# 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:** 25
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/482 "2016-12-23T03:41:24Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > Oh please. The billion dollars of free media from left leaning outlets was intended in part to bolster Trump’s visibility in order to meddle with the Republican primaries. The media have more responsibility for the ascension of Trump than the “Russians” could have ever hoped for. And what about democrats who changed or said they’d change party affiliation to vote for Trump in the primaries? Were those idle threats and lies or did they follow through to empower Trump? Or it just could have been that the media were massive whores that thought Trump drove add revenue? And can we agree that “the” media likes a race and a showdown? No doubt though that both the FBI and Russian meddling put a thumb on the scale for Trump. Whether it swung the election no one will ever be able to say clearly, but it would be nice if there was some tacit acknowledgement of that (or at least a real bi partisan investigation to air this in public one way or the other) instead of claiming an overwhelming mandate to do a 180 on environmentalism, China policy, education, nuclear prolification, ad nauseum. Thanks for playing. ---
**Author:** ![BrerRobert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/df788c/32.png) [@BrerRobert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrerRobert)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/483 "2016-12-23T04:51:26Z")
> [@China\_Guy](#): > > Or it just could have been that the media were massive whores that thought Trump drove add revenue? And can we agree that “the” media likes a race and a showdown? And of course all of the people on the left rooting and voting for Trump and urging him to run because they were sure that there was no way Hillary could possibly lose to him. [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U10yKDDvIdc) ---
**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 23, 2016, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/484 "2016-12-23T04:55:02Z")
> [@China\_Guy](#): > > Or it just could have been that the media were massive whores that thought Trump drove add revenue? And can we agree that “the” media likes a race and a showdown? > > No doubt though that both the FBI and Russian meddling put a thumb on the scale for Trump. Whether it swung the election no one will ever be able to say clearly, but it would be nice if there was some tacit acknowledgement of that (or at least a real bi partisan investigation to air this in public one way or the other) instead of claiming an overwhelming mandate to do a 180 on environmentalism, China policy, education, nuclear prolification, ad nauseum. Thanks for playing. You all got your wish though. Trump won the primary. How you like the outcome of Democratic Operation Chaos? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/485 "2016-12-23T06:33:04Z")
Appears that what we have so far is a Hillary campaign functionary floating an idea. Where is the e-mail saying “Wow, what a great idea, lets get right on this!”? If this was to be the game plan, they would have discussed it some, I would imagine. Usually, it matters this complex with lots of input from different sources, that tends to happen. And when, perzackly, did you guys decide that Wikileaks was the Gospel? Bet you’d love to have the RNC stuff released, so you could bask in the wisdom and probity displayed, how the honesty and candor of the Republican Party shines by comparison to tired corrupt ol’ Hillary? Darn shame about that, huh? And **Brer Bob?** “Rooting and voting for Trump”? Who on the left was in a position to vote for Trump? Are you going to put forth a fever-swamp conspiracy, lefties infiltrating the Republican primaries to push for Trump? Will this fairy tale have wizards and dragons? I like those. And you offer us _John Oliver_ as a citation? I have this gnawing fear that you are not kidding. ---
**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 23, 2016, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/486 "2016-12-23T06:33:12Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > You all got your wish though. Trump won the primary. How you like the outcome of Democratic Operation Chaos? It’s really unremarkable and mundane that Democrats wanted to go against don the con. We all know why and it did make sense. It was the game of politics being played. This is the fulcrum around which you are twisting yourself now? The right owns the con man. You couldn’t help yourselves and now you have a perfect figurehead who can’t control himself. ---
**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 23, 2016, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/487 "2016-12-23T08:46:46Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > It’s really unremarkable and mundane that Democrats wanted to go against don the con. We all know why and it did make sense. It was the game of politics being played. This is the fulcrum around which you are twisting yourself now? > > The right owns the con man. You couldn’t help yourselves and now you have a perfect figurehead who can’t control himself. Twisting myself around? I didn’t vote for The Donald. The question was are you all on the left happy now? I for one said be careful what you wish for about a year ago because you just might get it. Be careful with the games you play. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/488 "2016-12-23T09:30:20Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Bet you’d love to have the RNC stuff released, so you could bask in the wisdom and probity displayed, how the honesty and candor of the Republican Party shines by comparison to tired corrupt ol’ Hillary? Darn shame about that, huh? I’m pretty confident the RNC wasn’t successfully hacked, at least not anywhere near to the degree that the Dems were. ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/489 "2016-12-23T10:51:24Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Appears that what we have so far is a Hillary campaign functionary floating an idea. Where is the e-mail saying “Wow, what a great idea, lets get right on this!”? If this was to be the game plan, they would have discussed it some, I would imagine. Usually, it matters this complex with lots of input from different sources, that tends to happen. Yes, which is why they put it on “the agenda for tomorrow morning’s 8:00 AM ET Strategy Call.” Which you would know if you actually bothered to look at the evidence. > [@](#): > > And when, perzackly, did you guys decide that Wikileaks was the Gospel? April 5, 2010. Unlike _some_ people, I didn’t forget Wikileaks’ good work just because Obama decided whistleblowers were public enemy #1. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/490 "2016-12-23T12:24:32Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > I’m pretty confident the RNC wasn’t successfully hacked, at least not anywhere near to the degree that the Dems were. They probably were and if Trump and the GOP ever cross Putin, which is probably inevitable at some point, we’ll start seeing the evidence. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/491 "2016-12-23T14:24:21Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > I’m pretty confident the RNC wasn’t successfully hacked, at least not anywhere near to the degree that the Dems were. Are you? Well, then, given your solid reputation for non-partisan candor, the only question which remains is your expertise. Perhaps you could address that. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/492 "2016-12-23T14:30:47Z")
> [@Grumman](#): > > Yes, which is why they put it on “the agenda for tomorrow morning’s 8:00 AM ET Strategy Call.” Which you would know if you actually bothered to look at the evidence… Its “on the agenda”. Is it _the_ agenda? Or is it one of any number of items “on the agenda”? > [@](#): > > …April 5, 2010. Unlike _some_ people, I didn’t forget Wikileaks’ good work just because Obama decided whistleblowers were public enemy #1. I have committed any number of good works, some of them intentionally. My nomination for sainthood is ignored, nonetheless. I approve of Wikileaks in the sense that things are put forth to be investigated. Some of them are bound to be bullshit, we are supposed to be smart enough to discover the difference. ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/493 "2016-12-23T14:51:51Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Its “on the agenda”. Is it _the_ agenda? Or is it one of any number of items “on the agenda”? That is a question you would not need answered if you were not going out of your way to not look at the evidence. ---
**Author:** ![Pearl\_Clutching\_Provocateur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pearl\_Clutching\_Provocateur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pearl_Clutching_Provocateur)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/494 "2016-12-23T15:35:22Z")
Truth. Putin says Democrats sore losers, praises Trump > **[Putin shrugs off Trump's nuclear plans, says Democrats sore losers](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-putin-trump-idUSKBN14C0WE?il=0)** > > Russia's Vladimir Putin said on Friday he was unfazed by President-elect Donald Trump's plans to boost the U.S. nuclear arsenal, praising Trump for being in touch with U.S. public opinion while branding the Democrats sore election losers. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/495 "2016-12-23T16:59:39Z")
Aw, isn’t that nice? Whaddaya know, turns out Putin is a genuine sweetheart, after all, just misunderstood! Yessir, nothin’ but blue skies and sunshine ahead! ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/496 "2016-12-23T17:19:23Z")
> [@Grumman](#): > > That is a question you would not need answered if you were not going out of your way to not look at the evidence. Doesn’t answer the question so much as evade it. Any reason you need to do that? ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/497 "2016-12-23T17:34:29Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > You all got your wish though. Trump won the primary. How you like the outcome of Democratic Operation Chaos? I’d take Trump over Cruz in a heartbeat. Trump is going to ultimately be the death of the current iteration of the GOP. Just hope it doesn’t end up bringing everyone else down with it. ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/498 "2016-12-23T17:39:04Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Doesn’t answer the question so much as evade it. Any reason you need to do that? That was not an evasion. That was me pointing out that I had already answered it and that you are not acting in good faith here. I am not your babysitter. If you’re not willing to admit to reading a cite that clearly states that there were three items on the agenda (“1. Clinton Cash update; 2. DNC plan (see attached memo); 3. Phones / Pool plan”) that is your fault, not mine. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/499 "2016-12-23T17:45:17Z")
Well, OK, so why did you make it like pulling teeth? Maybe I’m just overly suspicious, but if you make it look like you are hiding something, I’m gonna think you’re hiding something. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/500 "2016-12-23T18:36:07Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > Trump is going to ultimately be the death of the current iteration of the GOP. More bold predictions about Trump. Did you make any other predictions about him this year? If so, what was the outcome? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/501 "2016-12-23T20:46:25Z")
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