Tom Watson @tomwatson It's time for Bernie Sanders to admit he was

[JohnSJ]

On saying from 2019

"Bernie Sanders defends Tulsi Gabbard: ‘Outrageous’ to suggest she is a foreign asset"

http://www.cnn.com/2019/10/21/politics/bernie-sanders-tulsi-gabbard-tweet/index.html

Link to tweet

?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1516751125583695884%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fpoliticaloasis.freeforums.net%2Fthread%2F31782%2Ftom-watson-win

[AZProgressive]

1. Is there hard evidence that she is?

Spreading pro Russia talking points doesn’t mean she is an asset or agent of a foreign government.

If there is hard evidence then Sanders should say he is wrong but I don’t think he is going to start making accusations without hard evidence.

[Spider Jerusalem]

2. A dupe and useful idiot is still an asset, even if not directly controlled by Moscow (n/t)

[AZProgressive]

3. I agree she is a useful idiot

If she is an asset or agent she needs to be arrested.

[JohnSJ]

5. A useful idiot can be a foreign asset, not in the "criminal" sense, but in the same way the Tucker

Carlson and other fox personalities are used by Russia for propaganda purposes.

I agree, unless proven otherwise, she is not working for Russia, but a definite nutcase

[Doc Sportello]

12. For someone who claims to have voted for Sanders

You sure don't seem to like him or other progressives. Could you have meant Col. Sanders?

[Spider Jerusalem]

15. I don't like Tulsi Gabbard, and I don't believe she is a progressive (n/t)

[48656c6c6f20]

26. I don't think there's any proof

That someone is a useful idiot.

[Spider Jerusalem]

29. We're talking about Tulsi Gabbard; try to keep up

also, it's 2022; Russia hasn't been communist for thirty years, and most of Russia's die-hard fans and supporters in the present are right-wingers who admire Putin's Russia as a model of authoritarian white Christian nationalism.

[48656c6c6f20]

30. Ha

Hook, line, and sinker.

[yardwork]

38. Was it "outrageous" to say she might be a Russian asset?

Who is being outrageous - Tulsi Gabbard or the people pointing out that she amplifies Russian talking points?

[betsuni]

39. +1

[AZProgressive]

40. Does this also apply to Biden?

Biden defends Tulsi Gabbard at Hillary Clinton's expense


Chris Evans picked up Bo Erickson’s tweet of a clip from a Joe Biden interview in which Biden skates around the claim that Russia and/or the GOP is grooming Tulsi Gabbard as a spoiler by saying he knows her, she’s a good person who deserves credit for her service, and that Hillary Clinton is just frustrated over what the Russians did to her in 2016.

“...My guess is that Hillary is so frustrated with what the Russians did in her campaign and what they’re still doing, not necessarily with Tulsi Gabbard but still doing in this campaign. Everybody knows it and we’re doing nothing about it...”

https://m.dailykos.com/stories/2019/10/25/1895066/-Biden-defends-Tulsi-Gabbard-at-Hillary-Clinton-s-expense

Tulsi Gabbard is the one who is outrageous to answer your question. Sanders wasn’t the only one that defended her at the time. I remember people crossing candidates such as Biden off their list that defended Tulsi.

[yardwork]

41. Biden didn't attack others for pointing out the obvious about Gabbard.

My beef with Sanders is that he attacked others for reasonably pointing out that Tulsi Gabbard was aligned with Putin.

Sure, several Democrats defended Gabbard at the time. They didn't use it as an opportunity to accuse other Democrats of being "outrageous."

[AZProgressive]

45. But he is the only one that needs to admit now they were wrong?

I guess my question is really for Watson.

I understand your issue with outrageous but it wasn’t plural, he only said the statement from Clinton was. Watson just wants Bernie to admit he was wrong and I was wondering if other candidates need to do the same.

[yardwork]

46. Come on. Sanders owes Clinton numerous apologies.

We all know that. No point pretending it isn't true.

[AZProgressive]

47. Everyone owes everyone an apology when it comes to political campaigning

There were things said about Sanders that weren’t true or whatever and everyone moves past it once the primaries are over and works together.

[a kennedy]

4. Oh my gosh.....I thought Tom Watson was the golfer, and think why is he getting

involved with this topic. 😂

[JohnSJ]

6. +++

[LetMyPeopleVote]

8. Tulsi is a Russian asset

Link to tweet

[Cha]

27. Exactly. Rt💖TY!

💙💛

[LizBeth]

9. Yep, and yet talking about running as a Democrat again.

[867-5309.]

