McCain, Graham call for greater sanctions against Russia

[TomCADem]

Source: MSN/USA Today

WASHINGTON — Republican Sens. John McCain and Lindsey Graham pushed Sunday for greater sanctions against Russia for trying to influence the U.S. election and said President-elect Donald Trump is in danger of being in conflict with congressional Republicans if he doesn't get tougher on Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The two senators, in a joint interview on Meet the Press, also said the U.S. intelligence community's evidence of Russian interference during the American presidential campaign is overwhelming, and that Trump should accept those findings.

"You can't go on with your life as a democracy when a foreign entity is trying to compromise the election process," said Graham of South Carolina. "So Mr. President-elect, it is very important that you show leadership here. Let me say this: if after having been briefed by intelligence leaders, Donald Trump is still unsure as to what the Russians did, that would be incredibly unnerving to me because the evidence is overwhelming. All I'm asking him is to acknowledge that Russia interfered, and push back."

* * *
Graham said he and McCain will introduce bipartisan legislation to introduce sanctions against Russia that go beyond what President Obama has done and "hit them in the financial sector and the energy sector where they're the weakest."

Read more: http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/mccain-graham-call-for-greater-sanctions-against-russia/ar-BBy2HL1

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This is all well and good, but why are only McCain and Graham being mentioned? There are a lot of Democrats who take issue with certain Republicans working hand in hand with a foreign actor to influence our elections.

[mnhtnbb]

1. "Why are only McCain and Graham being mentioned?"

Because it's going to be the Republicans who force Trump's hand and he'll either have to back off favoring Russia
or end up removed from office.

There aren't enough Democrats in power to make it happen.

[NRaleighLiberal]

2. "trying to influence" - incorrectly stated of course, but that's our media

[Achilleaze]

3. k and r

This story is huuuuuuuuge.

And it ain't over by a long shot.

[DK504]

9. And will be ignored by the Repukes

and they will never be invited on the major networks to talk about this.

[cstanleytech]

4. I'm willing to bet they are only meant as a token by the Republicans but

what they really will do is weaken the current sanctions.

[ProudLib72]

5. There is a timeline

of events that will follow:
1. Press tRump on this
2. Either tRump capitulates to GOP, in which case he is outed by Putin
3. Or he does not capitulate, in which case he is outed by GOP led by McCain/Graham

I'm just hoping McCain/Graham keep up the noise and don't back down. And I hope that the repukes remember that McCain was the RNC presidential candidate not so long ago; that should give him more weight within the GOP and with the public.

[blue neen]

6. Good observations.

[Dopers_Greed]

7. THIS is the wedge issue for Republicans

The one that could potentially take down Trump.

The Dems need to keep hitting as hard as they can over this. Even though I have my differences with MCain and Graham, we should accept the help of any willing Repubs on this.

[kenfrequed]

10. No.

The wedge issues are social security and medicare.

That is how we beat Trump.

We point to Trump as a liar, we slap up the repukes in congress, and we punch them all right in the base.

Old people gave us Drumpf and old people voted repuke. Watch how they react when they find out those guys are screwing with social security and healthcare.



Making this all about Russia is a game a lot of the republicans will happily play. They will always demand more money for defense. they have never had a problem with throwing tons and tons and tons of money at contractors and weapons programs.

This "strategy" is something out of Donna Brazile's war room and it not going to really have much of an effect.

[Raster]

8. Good luck getting any of this by Comrade McConnell.

I applaud Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham as being the only adults in the room. While I cannot support much of their political actions and leanings, both men are patriots and obviously both are concerned at the FUCKING BLATANT INFLUENCE AND INTERFERENCE FROM THE KREMLIN.

[LaydeeBug]

11. Moscow Mitch has his walking orders.