# 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:** 9
**Author:** ![Me\_Billy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e480ec/32.png) [@Me\_Billy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Me_Billy)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2016, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/161 "2016-12-11T13:52:27Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > …Sometimes it’s difficult to tell which group produces the most fake news, the Russians, or the Washington Post. Please do tell us what your source\* is for this “fact”? \*I guess that since fake news is now the thing, you could name any source of information your little heart desires and that would be acceptable to the half of the country who believes this crap. (Just say you read it on Facebook, so it must be true!) Note: Try getting a job at the Washington Post - don’t check your facts on stories you write and see how long you remain an employee there! Or a job at… New York Times Los Angeles Times ABC CBS NBC BBC CNN Etc. ---
**Author:** ![pleks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9dc877/32.png) [@pleks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pleks)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2016, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/162 "2016-12-11T14:14:34Z")
Columbia Journalism Review concludes that the Washington Post article about fake news is…well, fake. Washington Post does an amazing tap-and-dance routine, trying to distance itself from the mess (desperate not to retract the whole thing outright), fails. > **[Washington Post fake news story blurs the definition of fake news](https://www.cjr.org/criticism/washington_post_fake_news_russian_propaganda.php)** > > The Washington Post’s November 24 report checked all the boxes: “The flood of ‘fake news’ this election season got support from a sophisticated Russian propaganda campaign,” it began. Not only had American voters been influenced by a deliberate... ---
**Author:** ![pleks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9dc877/32.png) [@pleks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pleks)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2016, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/163 "2016-12-11T14:17:43Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > "Forget talking about the Trump Administration. The question now is whether this will be a Trump Putin Administration or a Putin Trump Administration. > > Trump can publicly diss the findings of the CIA all he wants - itself a worrying development for a President-elect seemingly allergic to intelligence briefings. But the reality is that America’s intelligence community has found solid evidence that Russia favored electing a President Trump Tweeting in a post-fact world doesn’t change that. > > You may say, didn’t we already know this? But assessment is different from conjecture. Republican officials cannot be allowed to duck this issue. Yes some, like Lindsay Graham, are sounding the right notes on the dire need to protect our democratic institutions. We need a full and complete Congressional investigation. Damn partisan politics. Let the facts lead where they may. Let’s get to the truth, or as close to the truth as is humanly possible. > > I am struck to the point of extreme disappointment by the complicit silence. Ronald Reagan is rolling over in his grave. This is Russia; a newly aggressive and assertive Russia. Yes, we The People need new thinking and fresh approaches for dealing with the Russia of today… And, yes—as my friend Professor Steve Cohen of New York University (one of the savviest experts on Russia in the English-speaking world) reminds me—demonizing the Russians and Putin can be carried to counter-productive extremes. And, yes, we have and have had all kinds of mutually beneficial dealings with other dictatorial regimes all over the world (leaders of the old Soviet Union, for example; or leaders past and present in China.) But this has to be weighed against the fact that Putin is a former KGB officer and has done things indicative of a demagogic strongman. Throw in the evidence of serious tampering with the recent U.S. Presidential election and what you have is the making of a global strategic showdown over American ideals. > > The craven calculus of too many Republicans at this point seems to be that pursuing a reactionary policy that now includes gutting Medicare and Social Security is more important than the fact that a foreign power has meddled in an election decided in three states by a total vote total that, as somebody I read noted, could fit into a college football stadium. > > The news on this front is now compounded by Trump’s choice for Secretary of State - Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson - who has close ties to Putin. This is on top of multiple other links to Russia from members of Trump’s inner circle. > > The Founding Fathers worried about a demagogue rising to power backed by a foreign adversary. That notion seemed to grow to the point of a quaint anachronism over the centuries as our democracy solidified and our strength as a world power grew. No longer. > > Perhaps it is too strong to suggest that to countenance what Putin and Russia did in our presidential election with a shrug or a justification forfeits the right to call yourself a patriot, no matter how many flags lapel pins you own… that may be going too far. But maybe not." > > -Dan Rather Did you just seriously quote Dan Rather, one of the biggest purveryors of fake news in journalistic history, who was exposed, when trying to influence Presidential Elections? ---
**Author:** ![pleks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9dc877/32.png) [@pleks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pleks)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2016, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/164 "2016-12-11T14:20:53Z")
I think this timeline of Time magazine covers summarizes the fake news perfectly. [![](https://blog.gerstein.us/images/2016/12/15338756_10154771188951171_3375845946922107244_n.jpg) ](https://blog.gerstein.us/images/2016/12/15338756_10154771188951171_3375845946922107244_n.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![pleks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9dc877/32.png) [@pleks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pleks)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2016, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/165 "2016-12-11T14:30:02Z")
