# 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:** 21
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2016, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/402 "2016-12-19T20:39:46Z")
Not enough victory tours. Serious failure, right there. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2016, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/403 "2016-12-19T21:09:57Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > You don’t get it: I didn’t fully appreciate how you would have exerted your leadership as President by _insisting_ that the problem be fixed. Foolish me, I thought you would have provided some guidance on _how_ it ought to be fixed. > > I now understand that it is the job of the President to simply say that problems ought to be fixed, in a very stern tone of voice, and also provide a date at which the problems need to be fixed. Your point that Obama has not been governing in this manner is well-taken. He’s foolishly been spending time on trying to understand _how_ problems ought to be fixed, and _thinking_ about the implications of various solutions. What an idiot! He should have just been _setting deadlines_! He is an idiot. That’s not your fault. Is it your fault? Nah, it’s not your fault. _It’s 2015 Mr. President, and there’s reason to believe that the Putin has been trying to influence our American elections, sir. Well… keep an eye on it, and if Hillary loses the general election, we’ll blame Trump for it. Hillary loses the general election, sir? You’re a hoot, sir. Thank you. NOW, where are my golf clubs?_ ---
**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 19, 2016, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/404 "2016-12-19T21:13:34Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > He is an idiot. That’s not your fault. Is it your fault? Nah, it’s not your fault. I see you’re coming around on Trump. ---
**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:** [December 19, 2016, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/405 "2016-12-19T21:23:49Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > He is an idiot. That’s not your fault. Is it your fault? Nah, it’s not your fault. > > _It’s 2015 Mr. President, and there’s reason to believe that the Putin has been trying to influence our American elections, sir. Well… keep an eye on it, and if Hillary loses the general election, we’ll blame Trump for it. Hillary loses the general election, sir? You’re a hoot, sir. Thank you. NOW, where are my golf clubs?_ And the point of this post is that JugearS is so incompetent he couldn’t even give a deadline for when he wanted his GolF ClubS…? ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2016, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/406 "2016-12-19T22:21:27Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > And the point of this post is that JugearS is so incompetent he couldn’t even give a deadline for when he wanted his GolF ClubS…? What difference at this point does it make? -Hillary Clinton ---
**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:** [December 19, 2016, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/407 "2016-12-19T23:13:48Z")
/thread ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2016, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/408 "2016-12-20T01:13:19Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > What difference at this point does it make? > -Hillary Clinton This and “You didn’t build that,” are tied for first place for statements that are so obviously taken out of context that the person quoting them can’t possibly be serious. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2016, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/409 "2016-12-20T14:33:34Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > This and “You didn’t build that,” are tied for first place for statements that are so obviously taken out of context that the person quoting them can’t possibly be serious. You forgot to mention Obama’s most famous statement, “I don’t know all the facts”. In your spare time, could you tell me how I quoted Hillary’s statement “out of context”. Or not. ---
**Author:** ![Airbeck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/airbeck/32/6574_2.png) [@Airbeck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airbeck)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2016, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/410 "2016-12-20T15:27:47Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > In your spare time, could you tell me how I quoted Hillary’s statement “out of context”. Or not. You literally included zero context with that one sentence quote. Therefore by definition you posted it out of context. Can you tell us what context you think you provided? Have you looked at the sentences that immediately preceded and followed that one sentence in Hillary’s original statement? You may find a clue there. Or not. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2016, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/411 "2016-12-20T16:31:12Z")
for historical reference - > [@Ravenman](#): > > And the point of this post is that JugearS is so incompetent he couldn’t even give a deadline for when he wanted his GolF ClubS…? for historical reference - > [@doorhinge](#): > > What difference at this point does it make? > -Hillary Clinton > [@Airbeck](#): > > You literally included zero context with that one sentence quote. Therefore by definition you posted it out of context. Can you tell us what context you think you provided? Have you looked at the sentences that immediately preceded and followed that one sentence in Hillary’s original statement? You may find a clue there. Or not. By who’s definition? Yours? **Ravenman** made a comment, and I responded to his comment with a quote by Hillary. JugearS is incompetent, but his days in office are now limited. When Obama was first informed that Putin’s Russians were attempting to influence the 2016 general election, Obama had many months to use his pen, and his phone, to pressure U.S. intelligence agencies into locating the source(s), blocking the effort, and returning the favor. Now I’ll need your help to discover what exactly Obama did do to actually stop the continued Russian influence over U.S. media outlets, and the 2016 general election. ---
