Bernie knew about Russia helping his campaign, Bernie took that help, and Bernie kept the Russian ..

[Botany]

... help to his campaign hidden. Russia and the Trump Campaign are not and were not helping
Bernie because they support his progressive and anti establishment-democrat agenda but because
Sanders will be the easiest to beat in the general election.

BTW I voted for Bernie in the 2016 Ohio primary.

[DanTex]

1. What??? How did he "take that help"???

[Garrett78]

2. He didn't and the post should be removed.

[5X]

7. +1

[NurseJackie]

10. Silence equals approval. He said nothing. He did nothing.

He knew for a month and not a word, not a complaint, not a peep.

So the help continued. Facebook, twitter, poll manipulation... it all continued unabated to benefit Bernie.

Yet, only silence. Silence.

Why? Why would any honorable candidate remain silent?

All I'm trying to say is that this was a test of courage and leadership ... and it was one that Bernie failed. Big time.

Sad.

[Rorey]

26. Courage, leadership, and decency

Along with respect for his supporters and all Americans. He didn't show any of that by not speaking up.

[NurseJackie]

29. I have higher standards. I'm not going to reward that type of dishonest behavior.

[thesquanderer]

31. We don't know what he might have said, and to who. We don't know what was or was not classified.

Obviously, Bernie is not the only person who knew. Some one or some agency decided that this was something Sanders should be told about, and this same person/agency apparently decided this was not something that should necessarily be made public at that point. Any judgment about what Sanders could/should have done differently is conjecture. I imagine we'll know more at some point.

[NurseJackie]

37. Nice try, but that's a very weak defense. This was a test of leadership and integrity. He failed.

Nice try, but that's a very weak defense. This was a test of leadership and integrity. He failed. There's not enough sugar-coating or lipstick in the world that can justify or excuse Bernie's FAILURE to act.

We do know that he didn't tell the voting public... the ones who were being fooled and manipulated by Russian activity on Facebook, Twitter, Poll Manipulations, etc etc etc. He directly benefited from his silence. There's no honor in that. He was angry when the news broke... why?

I don't know which candidate I'm going to support eventually... but what I DO KNOW is that the man or woman who gets my vote will be HONEST and COURAGEOUS and will show INTEGRITY and LEADERSHIP. He or she will bring HONOR to the office they seek to hold. I guess I just have higher standards.

[thesquanderer]

40. re: "He was angry when the news broke... why?"

Because he's ALWAYS angry.

Seriously, he just seemed his usual self to me.

[NurseJackie]

42. LOL!

[subana]

73. he wouldn't have had to tell everything he knew!!

He would only have to have said that he had been briefed on the situation & that he couldn't offer details due to national security concerns.

[thesquanderer]

74. Sometimes saying something is classified even without details.

For example, if you don't want your adversary to know that you know anything at all about it.

We don't know. Seemingly innocuous questions/statements sometimes are not.

There is what we know. There is what we want Russia to know we know. There is what we want Russia to know our citizens know. And there are people who decide those last couple, who are not the people running for president.

I don't think any of us are in a position to be second guessing here. It will probably all be made more clear over time...

[totodeinhere]

34. It depends on the reasons for the silence.

Without having more information we don't know. All we have is a story leaked to a Jeff Bezos owned newspaper on the eve of the Nevada caucuses. And lo and behold, Bernie won decisively anyway.

[NurseJackie]

41. I'm sure they were all selfless and honorable reasons.

It depends on the reasons for the silence.

I'm sure they were all selfless and honorable reasons.

And lo and behold, Bernie won decisively anyway.

Spare me. The benefits of Russian interference on Bernie's behalf had already been harvested. News arrived much too late.

[totodeinhere]

43. And you know this how? Exactly what did the Russians do to help Bernie?

You are drawing a lot of convenient conclusions from one newspaper article. I am in Nevada. I attended my local caucus and Bernie got over 70% at my precinct. And I didn't see one Russian agent there.

