I figure we can watch for signs of who are Putin's favorites for the 2020 Presidental race, and in all of the other political positions where his government's attention appears to go.
Let's please remember the forum's stickies.
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My inspiration for this thread was news of Hillary Clinton's suggestion that Democratic candidate Tulsi Gabbard (Hawaii) is being set up by Russia as a third-party candidate. What I saw on Twitter was Gabbard facing off against Clinton without giving any reassurances that she will not allow her campaign to be used by a foreign government hostile to the USA. This appears to be consistent with how Gabbard responds to concerns about her connection to Moscow.
Links:
https://twitter.com/i/events/1185275718780870656 - "Hillary Clinton suggests Russia is 'grooming' Tulsi Gabbard to run as a third-party candidate"
https://twitter.com/TulsiGabbard/status/1185289626409406464 - Gabbard responds, "It’s now clear that this primary is between you and me."
NBS News reported back in February that several experts who track websites and social media linked to the Kremlin saw what might have been the first stirrings of Russian campaign support for Gabbard after she announced her intention to run in January. Three major Moscow-based English-language websites affiliated with or supportive of the Russian government "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."
A spokesperson for Gabbard said in February that it was "ridiculous" to suggest the Russians supported her candidacy, because "Russia would never overtly support a candidate they wanted to help".
Source: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/20...20-democratic-candidate-tulsi-gabbard-n964261 (2019)
For a recent counter to the claim that Russian media would not promote a preferred candidate, see https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0002764217693281 for "The Phenomenon of Trump’s Popularity in Russia: Media Analysis Perspective" (2017).
Let's please remember the forum's stickies.
-----
My inspiration for this thread was news of Hillary Clinton's suggestion that Democratic candidate Tulsi Gabbard (Hawaii) is being set up by Russia as a third-party candidate. What I saw on Twitter was Gabbard facing off against Clinton without giving any reassurances that she will not allow her campaign to be used by a foreign government hostile to the USA. This appears to be consistent with how Gabbard responds to concerns about her connection to Moscow.
Links:
https://twitter.com/i/events/1185275718780870656 - "Hillary Clinton suggests Russia is 'grooming' Tulsi Gabbard to run as a third-party candidate"
https://twitter.com/TulsiGabbard/status/1185289626409406464 - Gabbard responds, "It’s now clear that this primary is between you and me."
NBS News reported back in February that several experts who track websites and social media linked to the Kremlin saw what might have been the first stirrings of Russian campaign support for Gabbard after she announced her intention to run in January. Three major Moscow-based English-language websites affiliated with or supportive of the Russian government "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."
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[.]
A spokesperson for Gabbard said in February that it was "ridiculous" to suggest the Russians supported her candidacy, because "Russia would never overtly support a candidate they wanted to help".
Source: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/20...20-democratic-candidate-tulsi-gabbard-n964261 (2019)
For a recent counter to the claim that Russian media would not promote a preferred candidate, see https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0002764217693281 for "The Phenomenon of Trump’s Popularity in Russia: Media Analysis Perspective" (2017).
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