> [@Me\_Billy](#): > > Please do tell us what your source\* is for this “fact”? > > \*I guess that since fake news is now the thing, you could name any source of information your little heart desires and that would be acceptable to the half of the country who believes this crap. (Just say you read it on Facebook, so it must be true!) > > Note: Try getting a job at the Washington Post - don’t check your facts on stories you write and see how long you remain an employee there! Or a job at… > > New York Times > Los Angeles Times > ABC > CBS > NBC > BBC > CNN > Etc. Well, that’s an easy one. Last time I checked, a New York Times journalist who failed to report one of the biggest humanitarian disasters in the history of the world (and actually completely denied it has even occured), won a Pulitzer Prize for his efforts. ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2016, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/166 "2016-12-11T14:32:28Z")
> [@pleks](#): > > Columbia Journalism Review concludes that the Washington Post article about fake news is…well, fake. > Washington Post does an amazing tap-and-dance routine, trying to distance itself from the mess (desperate not to retract the whole thing outright), fails. > [Washington Post fake news story blurs the definition of fake news - Columbia Journalism Review](http://www.cjr.org/criticism/washington_post_fake_news_russian_propaganda.php) Makes me wonder if this story about the Washington Post article on fake news turning out to be fake, will itself turn out to be fake. (Fake-ception!) ---
**Author:** ![pleks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9dc877/32.png) [@pleks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pleks)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2016, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/167 "2016-12-11T14:39:03Z")
Brian Williams (who was suspended from his NBC Nightly News gig for spreading fake news), rails against the fake news. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/kgMa-TUo6lM/maxresdefault.jpg "Brian Williams Criticizes 'Fake News' After Losing NBC Job for Exaggerating Iraq Story") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgMa-TUo6lM) ---
**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 11, 2016, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/168 "2016-12-11T14:42:23Z")
> [@pleks](#): > > Columbia Journalism Review concludes that the Washington Post article about fake news is…well, fake. > Washington Post does an amazing tap-and-dance routine, trying to distance itself from the mess (desperate not to retract the whole thing outright), fails. > [Washington Post fake news story blurs the definition of fake news - Columbia Journalism Review](http://www.cjr.org/criticism/washington_post_fake_news_russian_propaganda.php) That the Washington Post is publishing blatant anti-Russian propaganda is a bit disturbing. That’s the real story here. What is their motive beyond undermining Trump? Also their citing of anonymous sources about a secret CIA assessment doesn’t smell right either. > **[Anonymous Leaks to the WashPost About the CIA's Russia Beliefs Are No...](https://theintercept.com/2016/12/10/anonymous-leaks-to-the-washpost-about-the-cias-russia-beliefs-are-no-substitute-for-evidence/)** > > There are many obvious reasons for skepticism about anonymous press leaks regarding Russia, but they are no match for partisan needs. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2016, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/169 "2016-12-11T14:46:41Z")
> [@WillFarnaby](#): > > That the Washington Post is publishing blatant anti-Russian propaganda is a bit disturbing. That’s the real story here. What is their motive beyond undermining Trump? > > Also their citing of anonymous sources about a secret CIA assessment doesn’t smell right either. > [Anonymous Leaks to the WashPost About the CIA's Russia Beliefs Are No Substitute for Evidence - The Intercept](https://theintercept.com/2016/12/10/anonymous-leaks-to-the-washpost-about-the-cias-russia-beliefs-are-no-substitute-for-evidence/) So, if and when it turns out that this story is accurate, you will be on board, correct? Your problem right now is just with the evidence, a fair criticism. But, if the evidence is good, you’ll agree this is a serious issue that the US is poised to install a president that Putin chose for us? ---
**Author:** ![pleks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9dc877/32.png) [@pleks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pleks)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2016, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/170 "2016-12-11T14:50:52Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > So, if and when it turns out that this story is accurate, you will be on board, correct? Your problem right now is just with the evidence, a fair criticism. But, if the evidence is good, you’ll agree this is a serious issue that the US is poised to install a president that Putin chose for us? The 1980s are calling to get their foreign policy back [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QS2a44F5TgM) ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2016, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/171 "2016-12-11T14:57:01Z")
Congress sure seems to be taking this [fake news](http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/11/politics/russia-us-elections-2016/index.html) pretty seriously. ---