[NurseJackie]

48. Okay. Thanks for the report.

And I didn't see one Russian agent there.

Okay. Thanks for the report.

[totodeinhere]

52. I know this is a serious topic but sometimes a bit of levity can be helpful.

I wish you had been there to observe the enthusiasm for Bernie's candidacy. It's the type of passion that no interference from the Russians could produce. And this is in a very red county that voted better than 70% for Trump.

[NurseJackie]

54. I've seen and heard his hatred and insults and smears of the Democrats and the Democratic party.

I can't get "enthusiastic" about that kind of candidate. When someone says that the party I support and love is "corrupt" and "no different from the GOP" and that the Democrats are "an absolute failure" and that the Democrats "are ideologically bankrupt"... that' doesn't instill any sort of passion or devout fervor.

It's the type of passion that no interference from the Russians could produce.

Low-information voters tend to let others do their choosing for them. If they see a trend or a bandwagon rolling by... they'll jump right on because "everyone likes a winner" (or what they perceived to be a winner... even if it's just an illusion perpetrated by Russian poll manipulation, Facebook manipulation, Twitter bots, etc etc etc.)

[totodeinhere]

62. I didn't see any hatred or smears at my precinct.

I know this is anecdotal but all I saw was enthusiasm for Bernie. But everyone was respectful. And I got the impression that the participants were well versed on the issues of the day.

[NurseJackie]

65. I'm afraid I cannot help you.

[brutus smith]

64. Everyone has an opinion.

[NurseJackie]

68. I'm entitled to my opinion or I have a right to my opinion is a logical fallacy...

I'm entitled to my opinion or I have a right to my opinion is a logical fallacy in which a person discredits any opposition by claiming that they are entitled to their opinion. The statement exemplifies a red herring or thought-terminating cliché. The logical fallacy is sometimes presented as "Let's agree to disagree".

Whether one has a particular entitlement or right is irrelevant to whether one's assertion is true or false. Where an objection to a belief is made, the assertion of the right to an opinion side-steps the usual steps of discourse of either asserting a justification of that belief, or an argument against the validity of the objection. Such an assertion, however, can also be an assertion of one's own freedom or of a refusal to participate in the system of logic at hand.

Philosopher Patrick Stokes has described the expression as problematic because it is often used to defend factually indefensible positions or to "[imply] an equal right to be heard on a matter in which only one of the two parties has the relevant expertise".

[apcalc]

76. I truly don't like that he insults Dems, uses us whenever it helps him.

Meanwhile as I watch him in debates he is always scowling.

I truly don’t like his positions on certain topics.

I don’t have any problems with the other five Candidates . None.
I feel they are real Democrats, have walked the walk , support our party -they arenot just using us.

I pray daily that it won’t come to having to vote for him.

[subana]

75. OMG!!!!

now, you're starting to sound like fat donnie!! Do you really think questioning an article in the Washington Post is reasonable? The WP published many credible & newsworthy articles before Bezos became the owner!!!

[Vivienne235729]

90. +1000

[trueblue2007]

69. he DID and the OP should stay

[rzemanfl]

78. Look at the page carefully. If you have a beef, make it. n/t

[MrsCoffee]

4. Not speaking up about it before Iowa.

And pretending that Russia was trying to hurt his campaign with Bernie Bro bots well after he was informed they were helping him.

[Cha]

47. Bullseye!

[John Fante]

53. Those Bernie Bots are a big reason why he's so disliked as

a candidate. Honestly, they're the 1# why I disliked him. With friends like Russia, who needs enemies?

If Bernie wins, those boys are more or less neutered. Can't play the "Bernie was screwed by the establishment" card anymore if he's at the head of the ticket.

[subana]

79. the bernie bros did similar things 4 yrs ago!

he did nothing about them then & it's unlikely that he will do anything about them now!

[mopinko]

94. which is to say-he had 4 years to figure out what to do.

i guess he figured out covering it up was what worked best FOR HIM.

