NBC: Russia's propaganda machine discovers 2020 Democratic candidate Tulsi Gabbard

[EffieBlack]

A few months old, but still very relevant ...

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.

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/russia-s-propaganda-machine-discovers-2020-democratic-candidate-tulsi-gabbard-n964261

[wyldwolf]

1. wow! The debate isn't even over and you're already digging up months-old articles

... that deep wound she inflicted on Harris must have REALLY hurt.

[EffieBlack]

3. Nope

Just putting the baseless “Tulsi decimated Kamala” spin threads that have suddenly sprung up into perspective.

[wyldwolf]

5. yup

Gabbard didn't say anything that hasn't been reported in the mainstream press over the last five years. I and others have posted about it here. Are WE Russian agents? Biden mention her criminal justice record. Is HE a Russian agent?

You're doing a poor job of deflecting.

[emmaverybo]

55. Regardless of the source, Harris will have to answer concerns about her record. Gabbard did not

touch on the entire picture. Neither Harris nor supporters can simply deflect. This is the presidency
at stake and she was no shrinking violet when on the attack, so she should be prepared to defend
her own record or rethink her conduct at the time.

[BeyondGeography]

27. I think that's called nailing it

[Hortensis]

57. Just a reminder for potential useful idiots, Wyldwolf.

Our intelligence chiefs say Russia's occult warfare is MUCH BIGGER for the 2020 election than for 2016.

And not just Russia: China. Iran. North Korea. Others.

Added to: Our own subversive media, which tragically include the NYT and AP.

I look at all political media wondering if it's meant to deceive me.

Btw, both Gabbard and Sanders could say a huge no to being used as a weapon of war against the U.S. But neither has. Why haven't they even publicly denounced Russia's help? Don't they both have a huge duty to the electorate -- and especially to their own followers being specially targeted by Russia and others -- to inform them of foreign manipulations each time they're identified? How about educating them about constant attempts to deceive them by RT and other foreign state media?

They do have that huge duty, and they're both failing it. I find Gabbard's claims of patriotism disgusting.

[Claritie Pixie]

2. We've know all along Russia would attack from both sides.

She's not who she appears to be and this confirms it.

[evertonfc]

4. Good grief

Must have witnessed a good debate performance. As a veteran I salute this young lady's service and success. She's not my choice but she is solid.

[BannonsLiver]

21. Solid for who?

I think we’d probably have vastly different views in that subject. Will leave it at that to avoid the hide. But let’s just say the OP is spot on.

[BannonsLiver]

23. Yes, i saw that twaddle.

Welcome.

[EffieBlack]

29. When are you going to say anything about your professed "preferred" candidate?

You’ve been on DU for just over an hour and have spent all your time here thrusting and parrying for Tulsi. When are you going to get around to advancing Bernie?

[EffieBlack]

33. No. You're just busted.

You need to up your game - it’s raggedy as hell.

[EffieBlack]

7. Welcome to DU

Interesting and informative first post - thanks for providing this info within 10 minutes of joining DU.

Enjoy your stay.

[JI7]

9. +

[Claritie Pixie]

11. Thank you.

[Apple Fritter]

19. You won the internet ProgressivePatriot20

People who don't "trust" a candidate because fake news...hmmm interesting.

[EffieBlack]

30. Lol

[EffieBlack]

54. Looks like they'll have to "win the internet" somewhere else ...

[wyldwolf]

58. Let me guess. Harris's people didn't like that post

Wish I'd copied it before it was disappeared.

[Apple Fritter]

59. why did it disappear though?

[wyldwolf]

60. So, here's something about DU primary culture

Often, supporters of a particular candidate "gang alert" posts with the intent of having them removed to suppress the information.

The Sanders team on DU used it to great effect in '16.

[Apple Fritter]

61. oh yeah?! crazy seems like a thing moderators should fix. thanks for the fast reply btw.

I mean I am not sure abou thte ins and outs of this site but I know the rules. Can't we petition a return of such post?

[DesertRat]

41. Also David Duke endorses Gabbard for president

https://www.newsweek.com/tulsi-gabbard-david-duke-endorse-bds-israel-ilhan-omar-west-bank-boycott-1318365

[DesertRat]

44. This thread is about Gabbard, not Harris

And welcome to DU.

[mcar]

8. Kick

[bullwinkle428]

10. Someone is sure spending some serious $$$ on her campaign - slick commercials running

regularly, and billboards out the wazoo all over rural parts of eastern Iowa, where I actually live.

[EffieBlack]

12. And they're also spending a lot of effort attacking Harris and trying to convince

us that she got gut punched when we all saw that she didn’t.

This isn’t coincidence.

[EffieBlack]

17. Uh-huh

[OilemFirchen]

16. Note that she was one of the candidates who brought along a cheer squad.

Also on the list: De Blasio, Yang, Sanders and, sadly, Warren.

Very unbecoming, though not at all surprising.

[metroins]

53. I liked the cheer squads nt

[GulfCoast66]

13. Any guess who she supports when she drops out?

[DesertRat]

40. Right wingers are pushing her

Meghan McCain, for example, loves Gabbard. McCain was uncharacteristically polite and friendly when she was on last week. And from tonight:

Link to tweet

[Duppers]

47. So is my hard left (guaranteed income) son.

He is thinking ideologically not strategically. Wingers are pushing her simply as a strategic disruptor. Big difference.

[JI7]

14. right now i would vote for Biden over Harris

and i don't trust Gabbard at all. same goes for deblasio

[DesertRat]

18. No surprise that Gabbard is winning the Drudge debate online poll by a landslide

link is to a photo of the poll. I won't link to Drudge report.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EA2rWmiXsAAlO1z?format=jpg&name=large

[EffieBlack]

20. Google search, too

Link to tweet

[OilemFirchen]

26. From that thread:

Link to tweet

[BannonsLiver]

32. +10000

Good find.

[radical noodle]

28. Oops!

Wonder if they had a poll about last night's debate? If so, I suppose they thought Marianne Williamson won that one.

[DesertRat]

35. Yes, they did. And yes it was Williamson. nt

[radical noodle]

37. We just can't make this stuff up!

What a dead giveaway.

[Duppers]

51. Wingers are pushing her simply as a strategic disrupter.

Last edited Thu Aug 1, 2019, 02:49 AM - Edit history (1)

They certainly do not support her ideologically.

[ecstatic]

36. They're promoting her and Sanders. I often see them mentioned as a ticket on social media. nt

[EffieBlack]

38. And they target the people who they think pose the biggest threat to them and their guy

The amount of “Tulsi kicked Kamala’s butt” threads, when nothing even close to that occurred, shows that, at least right now, Kamala’s the one they’re most scared of.

[UniteFightBack]

52. They are all about stirring up shit....period. nt

[JI7]

39. yes, it's all over social Media. and they are also Anti Warren. when someone brings up Warren

as the better liberal choice they say things like she can't be trusted and other vague lines about how she is part of the problem .

[PunkinPi]

56. kick