24. I wouldn't worry about her getting far n/t

[Cha]

28. wow.. really, I hadn't heard that.

Do you know what she might run for?

Thank You!

💙💛

[Hortensis]

10. Russian assets are ANYONE Russia finds significantly helpful

in their political warfare wittingly or unwittingly. This is KGB terminology.

"Assets" may know it or be completely unaware. They may do it for reward or not at all. They may offer their assistance to Russia, be forced to be of service, or be completely unaware and even sworn enemies of Russia. These days Russia regards various American politicians as valuable assets in their warfare against the U.S.

"Agents" work for Russia. Like the KGB agents depicted in the series "The Americans."

"Useful idiots" are what that sounds like of course. Lots of deluded voters and, by definition, virtually all nonvoters.

tRump probably about as likely to be a secret Russian agent as he is a secret dancer with the Bolshoi. It's believed that Russia probably developed him as an asset over 40 years ago, and they've been phenomenally successful using him that way. Worth a brigade of trained, implanted agents.

Bernie Sanders might not be the best person to consult on how Russia would categorize Tulsi Gabbard's worth to them. According to the Mueller Report, Russia also regarded Sanders as an asset and took extensive actions to promote his candidacy to the electorate and use it to defeat Democrats; and, like Gabbard, our intelligence services warned him early on and repeatedly of this.

[betsuni]

25. +1

[brer cat]

37. +1

[yardwork]

42. Thank you for mentioning that Sanders has been warned that Putin is using him as an asset.

[Hortensis]

48. :) Of note, Putin already had a history of promoting populist movements,

both LW and RW, to undermine the stability of the governments he'd targeted for takedowns. Populism is by definition aggressively antagonistic and anti-establishment, with only weak, mostly easily abandoned ties to whatever ideology was claimed by the leaders to support whatever leaders then call for. (Draws a lot of authoritarian types on both right and left.)

Putin's use of populism as a major weapon in his political warfare was well known. It was explained to both those in government by our intelligence services and to the American public. And the point was hit again the other night by Rachel, so here it is also.

[yardwork]

49. The impact of this propaganda - on the left and right - is evident.

One example is the anti-vax movement. It predates Covid. NGOs were already being forced out of some African countries due to anti-vax hysteria. There's evidence that Russian troll farms were behind it. Around 2000 I think Putin also picked up on decades' long skepticism of the "establishment medical system" among some affluent whites in the US and fanned it to a higher level.

Putin's goal has been to destabilize Western democracies by encouraging chaos and division. The internet gave him a powerful vehicle.

[Hortensis]

50. Yes. Along with the ruthless power seekers and destroyers in every nation.

But Russia brings all the powers of a nation at war.

We have to learn to question big time when the actions of significant factions of a movement are incompatible with the movement's stated goals. If people who say they want to do good are behaving bad, something's wrong.

[scipan]

11. Beto and Pete buttigeig also said she is not a Russian asset.

Guess they would have to apologize too?

[Doc Sportello]

13. No, just Bernie

And don't bother listing all the associations and backing some Democrats have with people who have very un-Democratic policies. You'll be in trouble.

[yardwork]

43. Did they say it was "outrageous" to suggest it? Did they attack other Democrats?

[SYFROYH]

14. Who the fuck is Tom Watson?

[lapucelle]

16. Watson is a journalist, educator, and consultant specializing in the development of non-profits,

philanthropies, charities, and social justice organizations. He is also a human rights activist.

While Tom Watson is known and respected here in NY in education and in charity and social justice organization circles (especially in the Bronx), he pretty much flies under the radar of the general populace.

That's probably because he's more of a work horse than a show horse.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tom Watson is the president and founder of CauseWired, a consulting firm advising clients in the social sector: nonprofits, foundations and companies. Tom is a journalist, author, and consultant who has worked at the confluence of media technology and social change for more than two decades. Tom writes an occasional column for the Chronicle of Philanthropy and he is the author of CauseWired: Plugging In, Getting Involved, Changing the World (Wiley, 2008 ) a best-selling book that chronicles the rise of online social activism. He also serves as adjunct professor in the master’s program in nonprofit management at Columbia University.

