Tucker Carlson really really likes Russia (1 Viewer)

[MT15]

Saw this on Twitter, and am late to get somewhere so maybe someone else can flesh this out. When it comes to Russia vs Ukraine, Tucker is rooting for Russia.

So the choice he set up is between a fledgling democracy, and one of the most corrupt oligarchies in the world, one country who is an ally and one an antagonist, and he chooses the corrupt oligarchy who is our antagonist?

why would he say that?

 

[SaintForLife]

Why would he think that? I don’t believe he was joking, btw. He also said “I don’t care” when the other man responded about preserving democracy in Ukraine.

oh and thanks buzd for the link. I had to leave just after I saw it.

He was literally laughing right before he said it, but you don't think he's joking?

 

[SaintForLife]

That moment didn’t age well, and it was a terrible mistake for Obama to be dismissive of Russia regardless of the context.

Obama was right. Russia hysteria has taken over many on the left who have turned Putin into this super evil genius who is plotting to take over the world. The threat posed by Russia is vastly overstated by many in the media and on the left. Does anyone actually think that Russia meddles in other countries affairs more than the US?

 

[MT15]

He was literally laughing right before he said it, but you don't think he's joking?

No the other guy was laughing, Carlson wasn’t.

 

[MT15]

Obama was right. Russia hysteria has taken over many on the left who have turned Putin into this super evil genius who is plotting to take over the world. The threat posed by Russia is vastly overstated by many in the media and on the left. Does anyone actually think that Russia meddles in other countries affairs more than the US?

I don’t get your question. Sure Russia meddles in other countries’ elections. More or less than ours? I don’t know and don’t really care. Oh, now I get it, it‘s the “two wrongs make it all right” defense.

That’s a really weak defense, btw. A. We don’t know that the US has interfered in other countries’ elections to the level that Russia is currently interfering in ours. And B. That doesn’t make it right. Why would any American defend Russia’s election interference? It’s pretty astounding, actually.

Carlson thinks the Russian angle is a hoax, against everything that the US intelligence community has discovered. Then again, Carlson thinks white supremacy is a hoax as well. He’s an idiot.

 

[JimEverett]

What do people mean by "hoax"?
If the view is that Russia did something that threatens the fabric of our democracy and destroys the integrity of our elections - then, yes, the Russia thing is a hoax.

If the view is that Russia spent $10 million or so, primarily on social media, in a campaign that saw $1.5 billion spent and had very little to no impact, then, no, the Russia thing is not a hoax.

 

[buzd]

What do people mean by "hoax"?
If the view is that Russia did something that threatens the fabric of our democracy and destroys the integrity of our elections - then, yes, the Russia thing is a hoax.

If the view is that Russia spent $10 million or so, primarily on social media, in a campaign that saw $1.5 billion spent and had very little to no impact, then, no, the Russia thing is not a hoax.

[MOD EDIT: Let's try to avoid anything that could be considered insulting to the poster and not just to their opinion. LameDuck]

Currently, Russia has American politicians parroting Russian farmed talking points (Crowdstrike server, Ukraine's involvement, etc).

Russia convinced the President to reveal classified Israeli information in the oval office.

Russia offered dirt to Don Jr (et al) in the Trump tower proffer.

Russia passed notification of hacked DNC emails through Roger Stone.

Pro-Russia corrupt Ukrainians had Paul Manafort on their payroll.

After a meeting with Putin where there were no note takers, Trump got on stage and disavowed the findings of all his intelligence agencies.

Manafort passed polling information to an oligarch known to be affiliated with Russian intelligence (hence "micro-targeting" on social media.

Etc.


Yep, hoax.

 

[not2rich]

He was literally laughing right before he said it, but you don't think he's joking?

He doesn't have a prime time spot on Fox due to his "joking" skills.

 

[MT15]

What do people mean by "hoax"?
If the view is that Russia did something that threatens the fabric of our democracy and destroys the integrity of our elections - then, yes, the Russia thing is a hoax.

