by Mish
Senator John McCain whined on Face the Nation, Senator Claire McCaskill was on ABC’s This Week, and representative Adam Schiff was on Fox News.
Michael McFaul, former ambassador to Russia has a double play. In addition to an Op-Ed in the Washington Post, McFaul moaned to Meet the Press.
More Unsubstantiated Claims
The Hill reports Former ambassador to Russia: Putin wanted ‘revenge’ against Clinton.
Russia interfered in the U.S. elections to get revenge against Hillary Clinton, said Michael McFaul, who served as the U.S. ambassador to Russia from 2012 to 2014.
The proof?
“It’s very rational in my view that [Putin] would rather see President-elect Trump be the next president of the United States instead of Secretary Clinton,” said McFaul in a Meet the Press interview.
Got that?
It’s rational to believe Putin interfered.
McCain Calls Putin “Thug, Murderer, Killer” on Face the Nation
Please consider McCain Calls for Probe of Russian Interference.
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) on Sunday said it’s clear the Russians interfered with the U.S. presidential election and demanded an investigation.
“Whether they intended to interfere to the degree that they were trying to elect a certain candidate, I think that’s a subject for investigation,” McCain said on CBS’s “Face The Nation.”
“But the facts are stubborn things. They did hack into this campaign.”
“The Russians have been using it as a tool as part of Vladimir Putin’s ambition to regain Russian prominence and dominance in some parts of the world,” he said.
McCain blasted Putin, calling the Russian president “a thug,” “a murderer” and “a killer.”
The proof Putin ordered this? … Where is it?
Form of Warfare
Also consider Senator McCaskill calls Russian Meddling in Elections ‘a Form of Warfare’.
Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) said early Sunday that any attempt by Russia to meddle in the United States presidential election would be “a form of warfare.”
“This should be not only about protecting us going forward, but this is a form of warfare,” McCaskill told ABC’s “This Week.”
McCaskill was responding to recent reports that that CIA concluded Russia tried to interfere in the presidential election to help Donald Trump win.
“For him to be trying to impact our election, he has to be held accountable,” she added, calling Russian President Vladimir Putin a “thug.”
Question for McCaskill
Do tell, how do you propose we hold Putin responsible? Should send him a note of thanks?
Adam Schiff on Fox News
Adam Schiff made a fool out of himself on Fox News.
McFaul Accuses Russia Today in Washington Post
As I commented earlier today, the Washington Post did not learn a thing from its idiotic fake news story about fake news.
Proof comes in this ridiculous Op-Ed assessment by Michael McFaul. “Let’s get the facts right on foreign involvement in our elections,” says McFaul.
I blasted McFaul in Former US Ambassador Attacks First Amendment, Blames Russia Over Hillary’s Loss.
In his Op-Ed, McFaul admits there are some things he doesn’t know. But much of what he alleges to know is a lie. He does not “know” it was Russia that stole any data.
He complained “Sputnik tweeted #Crooked Hillary”. Mercy, how horrendous. Would this jackass been as upset if it tweeted #Crooked Trump?
“We have laws preventing foreign governments from contributing financial support to candidates. Should we have similar laws about in-kind support? Such regulation seems hard, in tension with our First Amendment, but shouldn’t our lawmakers wrestle with the issue?” asks McFaul.
No, our lawmakers have no business wrestling with the first amendment.
“Should Sputnik and RT employees be accredited as journalists or as foreign agents under the Foreign Agents Registration Act? I don’t know,” says McFaul.
I do know. Anyone who doesn’t know the answer is no, does not believe in the first amendment.
McFaul and his ilk are very dangerous. He did not get the result he wanted, so he blames the press, questions freedom of Speech.
By all means Mr. McFaul, let’s get the facts straight, starting with the US constitution, continuing with constant US meddling everywhere.
— Mike “Mish” Shedlock (@MishGEA) December 11, 2016
CIA Manipulation
Inquiring minds will be interested in this old congressional testimony in which the CIA admits they use mainstream media and foreign agents to influence US public opinion.
October Surprise – Reagan Election Conspiracy
Also diving into history readers should consider the October Surprise Conspiracy Theory.
The October Surprise conspiracy theory refers to an alleged plot to influence the outcome of the 1980 United States presidential election, contested between incumbent president Jimmy Carter (D–GA) and opponent former California governor Ronald Reagan (R–CA).
One of the leading national issues during that year was the release of 52 Americans being held hostage in Iran since November 4, 1979. Reagan won the election. On the day of his inauguration—in fact, 20 minutes after he concluded his inaugural address—the Islamic Republic of Iran announced the release of the hostages. The timing gave rise to an allegation that representatives of Reagan’s presidential campaign had conspired with Iran to delay the release until after the election to thwart President Carter from pulling off an “October surprise”.
According to the allegation, the Reagan Administration rewarded Iran for its participation in the plot by supplying Iran with weapons via Israel and by unblocking Iranian government monetary assets in US banks.
After twelve years of mixed media attention, both houses of the US Congress held separate inquiries and concluded that the allegations lacked supporting documentation.
Nevertheless, several individuals—most notably former Iranian President Abulhassan Banisadr, former Naval intelligence officer and National Security Council member Gary Sick; and former Reagan/Bush campaign and White House staffer Barbara Honegger—have stood by the allegation.
CIA Statements on Russia
Flash forward to today: The only proof anyone offers of Russia manipulation is a statement by the CIA.
Those who believe such statements should consider one statement by the CIA that I do believe.
At a meeting in 1981, Reagan’s CIA director, William Casey said “We’ll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false.”
@ggreenwald @trevortimm @jeremyscahill @stacyherbert Are CIA statements on Russia proof? Believable at all? https://t.co/y5hUmE4kWR pic.twitter.com/tsQBjoB58T
— Mike “Mish” Shedlock (@MishGEA) December 12, 2016
The first thing I want to know when I see a claim like that is: Did Casey really say that?
The answer is Yes.
On November 25, 2014 Reagan staffer Barbara Honegger Informed Quora, that Casey did make that statement.
Proof?
The only “proof” of Russian involvement comes from an agency that openly states “We’ll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false.”
Mike “Mish” Shedlock