[subana]

95. yes

the truth is he never wanted to change anything they're doing or he would have done it already!

[Peacetrain]

56. EXACTLY!!!

and then attacking the Democratic Party..

[Botany]

8. By keeping "it" quite and not talking about "it" Bernie gave his tacit approval to Russia's ...

.... action which were designed to interfere with our elections.

That allowed Russia to keep doing whatever they were doing to help Bernie
w/out the American people knowing what the real story was.

[R B Garr]

12. Yes, in fact, his campaign started an amplification message

that he was “surging” right about that time. Weird timing...

[Botany]

18. Russia (or somebody) has been selling that Sanders' has it all but locked up and that his ...

... nomination is inevitable.

[Iamaartist]

24. the surging was to fast,,,rigging polls ❓❓

[NurseJackie]

25. Of course Russia was rigging the polls! It creates a "narrative" of BS being a "winner" and...

Of course Russia was rigging the polls! It creates a "narrative" of BS being a "winner" and the low-information voters like to vote for "winners". They follow crowds and hop on bandwagons.

Because of his silence, Bernie's campaign is forever tainted. He should withdraw now. That would be the right thing to do in order to make up for the dishonorable month of silence. Will he have the courage to make the right choice?

[R B Garr]

28. The amplification was very noticeable, at least...nt

[doxyluv13]

3. Props to JudyM

n/m

[George II]

5. He was upset that it was "leaked" before the Nevada vote. Wonder how long he wanted it...

....to remain a secret?

[NurseJackie]

11. He knew for a month and not a word, not a complaint, not a peep.

He knew for a month and not a word, not a complaint, not a peep.

So the help continued. Facebook, twitter, poll manipulation... it all continued unabated to benefit Bernie.

Yet, only silence. Silence. Silence equals approval. He said nothing. He did nothing.

Why? Why would any honorable candidate remain silent?

All I'm trying to say is that this was a test of courage and leadership ... and it was one that Bernie failed. Big time.

Sad.

[Botany]

14. Thank you!

"Yet, only silence. Silence. Silence equals approval. He said nothing. He did nothing."

BTW I have laid my ass on the line many times to protect the vote in Ohio.

[George II]

15. Where I come from (which is Brooklyn in the 1940s), that's called being complicit.

[NurseJackie]

21. It showed a lack of integrity. A lack of honor. A lack of courage.

LEADERSHIP FAIL.

Sad.

[R B Garr]

16. Yup, and what's weird is that his campaign started amplifying

the “surge” story, which looked to supersede the heart attack press at that time. We learned a lot about message amplification from the Mueller report, which featured the Russian meddling that is common knowledge now.

[NurseJackie]

19. Why would any honorable candidate remain silent?

It's a legitimate question and one that demands an answer: Why would any honorable candidate remain silent? Honor. Courage. That's all it took... and this was a test that he failed.

The candidate that support will have courage and honor and integrity. I don't know who that is going to be yet... but I do know that I'm NOT supporting Bernie Sanders. We deserve better.

[R B Garr]

22. Agreed. Keeping things secret is hypocritical of someone

who demands transparency of others or he labels them corrupt.

[5X]

6. Somthines I wonder if I'm on instagram or something from the posts here. n/t

[Fiendish Thingy]

9. Prove it

We know that Sanders was briefed; you need to prove he knowingly accepted direct assistance from Russia, as has been proven that Trump did in 2016.

If you can’t provide proof, you should delete this divisive thread.

[Botany]

13. " Prove it"

E.Z.

"We know that Sanders was briefed" And so did he keep that information from the voters?
That silence helped the Russians continue in their rat fucking of our elections.

[wnylib]

45. Remember when Bloomberg said he had

something on Sanders? Could this be it? Don't know how Bloomberg would have found out, but was he the one who leaked the info?

[Fiendish Thingy]

55. That doesn't prove that he accepted assistance directly from Russians, as was claimed nt

[subana]

82. you don't have to...