If the view is that Russia spent $10 million or so, primarily on social media, in a campaign that saw $1.5 billion spent and had very little to no impact, then, no, the Russia thing is not a hoax.

IMO, you are grossly downplaying Russia’s role in our current state of a completely fractured society. Reminds me of Kushner’s statement. He ignored almost everything that Russia did except for the social media things. They hacked the DNC and released the emails when they would have maximum effect on the election, so it wasn’t just a few social media ads.

Russia has had social media accounts stirring up division in the US for years. They had (maybe still have) groups on FB that organized demonstrations, they incited violence through those groups. It wouldn’t surprise me if they were behind some of the antifa violence. They attempted to incite black militants to violence, and lord knows there’s plenty of violent groups on the far right that have been courted by Russia. In fact, I’m pretty sure they’ve been sponsoring trips to Russia for people like Richard Spencer.

Even more mainstream organizations aren’t immune. The NRA, for example, has been influenced a great deal by Russians, and during the time it was influenced, it hardened its positions to the point that it has blocked nearly every piece of proposed gun regulation, even though a clear majority of Americans want some sort of additional safeguards enacted.

 

[MT15]

Yeah, recently the biggest shocker to me has been the prominent members of the Republican Party going on TV and just outright saying things that come from Russian intelligence. Senator Kennedy, Senator Graham, Representative Nunes, it’s startling.

 

[not2rich]

IMO, you are grossly downplaying Russia’s role in our current state of a completely fractured society. Reminds me of Kushner’s statement. He ignored almost everything that Russia did except for the social media things. They hacked the DNC and released the emails when they would have maximum effect on the election, so it wasn’t just a few social media ads.

Russia has had social media accounts stirring up division in the US for years. They had (maybe still have) groups on FB that organized demonstrations, they incited violence through those groups. It wouldn’t surprise me if they were behind some of the antifa violence. They attempted to incite black militants to violence, and lord knows there’s plenty of violent groups on the far right that have been courted by Russia. In fact, I’m pretty sure they’ve been sponsoring trips to Russia for people like Richard Spencer.

Even more mainstream organizations aren’t immune. The NRA, for example, has been influenced a great deal by Russians, and during the time it was influenced, it hardened its positions to the point that it has blocked nearly every piece of proposed gun regulation, even though a clear majority of Americans want some sort of additional safeguards enacted.

Russia tried to exacerbate it, and I'm sure they're pleased with the results. But honestly we didn't need their interference to be so divided and partisan. All we needed are purported "media" outlets that are in the business of partisan propaganda rather than factual information and honest analysis of said information. Russia didn't do anything we've not already done to ourselves.

 

[Beach Friends]

He doesn't have a prime time spot on Fox due to his "joking" skills.

Actually he has a good sense of humor and there is a comedic touch to his show.

(I know, I am putting one right down the strike zone, but it's true)

 

[B4YOU]

Both Russia and China are threats. Russia is focused on political mechanisms to influence policy. China is focused on technological theft, manufacturing moats, and economic sabotage to ensure future dominance.

Russia can’t compete financially so they focus on politics. China can just steal, buy, exploit, and subsidize their way to economic dominance and the US has had a political policy that allows this. Why bother with politics when it’s already in your favor.

The dirty secret is that liberals and moderates also see China as a great threat and some support Trump’s tougher stance.

 

[Saintamaniac]

And here we are in 2019 and we have US senators knowingly spreading russian propaganda, a president that has done everything he can support our enemies while abandoning allies and enriching himself and his family all to the cheers of people who actively compromise the tenants of a religion that they claim to practice. This is what is left of the party that Ronald Reagan led. He would no doubt find every one of these so-called conservatives and republicans repulsive.

 

[GMRfellowtraveller]

Actually he has a good sense of humor and there is a comedic touch to his show.