Tom’s client work focuses on education, social services, progressive causes, and the pursuit of social justice. Over the years, Tom has worked with many clients in strategic planning, case development, communications, branding development and marketing, as well as fundraising and development planning, including organizations such as the Innocence Project, Vera Institute of Justice, Sidney Hillman Foundation, Cabrini Mission Foundation, TrickleUp, North Shore-LIJ Health System Foundation, the International Center for Journalists, the Case Foundation, Save Ellis Island, the Tiger Woods Foundation, the Tuskegee Airmen, Catholic Relief Services, Christian Blind Mission, the Wealth & Giving Forum, and many others.

snip==========================================================

Tom Watson is a frequent speaker and commentator on trends and issues related to media, technology and society and has appeared on shows ranging from CNN’s Moneyline to NPR’s All Things Considered. He has spoken at venues that have included the Global Philanthropy Forum, Clinton Global Initiative, Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Symposium, the Skoll World Forum, MIT Enterprise Forum, the Conference Board, Boardsource Leadership Forum, the Forum on Philanthropy, Association of Fundraising Professionals, and the Performance Institute as well as in university settings, including Harvard Business School, Columbia Business School, New York University and City University London. Previously, he served as adjunct professor in the master’s program for philanthropy at New York University, and as an adjunct professor of new media at Columbia’s Graduate School of Journalism.

Tom is a member of the Board of Directors of BronxWorks, the largest nonprofit settlement house in the Bronx, and serves on the Westchester County Human Rights Commission. He holds a degree in English literature from Columbia University. He lives in Mount Vernon, NY.

https://www.causewired.com/tom-watson/

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From the BronxWorks website:

Tom Watson
President, CauseWired LLC

Tom Watson is the president and founder of CauseWired, a consulting firm advising clients in the social sector, as well as a professor in the Nonprofit Management Master’s program at Columbia University. Tom’s career spans journalism, philanthropy, consulting, and education. Tom earned his BA in English Literature from Columbia University. He joined the Board of Directors of BronxWorks in 2013 and currently serves as the Chair of the Development Committee. He sits on the Executive and Strategic Planning Committees. Tom also serves on the Board of the Westchester Human Rights Commission.

https://bronxworks.org/

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here's Watson's personal statement from the Columbia University School of Professional Studies faculty page.

Social causes, philanthropy, activism, nonprofits, development, organizing, volunteering, fundraising – these are the forces that represent private efforts for public social good. I’m proud to be part of this sector, I love to write about it, and I enjoy working in it every day. But I really love to teach other professionals who want to see their efforts rewarded not just with a paycheck but with few hungry and homeless, a cleaner environment, a fair and more just society, a safer world. That’s because by teaching, I learn more about what makes us all want work in this vital slice of our economy. The world is a smaller, more tightly networked place – and those networks matter, even more than the technology that created them. That changes philanthropy and fundraising, and those changes are fascinating and worth deep exploration. It’s my privilege to work with committed professionals who are also committed to that exploration – and to do it at Columbia, where I first arrived as a callow freshman 35 years ago.

https://sps.columbia.edu/faculty/tom-watson

[867-5309.]

18. Right now, someone sowing disconent

Tulsi is whacked out and needs to leave the party. But insisting Bernie do some mea culpa now is just stirring up old shit when we don't need it.

[lapucelle]

19. He did choose to tweet about it in real time.

16,900 tweeters retweeted his umbrage, so his messaging was greatly amplified.

He has endorsed candidates this cycle, and there are probably followers who rely on his judgement.

The ability to take responsibility and apologize when wrong shows character. It's an admirable trait.

Welcome to DU!

[867-5309.]

20. Was he giving an opportunity to demonstarte character

or just drudging up an old issue?

The fact he has some followers just reinforces this - why bring this up now?

[Hekate]

21. It looks like she's baaaaack

In which case, she’s dangerous. I’d have to go back in my files to 2015-2016, but there is some damn good research on the cult that raised her and groomed her to enter politics.

[lapucelle]

22. Tulsi Gabbard is currently a frequent Putin-apologist on Tucker Carlson's propaganda broadcast.

Tulsi is in the news this week because she appeared on Tucker Carlson's show to publicize a cease and desist order sent to a senator over his charge that she is spreading Kremlin talking points that contain "treasonous lies" concerning US actions in Ukraine. Keith Olbermann got a similar letter from Tulsi's lawyers on the very same day.