**Author:** ![Airbeck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/airbeck/32/6574_2.png) [@Airbeck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airbeck)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2016, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/412 "2016-12-20T16:36:57Z")
Ok so you admit that you provided no context for that quote? Ok good. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2016, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/413 "2016-12-20T16:38:47Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > … > > Now I’ll need your help to discover what exactly Obama did do to actually stop the continued Russian influence over U.S. media outlets, and the 2016 general election. He had very few tools available and he knew it. What did you want him to do, start a full on cyber war with Russia? Maybe an airstrike? What could he have done other than notify those involved? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2016, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/414 "2016-12-20T16:40:16Z")
I swear, if Il Douche actually had shot someone on Park Avenue, somebody would be down here to tell us it was all Obama’s fault. Why did he allow Trump to have a gun? Why didn’t he shut down Park Avenue? ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2016, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/415 "2016-12-20T16:47:43Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > He is an idiot. That’s not your fault. Is it your fault? Nah, it’s not your fault. Of course it isn’t. An idiot, **doorhinge** , is solely responsible for his own stupidity. ---
**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:** [December 20, 2016, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/416 "2016-12-20T17:22:07Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > He had very few tools available and he knew it. What did you want him to do, start a full on cyber war with Russia? Maybe an airstrike? What could he have done other than notify those involved? Didn’t you read his earlier posts? Unlike Obama, **doorhinge** thinks a sternly worded missive to our intelligence agencies to solve the problem by a certain date would have fixed the problem. All your queries about _how_ to solve the problem are apparently irrelevant micromanagement. Obama just should have established a deadline. That’s how real executives provide leadership. Deadlines, and implied threats to subordinates. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2016, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/417 "2016-12-20T17:28:15Z")
I’m amazed that the GOP so quickly, and without any shame, embraced becoming a puppet of Russia. If five years ago, we knew that this was going to happen, but didn’t know that it would be the Republican party that benefited from it, everyone, Republican and Democrat alike, would have been appalled. Now that we know which side benefited, the Republicans are fine with it. The GOP had the opportunity to win me back, and they failed miserably when they chose party over country. Hide behind your flag pin patriotism all you want, but I don’t ever want to hear the Republican party described as the more patriotic party ever again. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2016, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/418 "2016-12-20T17:59:09Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > I’m amazed that the GOP so quickly, and without any shame, embraced becoming a puppet of Russia. . Well, to be fair, the GOP does have a reasonable response to your criticism: NO, YOU’RE THE PUPPET! YOU’RE THE PUPPET!!! (GOP starts flailing on the floor, kicking it’s feet) The GOP have turned into a 5 year old having a meltdown in the supermarket. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2016, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/419 "2016-12-20T18:03:57Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > He had very few tools available and he knew it. What did you want him to do, start a full on cyber war with Russia? Maybe an airstrike? What could he have done other than notify those involved? > [@Ravenman](#): > > Didn’t you read his earlier posts? Unlike Obama, **doorhinge** thinks a sternly worded missive to our intelligence agencies to solve the problem by a certain date would have fixed the problem. > > All your queries about _how_ to solve the problem are apparently irrelevant micromanagement. Obama just should have established a deadline. That’s how real executives provide leadership. Deadlines, and implied threats to subordinates. Hahahaha. Have either of you ever run a large project? In order to achieve a successful result you need to stay on top of the managers that have been assigned to each portion of the project. Weekly, daily, or hourly, if need be. Obama seems to have weakly/meekly dumped the reports of the Russian interference into the hands of government agencies months ago, and washed his hands of the project. After all, what harm could the Russians actually do? Just don’t ask Hillary. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2016, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/420 "2016-12-20T18:06:20Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > I swear, if Il Douche actually had shot someone on Park Avenue, somebody would be down here to tell us it was all Obama’s fault. Why did he allow Trump to have a gun? Why didn’t he shut down Park Avenue? The upcoming 2019 recession and 12% unemployment are going to be all Obama’s fault. You can bank on it. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2016, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/421 "2016-12-20T18:15:59Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > I’m amazed that the GOP so quickly, and without any shame, embraced becoming a puppet of Russia. If five years ago, we knew that this was going to happen, but didn’t know that it would be the Republican party that benefited from it, everyone, Republican and Democrat alike, would have been appalled. Now that we know which side benefited, the Republicans are fine with it. The GOP had the opportunity to win me back, and they failed miserably when they chose party over country. > > Hide behind your flag pin patriotism all you want, but I don’t ever want to hear the Republican party described as the more patriotic party ever again. Private citizen Trump had no authority to stop the Putin’s attempts to influence elections. President-elect Trump has no authority to stop the Putin’s attempts to influence elections. President Obama has (had?) the power, and authority, to combat the Putin’s attempts to influence elections. Putin’s Russians continually tried to influence elections. It looks like Obama dropped the ball. I’m appalled. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945.md?page=20) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945.md?page=22)