...consciously accept something to benefit from it!

who said he accepted Russia's help? Because the WP article doesn't say that!

The disclosure of Russian assistance to Sanders follows a briefing to lawmakers last week in which a senior intelligence official said that Russia wants to see Trump reelected, viewing his administration as more favorable to the Kremlin’s interests, according to people who were briefed on the comments.

In that closed hearing for the House Intelligence Committee, lawmakers were also told that Sanders had been informed about Russia’s interference. The prospect of two rival campaigns both receiving help from Moscow appears to reflect what intelligence officials have previously described as Russia’s broader interest in sowing division in the United States and uncertainty about the validity of American elections.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/bernie-sanders-briefed-by-us-officials-that-russia-is-trying-to-help-his-presidential-campaign/2020/02/21/5ad396a6-54bd-11ea-929a-64efa7482a77_story.html

[KPN]

38. Wasn't a main point of that briefing about foreign agitators posing as"Bernie Bros" to sow

division among Dems? That was the report that I read.

[rockfordfile]

88. I think he should tell what the Russians are doing? if he can

[jmg257]

17. What help did he take? I too am very curious about that.

What did Russia Russia Russia do to help?

There are few details from either report about what substantive actions Russia took to advance Sanders’ campaign.

https://www.theverge.com/2020/2/21/21147801/bernie-sanders-russia-presidential-campaign-trump-election-interference

[Nanjeanne]

20. So not true. Suggest you read the following from both Jake Tapper and Tom Periello

NSA Robert O’Brien and gives details abt Russia interference in elections as referenced to Sanders.

Open the whole thread.

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

[tecelote]

27. No! No!

Bernie is killing it and people here need their rage. Facts hurt more than you think.

[LenaW]

23. Are you upset that he didn't disclose classified information?

I have a feeling the same people who are outraged he kept quiet about that would be equally outraged if he had disclosed it, given that it was classified.

No?

[OnDoutside]

80. That's utter nonsense. He's the one screaming about a rigged process in 2016,

and now there's actual rigging in favour of himself, he kept his normally vociferous mouth, shut.

[LenaW]

89. because legally, he had to.

If he had disclosed classified info, people would be screaming he is unfit to be president.

[Hav]

30. A small addition to that

The word "again" is missing. We know he reveived Russian support before, knew about it and kept it hidden.
This is nothing new about him.

[Botany]

32. Yup!

n/t

[hedda_foil]

33. Provide a few good mainstream links for that please.

[tishaLA]

59. Do the junior senator from VT's own words count?

[hedda_foil]

92. Only if.one has an overactive imagination.

Did they know that Hillary's emails were leaked to hurt her campaign? Or course they knew. Everyone knew that. But Bernie never used anything in those emails against her. Try again.

[tishaLA]

93. Of course, Sec Clinton's emails weren't in the post you responded to

It said,

"The word "again" is missing. We know he reveived Russian support before, knew about it and kept it hidden."

The video shows "of course we knew" about Russian interference and every sentient being knows he didn't say anything about that knowledge, and everyone who read the Mueller report knows that he received support.

[KPN]

35. Ummmm ... wasn't a significant part of the intelligence regarding Russian interference/meddling

vis-a-vis Sanders about faux" Bernie Bro" agitators?

[wnylib]

66. If it was only about Bernie Bros

why would Sanders not reveal that? It would help him to pin that negative behavior on Russia.

This is just a taste of what Trump and Putin will do in the general if Sanders becomes the nominee. True, tgey will go after whoever it is, but Sanders provides them with many more opportunities with his identification with socialism.

He is a divisive figure for Dems and for the general population. Russia and Trump will exploit that divisiveness. You can count on it.

[Anniem60]

39. What?!!

What other senator revealed this new info re: russia? Which ones? Why is Bernie being targeted? Where was klobuchar & Warren with revealing the info? They were ALL briefed.