**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 11, 2016, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/172 "2016-12-11T15:14:17Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > So, if and when it turns out that this story is accurate, you will be on board, correct? Your problem right now is just with the evidence, a fair criticism. But, if the evidence is good, you’ll agree this is a serious issue that the US is poised to install a president that Putin chose for us? Firstly, I don’t care who chooses the president. If the Russian government was biased and brought to light information damaging to Clinton, I would care about as much as if Rachel Maddow was biased and brought to light information damaging to Trump. ---
**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 11, 2016, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/173 "2016-12-11T15:15:40Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > Congress sure seems to be taking this [fake news](http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/11/politics/russia-us-elections-2016/index.html) pretty seriously. Or maybe they want to uncover evidence rather than have religious faith that evidence is there because anonymous sources told the Post it was there. I wonder if this guy will be involved. Lol. [https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HDtvYHOY\_Uc&feature=youtu.be](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HDtvYHOY_Uc&feature=youtu.be) ---
**Author:** ![pleks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9dc877/32.png) [@pleks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pleks)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2016, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/174 "2016-12-11T15:16:47Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > Congress sure seems to be taking this [fake news](http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/11/politics/russia-us-elections-2016/index.html) pretty seriously. Your post is…well, fake–there’s not a single mention of “fake news” in the link you provided. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2016, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/175 "2016-12-11T15:22:27Z")
I’m gobsmacked by all the conservative indifference–both here and on other internet fora. These folks fell for the Cosmic Ping Pong thing quite easily, but suddenly the CIA is not to be trusted with anything. What evidence are people waiting for that would convince them this isn’t fake news? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2016, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/176 "2016-12-11T15:24:35Z")
> [@pleks](#): > > I think this timeline of Time magazine covers summarizes the fake news perfectly. > > [http://blog.gerstein.us/images/2016/12/15338756\_10154771188951171\_3375845946922107244\_n.jpg](http://blog.gerstein.us/images/2016/12/15338756_10154771188951171_3375845946922107244_n.jpg) Trump did meltdown during the campaign. Several times. It’s just the American voter preferred a puddle of goo. Interesting the image is from a Russian blog. ---
**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 11, 2016, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/177 "2016-12-11T15:28:28Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > I’m gobsmacked by all the conservative indifference–both here and on other internet fora. These folks fell for the Cosmic Ping Pong thing quite easily, but suddenly the CIA is not to be trusted with anything. > > What evidence are people waiting for that would convince them this isn’t fake news? No. The Washington Post can be trusted to carry water for the neo-McCarthyites and the CIA can be trusted to further the goals of the agency. CIA figures have been highly critical of Trump for a while now. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2016, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/178 "2016-12-11T15:29:48Z")
> [@WillFarnaby](#): > > No. The Washington Post can be trusted to carry water for the neo-McCarthyites and the CIA can be trusted to further the goals of the agency. CIA figures have been highly > critical of Trump for a while now. So what source would you trust? ---
**Author:** ![pleks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9dc877/32.png) [@pleks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pleks)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2016, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/179 "2016-12-11T15:32:39Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Trump did meltdown during the campaign. Several times. It’s just the American voter preferred a puddle of goo. > > Interesting the image is from a Russian blog. Yes, Trump did melt down during the campaign several times–his meltdowns got so bad, he won Elections, while spending half as much money as his opponent (who never melted down during the campaign, not even when her limp body had to be dragged into a car, like a sack of shit). Good point on the image coming from a Russian blog as well–those Russkies have dared to assemble an image, consisting of actual Time covers. Do you think Washington Post should launch an investigation? ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2016, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945/180 "2016-12-11T15:37:39Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > I’m gobsmacked by all the conservative indifference–both here and on other internet fora. These folks fell for the Cosmic Ping Pong thing quite easily, but suddenly the CIA is not to be trusted with anything. > > What evidence are people waiting for that would convince them this isn’t fake news? They know it isn’t fake news. They’re just trying to lump all news into fake news to invalidate the concept. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-post-russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/772945.md?page=10)