(I know, I am putting one right down the strike zone, but it's true)

Not as funny as Lt. Hauk though, right?

 

[V Chip]

Everyone sort of jumped on him and pointed out that the EU is supplying more grants and loans to Ukraine than the US. But the larger point seemed to be lost - the EU continues to rely heavily on Russian energy and continues to make deals with Russia.

Meanwhile we're 18 years into a War on Terror, yet continue to rely on Middle East Oil and continue to make oil deals with Saudi Arabia and Iraq, as well as other deals with Syria and Turkey.

 

[wardorican]

What do people mean by "hoax"?
If the view is that Russia did something that threatens the fabric of our democracy and destroys the integrity of our elections - then, yes, the Russia thing is a hoax.

If the view is that Russia spent $10 million or so, primarily on social media, in a campaign that saw $1.5 billion spent and had very little to no impact, then, no, the Russia thing is not a hoax.

Over stating something isn't a hoax.

Just like you're massive understatement isn't exactly accurate either.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russi...ed_States_elections#Impact_on_election_result I know.. it's wiki.

Advertisements bought by Russian operatives for the Facebook social media site are estimated to have reached 10 million users. But many more Facebook users were contacted by accounts created by Russian actors. 470 Facebook accounts are known to have been created by Russians during the 2016 campaign. Of those accounts six generated content that was shared at least 340 million times, according to research done by Jonathan Albright, research director for Columbia University's Tow Center for Digital Journalism.[44] The most strident Internet promoters of Trump were paid Russian propagandists/trolls, who were estimated by The Guardian to number several thousand.[45] (By 2017 the U.S. news media was focusing on the Russian operations on Facebook and Twitter and Russian operatives moved on to Instagram.)[41] The Mueller Report found the IRA spent $100,000 for over 3,500 Facebook advertisements from June 2015 to May 2017,[46] which included anti-Clinton and pro-Trump advertisements.[38] In comparison, Clinton and Trump campaigns spent $81 million on Facebook ads.[47][48]

Fabricated articles and disinformation[49] were spread from Russian government-controlled outlets, RT and Sputnik to be popularized on pro-Russian accounts on Twitter and other social media.[49] Researchers have compared Russian tactics during the 2016 U.S. election to the "active measures" of the Soviet Union during the Cold War,[49] but made easier by the use of social media.[49][50]

Monitoring 7,000 pro-Trump social media accounts over a two-and-a-half year period, researchers J. M. Berger, Andrew Weisburd and Clint Watts[51] found the accounts denigrated critics of Russian activities in Syria and propagated falsehoods about Clinton's health.[52] Watts found Russian propaganda in the U.S. to be aimed at fomenting "dissent or conspiracies against the US government and its institutions",[53] and by autumn of 2016 amplifying attacks on Clinton and support for Trump, via social media, Internet trolls, botnets, and websites.[49]

 

[RegularChuck]

Actually he has a good sense of humor and there is a comedic touch to his show.

(I know, I am putting one right down the strike zone, but it's true)

He was funny to me until he stopped wearing those bow ties.

 

[MT15]

We see folks on the right either excusing Russia’s attempts to sway our last Presidential election, or downplaying the same. We see pundits like Carlson openly take Russia’s side over Ukraine, who is our ally, we hear reports that Trump has said Ukraine isn’t a real country (which is straight from Putin’s mouth) and we have congressmen pushing conspiracy theories originating from Russia.

It‘s hard to know for sure how much difference Russia’s efforts actually made in the election of Trump. An argument can be made for the gamut of not much difference to the whole enchilada since the margin of victory was razor thin. But to dismiss the possibility as nothing is reckless, imo. To actually excuse the efforts is much worse, especially when we read that Russian hackers breached nearly all state election systems to some level.

I‘m still perplexed about why folks on the right want to act like Russia is no big deal, and play up China. They’re both problems, for different reasons. It’s disconcerting.