[ashredux]

44. The minute he learned of it he should have made it public.

He is no hero....

[redstatebluegirl]

46. The minute he learned he should have dropped out and told everyone why.

Then he should have to turn over all emails, voice mails anything that could help find out how this happened, but no, he is no patriot.

[brutus smith]

67. -

[yaesu]

49. yawn.....

<a href="https://ibb.co/NxHGcN6"><img src="" alt="doing-it" border="0"></a>

[wnylib]

58. Except Sanders is not "doing it" yet.

All he is doing now is collecting followers from the most left wing part if a party that he does not belong to.

When he leads by a solud margin against Trumo in the veneral, then he will be "doing it."

The next "doing it" challenge for Sanders after that will be to lead a givernment that is not with him.

A lot more "doing it" is get to be done.

[Cha]

84. Yeah, "yawn"while you're kicking the thread..

[yaesu]

50. must be a slow news day. nt

[Happy Hoosier]

51. It does bother me that he kept it quiet....

.. and seems to be angry it came out. VERY bad look, IMO.

[NurseJackie]

57. Exactly. Not angry that it happened... just angry that it came out.

I expect better from the candidate that I support. The candidate who earns my vote will be someone who demonstrates that he or she has courage and integrity.

Bernie Sanders is not getting my vote.

[Botany]

63. Just like Trump who was not mad at the Russians for trying to rig the 2020 democratic primaries ....

... but he was mad that information came out. Almost like Trump was expecting Russian help
in the 2020 elections.

[dalton99a]

71. Bingo.

[Codeine]

61. He hoped to hide it like he's hiding his

(presumably very serious) medical condition.

[ancianita]

60. With 48 primaries and a GE left to go, you can look forward to seeing an outcome you'll be ok with.

Bernie might not even figure into the general election in the months ahead.

Whoever the nominee is, they'll definitely be electable and likely get that 270 to win.

[subana]

70. true!

Putin wants Bernie because he's the one who would be the easiest to beat!! I know Bernie's fans are passionate about their guy but do you really want to allow Russia to choose your candidate for you?

I'm not saying you have to make the choice now but it deserves some consideration.

[Squinch]

72. And did I miss it when he sent out a call for help, either public or private, to find out what

the Russians were doing and to help him stop them from doing it?

Surely he's planning to do that, right? And I just missed the speech, right?

[Iamaartist]

77. OMG

He knew he was gettiing help from a foriegn country .and said nothing if it was Joe
they go after him to drop out...or disqualified him.....unreal...

[GanjaGrower]

81. Bernie needs to publicly disavow Putin

Also, there are rumors circulating that Putin’s cyber team may be helping Warren’s candidacy as well. Nothing direct, but the usual cyber warfare, disinformation about her opponents, digging up dirt on her opponents, etc.

[Botany]

83. "...there are rumors circulating that Putin's cyber team may be helping Warren's candidacy as well."

Good thing you are not spreading those rumors.

[nini]

85. This is why I cannot support him ever

Too many coinkydinks with Russia

[7horses]

86. Here you go again.

Sen Sanders showed that he as a Senator he would not play the Washington leak game. Perhaps he was protecting national security? You don't know? When the story came out when it did, Sanders said, why do you think it came out now? two days or so before the vote in Nevada. Come on people, if you think this helps Sanders, I have some swamp land to sell you. If you think that Sanders will be the easiest for trump to beat, just think about this: Sanders has about 30 to 40% of all voters in this country. A lot of these people are new voters who will vote for Sanders and Sanders only. If all the other Democrats who say they will vote for Blue no matter who, actually do, then trump takes an ass-whooping. Can you imagine what it will do to trump to be beat by Sanders? It will kill him! Isn't that what we want to do? Hell yes! You can do it open your mind, again!

[ehrnst]

87. K&R.

[mzmolly]

91. My question is - how is Russia interfering?

Bots? Facebook ... what?

[Scurrilous]

96. ...