Russia's propaganda machine discovers 2020 Democratic candidate Tulsi Gabbard

[TomCADem]

Why do some candidates seem to have a out of proportion social media presence despite the lack of real world funding and poll support?

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

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."

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. I hope Gabbard renounces, disavows and discourages any Russian "help."

If she doesn't, I guess we can assume she's happy to have it, or is at least comfortable with it.

[TomCADem]

2. Russia takes side of Democratic 2020 candidate in row with British investigator over war crimes

Apparently not as this August 2019 article shows that she continues to get help from Russia, which coincides with Kamala Harris's denunciation of Gabbard as an apologist for Syria. Of course, social media then amplified Gabbard's attacks on Kamala Harris even though Gabbard barely registers any funding or polling support.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/tulsi-gabbard-russia-syria-skripal-mh17-douma-airstrikes-a9040536.html

Russia has publicly supported 2020 Democratic candidate Tulsi Gabbard after a British investigative journalist covering the Kremlin described her stance on the Syrian conflict as “self-contradictory” and an “error filled mess”.

In a tweet posted on its account on Monday morning, the Russian embassy in South Africa appeared to support the Hawaii Democrat while attacking Eliot Higgins, founder of the open source investigative site Bellingcat, which has investigated the country’s involvement in the Syrian airstrikes, as well as the downing of the MH17 passenger plane over Ukraine and the poison attack against former Russian military intelligence officer Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury last year.

* * *
The embassy’s tweet, which referred to the recently reported attacks as “the alleged #Douma incident”, came as Ms Gabbard's stance on the Syrian conflict causes controversy on the campaign trail.

Kamala Harris, a leading 2020 Democratic candidate whose prosecutorial record Ms Gabbard attacked at last week’s presidential debates, has called the Hawaii congresswoman an “apologist” for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

[brush]

3. Old news. Most of us have known about this and her for quite a while now.

[TomCADem]

5. Russia's Support Continues (August 2019)

This August 2019 article shows that she continues to get help from Russia, which coincides with Kamala Harris's denunciation of Gabbard as an apologist for Syria. Of course, social media then amplified Gabbard's attacks on Kamala Harris even though Gabbard barely registers any funding or polling support.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/tulsi-gabbard-russia-syria-skripal-mh17-douma-airstrikes-a9040536.html

Russia has publicly supported 2020 Democratic candidate Tulsi Gabbard after a British investigative journalist covering the Kremlin described her stance on the Syrian conflict as “self-contradictory” and an “error filled mess”.

In a tweet posted on its account on Monday morning, the Russian embassy in South Africa appeared to support the Hawaii Democrat while attacking Eliot Higgins, founder of the open source investigative site Bellingcat, which has investigated the country’s involvement in the Syrian airstrikes, as well as the downing of the MH17 passenger plane over Ukraine and the poison attack against former Russian military intelligence officer Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury last year.

* * *
The embassy’s tweet, which referred to the recently reported attacks as “the alleged #Douma incident”, came as Ms Gabbard's stance on the Syrian conflict causes controversy on the campaign trail.

Kamala Harris, a leading 2020 Democratic candidate whose prosecutorial record Ms Gabbard attacked at last week’s presidential debates, has called the Hawaii congresswoman an “apologist” for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

[brush]

6. Thanks for the additional info on the mole.

[Princetonian]

4. BFD. Tulsi was mentioned 20 times while Joe & Bernie were mentioned 10 times.

According to the Mueller indictment, Russians are equal opportunity sh*t-stirrers who praised Bernie while they attacked Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio in 2016. Notice the weasel words.

"Experts who track websites and social media linked to Russia have seen stirrings of a possible campaign of support for Hawaii Democrat Tulsi 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."

Gabbard was mentioned on the three sites about twice as often as two of the best known Democratic possibilities for 2020, Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders, each with 10 stories."

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

[Andy823]

8. Got to admit

no other Biden support loves Gabbard as much as you do!

[Princetonian]

9. I stand by those who stood by Joe. I will not stand by while a Iraq War veteran is smeared while...

... she is serving her country as a National Guard member, something she has been doing since 2003.
I will not stand by as a former Vice Chair of the DNC (2013-2016) is referred to as a "mole".

Like Joe, I favor truth over lies. I wish more people felt that way.

[TomCADem]

10. Is That Supportive of Gabbard?

I would think being boosted by Russian linked sites is a bad thing. How is that helpful for Gabbard?

[yaesu]

7. tRump at G7 tryingto scoring points for russia so putin puts his cyber war to work for him. nt