It's because of Tulsi's own publicity stunts that this "old issue" is once again in the news of the day.

It is disappointing that many of those who so publicly jumped aboard the Tulsi bandwagon in October 2019 are so very, very tongue-tied now that she regularly appears as a shill for Kremlin talking points on Tucker's toxic talk-fest.

https://www.newsweek.com/tulsi-gabbard-mitt-romney-cease-desist-treason-accusation-ukraine-russia-1699552
https://www.dhillonlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/20220420_CDletter_Gabbard_Romney_Final.pdf

[867-5309.]

23. I agree she's of no use

Do you mean many people here were with her or many prominent people?

I'm confused by the October 2020 reference. Wasn't the whole dust up during the primaries, earlier in the year? I'm fuzzy on recalling when she jumped the shark and it became obvious.

[lapucelle]

31. It was in October 2019 that some leapt to Gabbard's defense.

Not everyone, however.

What, Exactly, Is Tulsi Gabbard Up To?
Published Oct. 12, 2019 Updated Nov. 19, 2019

As she injects chaos into the 2020 Democratic primary by accusing her own party of “rigging” the election, an array of alt-right internet stars, white nationalists and Russians have praised her.

WASHINGTON — Stephen K. Bannon, President Trump’s former chief strategist, is impressed with her political talent. Richard B. Spencer, the white nationalist leader, says he could vote for her. Former Representative Ron Paul praises her “libertarian instincts,” while Franklin Graham, the influential evangelist, finds her “refreshing.”

And far-right conspiracy theorists like Mike Cernovich see a certain MAGA sais quoi.

snip====================================================================

Ms. Gabbard’s fans are especially sensitive to claims that she is supported by Russian bots and amplified by the Russian state-funded news media outlets — a conspiracy theory, they say, that is designed to delegitimize her campaign and her foreign policy views.

“This whole thing the Democratic Party has done by putting forward this false idea that there was collusion between Russia and Trump has hurt our relations in a huge way with the Russians,” [televangelist Franklin] Graham said. “I can’t speak for Tulsi, but I think she feels kind of the same way on some of these things.”

[867-5309.]

32. Ah, okay

We'll leave her to the scrap heap of history.

[Samrob]

17. HRC implied that she was...and HRC was right. Tulsi was being groomed to be an asset. nt

[marie999]

33. What exactly has she said that makes her a Russian asset?

[JohnSJ]

34. Just Google on her comments about Ukraine

https://www.salon.com/2022/03/14/treasonous-lies-mitt-romney-calls-out-tulsi-gabbard-for-parroting-russian-propaganda/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2022/03/13/tulsi-gabbard-latest-to-push-russian-backed-conspiracy-about-us-backed-biological-labs-in-ukraine/?sh=66ac1c765522

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2022/03/14/army-officer-tulsi-gabbard-faces-ire-peddling-russian-disinformation-about-ukraine-biolabs.html

https://www.poynter.org/fact-checking/2022/tulsi-gabbard-falsely-claimed-the-us-is-not-so-different-from-russia-on-freedom-of-speech/

https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2022/mar/18/tulsi-gabbard/tulsi-gabbard-falsely-claims-us-not-so-different-r/

[marie999]

35. I don't see anything that makes her a Russian asset.

What exactly do you see she has said that makes you think she is a Russian asset.

[JohnSJ]

36. They use her as an asset just as they use Tucker Carlson as an asset. That doesn't mean she works

for the Kremlin, but she sure pushes the Putin views a lot of times.

She is not a nice person. She has a history of anti-Muslim, anti-gay, bigotry, along with a history of supporting dictators and human rights abusers.

In 2016 she was one of three house members who voted against a bill condemning Syria for its human rights abuses, and even met with Syrian dictator al-Assad, where she she appeared as an apologist for him, claiming he was not responsible for the human rights abuses or deaths of thousands of Syrians in their Civil War, despite the international community condemning Syria as a war criminal.

She is one messed up person, who has no problem embracing conspiracies

[yardwork]

44. Anyone who promotes pro-Russian and anti-Ukraine propaganda is a Russian asset.

An "asset" is anyone who helps the Russian point of view, basically. The person may not have any connection with the Russian government or even realize that they're thought of as an asset.

It's very different from an "agent" - a spy or employee of Russia.