T13:59:13Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Russian hacking is a bad thing, but the information that was leaked was not damaging to national security and it didn’t undermine our election. If an American hacker did it, we wouldn’t be having this discussion. Even if we accept that the hacks did not affect the election (despite being obviously untrue), Watergate didn’t affect the outcome of the election. An American hacker didn’t do it, so this is irrelevant (and also not true, as we would clearly still be having this discussion). ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/368 "2016-12-16T14:19:35Z")
In the case of Watergate, it was the coverup, not the crime. In this case, it’s about who did it and their motivations more than what was actually done. The release of those emails gave voters more information to make an educated judgment. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/369 "2016-12-16T14:22:46Z")
Good thing the Trump team is doing nothing to try to cover this up. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/370 "2016-12-16T14:47:40Z")
The more we read the news the more we want to weep at the greatest tragedy of our lifetimes. [QUOTE=Paul Krugman] The pro-Putin tilt of Mr. Trump and his advisers was obvious months before the election — I wrote about it in July. By midsummer the close relationship between WikiLeaks and Russian intelligence was also obvious, as was the site’s growing alignment with white nationalists. Did Republican politicians, so big on flag waving and impugning their rivals’ patriotism, reject this foreign aid to their cause? No, they didn’t. In fact, as far as I can tell, no major Republican figure was even willing to criticize Mr. Trump when he directly asked Russia to hack Mrs. Clinton. This shouldn’t come as a surprise. It has long been obvious — except, apparently, to the news media — that the modern G.O.P. is a radical institution that is ready to violate democratic norms in the pursuit of power. Why should the norm of not accepting foreign assistance be any different? _ **The bigger surprise was the behavior of the news media, and I don’t mean fake news; I mean big, prestigious organizations.** _ Leaked emails, which everyone knew were probably the product of Russian hacking, were breathlessly reported as shocking revelations, even when they mostly revealed nothing more than the fact that Democrats are people. [/QUOTE] Some Americans are annoyed that Putin chose our President for us. But Republicans love him for it! [[QUOTE=politco.com](http://QUOTE=politco.com)] … Michael Flynn, and … Tillerson — have longstanding ties to Russia and personal relationships with Putin himself. … Back in July 2014 just 10 percent of Republicans held a favorable view of Putin, according to a poll conducted by the Economist and YouGov. By September of 2016, that number rose to 24 percent. And it’s even higher today: 37 percent of Republicans view Putin favorably, the poll found in December., his standing has improved dramatically – from a net negative of 66 points to a _ **mere 10 points** _. … By comparison, only 17 percent of Republicans have a favorable view of President Barack Obama, the December poll found. _ **Obama’s net negative among Republicans is 64 points – significantly worse than the party’s take on Putin.** _ [/QUOTE] Welcome to Republican America. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/371 "2016-12-16T15:03:39Z")
I think “Putin chose our President for us” is an attempt to distort reality. People living in PA, WI, and MI chose our President. They may have read about the DNC / Podesta emails, which may have been hacked by Russia, which may have influenced their decision in some cases. ---
**Author:** ![Okrahoma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90db22/32.png) [@Okrahoma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Okrahoma)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/372 "2016-12-16T15:16:58Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > I think “Putin chose our President for us” is an attempt to distort reality. People living in PA, WI, and MI chose our President. They may have read about the DNC / Podesta emails, which may have been hacked by Russia, which may have influenced their decision in some cases. Exactly. It is hugely disingenuous for people who push the deligitimization of Trump due to “hacks” to complain that Trump is poo-pooing that narrative. What exactly do you expect Trump to do? To rend his clothes and cry that the election is not legitimate? You know how you get the investigation of the hacking, if you really, truly, care about it? You stop claiming that “the election was hacked” (it wasn’t). You stop hinting that the actual voting process was compromised (it wasn’t). You stop the stupid futile efforts to get electors to switch. And you stop conflating the concern about possible Russian cyber intrusions with delegitimizing Trump’s Presidency. But it’s too late. That well has been well and truly poisoned. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/373 "2016-12-16T15:41:54Z")
Kinda knew it was all our fault. Just waiting for the rationale. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Economist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c89c15/32.png) [@Evil\_Economist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Economist)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/374 "2016-12-16T15:51:03Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Kinda knew it was all our fault. Just waiting for the rationale. Stupid lefties, caring that an adversarial foreign power interfered with our elections. Wonder how Republicans would be reacting if Clinton won and evidence came out that Putin had manipulated the election to her benefit. Judging from the calm way they handled the DW emails, my guess is they’d ignore the news and go on with their lives. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/375 "2016-12-16T18:45:38Z")
for historical reference - > [@doorhinge](#): > > If I have a flat tire, I change the tire when it goes flat. If my PC is under attack from outside sources, I shut down my internet connection, and then begin running programs to find, and then repair, any damage. > > If I discover Russian hackers, I would notify the FBI, both of my U.S. Senators, my Congressman, and JugearS Obama. _Yo, Guys! I’m up to my ass in Putin people. One of youse guys should dealing with this problem, and dealing with it NOW._ > > I would then put my feet up on a table and wait for JugearS to get actually get around to actually assigning some actual resources to the problem. Or wait for Hillary to lose an election, and then blame Trump. :rolleyes: > [@Ravenman](#): > > Once more: how would you respond to the hacking by Russia if you were President? If, as POTUS, I had discovered Russian hackers, I would notify the FBI, NSA, CIA, the leader of the U.S. Senator, and the leader of the U.S. House. _Yo, Guys! I’m up to my ass in Putin people. One of youse guys should dealing with this problem, and dealing with it NOW. And I want it done before 2016 rolls around. Any questions?_. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/376 "2016-12-16T19:06:40Z")
> [@Evil\_Economist](#): > > Stupid lefties, caring that an adversarial foreign power interfered with our elections. > > Wonder how Republicans would be reacting if Clinton won and evidence came out that Putin had manipulated the election to her benefit. Judging from the calm way they handled the DW emails, my guess is they’d ignore the news and go on with their lives. I wonder how Hillary will react when she discovers that Obama could have put an end to Russian tampering in 2015? _YOU COST ME MY CROWN, YOU MISERABLE JUGEARED CRETIN!_ ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/377 "2016-12-16T20:07:22Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > What exactly do you expect Trump to do? To rend his clothes and cry that the election is not legitimate? Ummm…complain that illegal voting cost him the popular vote? He can’t even win graciously. ---
**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 16, 2016, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/378 "2016-12-16T20:30:31Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > It is hugely disingenuous for people who push the deligitimization of Trump due to “hacks” to complain that Trump is poo-pooing that narrative. What exactly do you expect Trump to do? To rend his clothes and cry that the election is not legitimate? I expect him to offer some variation on ‘as _an American I’m appalled to learn that a foreign nation attempted to interfere in our election process. I call for a full investigation to uncover how this was done and how it can be prevented in the future. I further call for sanctions against the nation that committed these violations of international norms_.’ See? That wouldn’t be so hard. > [@Okrahoma](#): > > You know how you get the investigation of the hacking, if you really, truly, care about it? You stop claiming that “the election was hacked” (it wasn’t). You stop hinting that the actual voting process was compromised (it wasn’t). You stop the stupid futile efforts to get electors to switch. And you stop conflating the concern about possible Russian cyber intrusions with delegitimizing Trump’s Presidency. … Seriously, the “tone” argument? We can have an investigation only if we speak nicely about Trump? Good luck with that. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/379 "2016-12-16T20:38:50Z")
Donald, of the House of Orange, First of His Name, Who Befits the Throne Porcelain… Your Gross: you are a crook. ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/380 "2016-12-16T20:58:51Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Donald, of the House of Orange, First of His Name, Who Befits the Throne Porcelain… Hopefully, he’ll last as long as the most recent ones. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945.md?page=18) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945.md?page=20)