NBC accuses Russians of Tulsi interference

[terracore]

You can't make this stuff up folks:

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-el...rd-n964261

Russia's propaganda machine discovers 2020 Democratic candidate Tulsi Gabbard
Experts who track websites and social media linked to Russia have seen stirrings of a possible campaign of support for Hawaii Democrat Tulsi Gabbard.

Feb. 2, 2019, 2:03 AM HST
By Robert Windrem and Ben Popken

The Russian propaganda machine that tried to influence the 2016 U.S. election is now promoting the presidential aspirations of a controversial Hawaii Democrat who earlier this month declared her intention to run for president in 2020.

An NBC News analysis of the main English-language news sites employed by Russia in its 2016 election meddling shows Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii, who is set to make her formal announcement Saturday, has become a favorite of the sites Moscow used when it interfered in 2016.

Several experts who track websites and social media linked to the Kremlin have also seen what they believe may be the first stirrings of an upcoming Russian campaign of support for Gabbard.

Since Gabbard announced her intention to run on Jan. 11, there have been at least 20 Gabbard stories on three major Moscow-based English-language websites affiliated with or supportive of the Russian government: RT, the Russian-owned TV outlet; Sputnik News, a radio outlet; and Russia Insider, a blog that experts say closely follows the Kremlin line. The CIA has called RT and Sputnik part of "Russia's state-run propaganda machine."

All three sites celebrated Gabbard's announcement, defended her positions on Russia and her 2017 meeting with Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, and attacked those who have suggested she is a pawn for Moscow. The coverage devoted to Gabbard, both in news and commentary, exceeds that afforded to any of the declared or rumored Democratic candidates despite Gabbard's lack of voter recognition.

Gabbard was mentioned on the three sites about twice as often as two of the best known Democratic possibilities for 2020, Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders, each with 10 stories. Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren had fewer. In each case, the other contenders were treated more critically than Gabbard, with headlines like "'Don't Run': Vermont Paper Begs Bernie Sanders Not to Seek US Presidency in 2020" and "Sexist much? Biden blames 'conservative blonde woman' for shutdown, 'forgets' Ann Coulter's name."

"Her promulgation of positions compatible with Russian geo strategic interests can help them mainstream such discussion in the [Democratic] party," said Alex Stamos, former chief security officer at Facebook and now an NBC News analyst. Gabbard, said Stamos, helps them with all their "lines of attack."

(see rest on web site... too difficult to cut/paste)

[Rob Tucker]

I did not see any reference to "collusion" as per your title. Where is it?

[Guest]

That might just as well be the point Rob .. its an ongoing MO of a certain group.

[Lodestone]

Didn't see anything about collusion per se, just that the Russians were directing their army of hackers and trolls to support her. Collusion requires some sort of quid pro quo. The Russians prefer whoever is controversial and gets us bickering among ourselves, and probably like her opposition to our wars-of-regime-change.

[Rob Tucker]

terracore, Please change the subject line or show where NBC is alleging collusion.

Assume the best and ask questions.

Punaweb moderator

[terracore]

From the NBC article:

"But Gabbard's most controversial position and the one where she's most in line with Russian interests is on Syria. She's accused the U.S. of pushing a policy of "regime change" wars and in January 2017, she met with Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad in Syria on what she called a "fact-finding mission."

The NBC hit piece alleges that she met with Putin's puppet Assad to spread the Kremlin's message that the USA was in Syria arming terrorists aligned against the USA. (Which unfortunately, is true).

I'm not going to post any more links here, but anybody who has read Tusli's twitter feed or can use a search engine will learn that the company spreading the Russian "influence" narrative has deep links to "fake news", or what some people call propaganda.

ETA: Bold, also I'm not a politics thread type of guy (I usually avoid this sub forum, and will continue to do so) so delete or lock it up as you see fit, no hard feelings.