General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Evidence Russia helped elect trump is staggering. [View all]ancianita
(36,055 posts)colleagues from foreign cyberattack. The Republicans, as hyperpartisans, would become the GRU and FSB means for inserting Putin's asset into the presidency.
In September, McConnell listened to the heads of American intel agencies report on the Russian cyberinsurgency. He clearly expressed his doubts as to their veracity.
Intel agencies said, in statements later made public, "Russia's goals were to undermine public faith in the US democratic process, denigrate Sec. Clinton, and harm her electability and potential presidency."
McConnell made it known to Obama and his party that Republicans would treat the defense of the US from Russian cyberwar as an effort to help Hillary Clinton. At that point, Russia had been at work in the US for more than a year, setting up social media accounts, etc. After McConnell categorized the Russian attack as partisan politics, Putin's "active measures" expanded.
The Russian bot offensive took off. It's been an eye opener to find out who had more influence over the Republican Party -- its human leaders or Russian robots. One example is Texas. The fake account posing as the Texas Republicans on Facebook had more members than the actual Republican Party of Texas.
For Republicans, it's been Win At Any Cost. The desire for power and money turned Republicans from portraying Russia as a national security threat to being the secret ally that Paul Ryan said should be kept "in the family."
Their Win At All Cost" formula just followed Putin's playbook. Now even Republican voters see the cost.
They feel trapped, however, and will probably die on that hill.