Comrade Trump

[falafel]

I know this is a "nothing burger" and Russia in an angelic country that didn't impact the election, and is country that Trump doesn't single out for softening others' criticisms of it, but here you go anyway.

Secret Finding: 60 Russian Payments "To Finance Election Campaign Of 2016”
The FBI is scrutinizing more than 60 money transfers sent by the Russian foreign ministry to its embassies across the globe, most of them bearing a note that said the money was to be used “to finance election campaign of 2016.”



https://www.buzzfeed.com/jasonleopol...5D0#.rj4DzMy09

Hillary Clinton and her PACs raised $2.1B and couldn't win the election. How much could $380k, divided into $30k payments, really to do influence the vote?

[frank ryan]

Hillary Clinton and her PACs raised $2.1B and couldn't win the election. How much could $380k, divided into $30k payments, really to do influence the vote?

Sure, they used different tactics. They did well with their bot armies and messaging, and with their surrogate Wikileaks.

[creekster]

Sure, they used different tactics. They did well with their bot armies and messaging, and with their surrogate Wikileaks.

You almost have to admire those plucky but underfunded Russians coming out on top like that. It's another immigrant success story in America!

[falafel]

You almost have to admire those plucky but underfunded Russians coming out on top like that. It's another immigrant success story in America!

Think how many bot armies Hillary could have bought with $2B. Another strategic failure for her.

[frank ryan]

You almost have to admire those plucky but underfunded Russians coming out on top like that. It's another immigrant success story in America!

Good to know you don’t give a shit about a hostile power injecting themselves into our election.

[frank ryan]

Think how many bot armies Hillary could have bought with $2B. Another strategic failure for her.

The goal posts keep moving. At first it was the Russians didn’t involve themselves in our elections, then it was the didn’t favor a specific side, then on to they were hasn’t coordination with anyone from the campaign, but if they did it had no impact.

[frank ryan]

Think how many bot armies Hillary could have bought with $2B. Another strategic failure for her.

They seem more competent than Hillary at campaigning which doesn’t say much.

[creekster]

Good to know you don’t give a shit about a hostile power injecting themselves into our election.

Not just injecting but WINNING for $380k! And, as that noted patriot George S, Patton pointed out: America loves a winner!

[Uncle Ted]

Think how many bot armies Hillary could have bought with $2B. Another strategic failure for her.

For a cool $2B Hillary could have totally owned Facebook, Twitter, etc. and the DNC... and maybe even the RNC. Instead she blew most of it on a bunch of ugly pantsuits.

[frank ryan]

Not just injecting but WINNING for $380k! And, as that noted patriot George S, Patton pointed out: America loves a winner!

You don’t think they were a factor? They were one of the main buyers of ads on Twitter. The Russians also had success with Brexit, and the Seperatist in Catalonia, elections in Hungary and Poland. Their efforts were rebuffed by the French and Germans in those elections.

I’m not sure why you flippantly and condescendingly dismiss this stuff.

[creekster]

You don’t think they were a factor? They were one of the main buyers of ads on Twitter. The Russians also had success with Brexit, and the Seperatist in Catalonia, elections in Hungary and Poland. Their efforts were rebuffed by the French and Germans in those elections.

I’m not sure why you flippantly and condescendingly dismiss this stuff.

So the Russians elected Trump and caused Brexit and manufactured the Catalonian vote for independence? That's an impressive threesome. If Trump came in at around 380k, they probably got all three for less than a million! That is efficiency!

[old_gregg]

So the Russians elected Trump and caused Brexit and manufactured the Catalonian vote for independence? That's an impressive threesome. If Trump came in at around 380k, they probably got all three for less than a million! That is efficiency!

super weird series of posts for someone concerned with the puerility of political discourse

[falafel]

The goal posts keep moving. At first it was the Russians didn’t involve themselves in our elections, then it was the didn’t favor a specific side, then on to they were hasn’t coordination with anyone from the campaign, but if they did it had no impact.

You might be right, but just to be clear - I'm not moving goal posts. I think the payments are interesting, but who did they go to? What impact is $30k here and $30k there going to have when the major campaigns are spending billions to move the needle?

[frank ryan]

So the Russians elected Trump and caused Brexit and manufactured the Catalonian vote for independence? That's an impressive threesome. If Trump came in at around 380k, they probably got all three for less than a million! That is efficiency!

Yes that’s exactly what I said verbatim. You’re pretty good at pedantic trolling.

[frank ryan]

You might be right, but just to be clear - I'm not moving goal posts. I think the payments are interesting, but who did they go to? What impact is $30k here and $30k there going to have when the major campaigns are spending billions to move the needle?

That’s a fair point, but that is what piece of their influence campaign and a new detail. Getting Wikileaks to publish material they acted in manner meant to most impact people doesn’t cost much money. We don’t yet know the extent of their investment. The Russians have massive and very capable intelligence agencies. We underestimated them and failed to war game the whole scenario.