US Politics, February 2018: Our country was founded by geniuses, but it’s being run by idiots

i want to know what the russians' training was like

"7/ The Russians charged in this indictment will likely never be brought to the U.S., but an American could be charged if (1) the American knew of the criminal activity and helped it succeed ("aiding and abetting") or (2) agreed to be part of the criminal activity ("conspiracy")."

that's the other Plea that was just announced (Pinedo)

Just called the number I have for Mikhail Burchik, named in the indictment as an employee of the Internet Research Agency. He said "Yes I have heard the news" and hung up.

— Adrian Chen (@AdrianChen) February 16, 2018

i want to know what the russians' training was like

I hear it involved heavy use of steroids and Human Growth factor. also, how to substitute clean urine for their own.

apparently the Russians knew more about campaigning than Hillary Clinton

Russian troll farm owner Evgeny Prigozhin says he is "completely not bothered" by the indictment, per RIA.

"The Americans are really impressionable people, they see what they want to see. I greatly respect them. If they want to see the devil - let them see him."

— max seddon (@maxseddon) February 16, 2018

Russia's foreign ministry spokeswoman:

"13 people meddled in the US election? 13 against billion-dollar budgets? Against intelligence and counterintelligence, against the latest methods and technology? Isn't that absurd? Yes. But it's contemporary American political reality."

— max seddon (@maxseddon) February 16, 2018

russians otm

badass

Russian foreign ministry spokesperson failed to explain who was paying 13 Russians to meddle in the USA elections and why they'd bother, if as said, it was a pointless and futile exercise from the get-go.

"The Americans are really impressionable people, they see what they want to see.

This came out of the mouth of someone who has given this matter a lot of thought and has come to a sound conclusion.

i hope that like with school shootings each time the russians interfere in american elections the republicans offer thoughts and prayers, reminding us that now is not the time for action, and besides, nothing can be done prevention-wise in the first place. 2nd amendment. tax cuts

i know that my anxiety instinct is just finding a new tree trunk to wrap itself around here, but between this showy indictment & eli lake banging the war drum over that skirmish in syria i'm starting to get a real, real bad feeling again

This Russian operation had staff in the hundreds, and a monthly budget of .25 mil PER MONTH by Sept. 2016 -- for context, this is more manpower and resources than most Republican presidential campaigns.

— Elise Jordan (@Elise_Jordan) February 16, 2018

can't fault the hustle

a monthly budget of $1.25 mil PER MONTH

Per month, I tell you!

"13 people meddled in the US election? 13 against billion-dollar budgets? Against intelligence and counterintelligence, against the latest methods and technology? Isn't that absurd? Yes. But it's contemporary American political reality."

19 people mounted a successful attack on the most powerful nation in history, including damaging its defense dept's HQ? Isn't that absurd??

can't fault the hustle

Godless ex-communists seem to have developed a quasi-Protestant work ethic and an almost-American level of drive and inventiveness right quick, Itellyouwhut.

So, second look at socialism?

who remembers this

Putin & I discussed forming an impenetrable Cyber Security unit so that election hacking, & many other negative things, will be guarded..

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 9, 2017

No dumb variation on “oh oh so we’re supposed to believe this was the sole reason Trump won?!” will ever go away.

they think it's purely "sour grapes", cause that's all it would be about for them if the sides were reversed

Me finding out the Russians will pay you to sit in a room and post bad tweets all day pic.twitter.com/MfAcBikpLx

— Dave Itzkoff (@ditzkoff) February 16, 2018

Quiet, relaxed sort of day.

Press was invited to get on Air Force One, then rushed off and hurried back inside as Melania Trump's motorcade pulled up. Some screaming from a White House press aide. No pictures allowed of first lady's arrival.

— Josh Dawsey (@jdawsey1) February 16, 2018

p. sure this girl just challenged the presidetn to a fight

Dear Donald Trump,
I’m the 16 year old girl who tweeted you and told you i didn’t want your condolences, I wanted gun control, and went viral because of it. I heard you’re coming to my community soon and I would like to express my opinions on gun control to you face to face.

— sarah // #NEVERAGAIN (@sarahchad_) February 16, 2018

Trump's ears perk up. Sixteen, you say?

"...meet me near the swings after 6th period"

Though it's a bit pathetic that this 16th year old is picking on a fifth grader

How much will his approval rating rise after he makes a pass at an underage mass shooting survivor on camera?

(With Melania by his side, natch.)

Trump's ears perk up. Sixteen, you say?

― I Wanna Be A Door (Old Lunch), Friday, February 16, 2018 3:12 PM (three minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

"...meet me near the swings after 6th period"

― Evan, Friday, February 16, 2018 3:13 PM

guys

That was an unintended criss cross of dumb jokes.

I forgot to "xp"

the Russians will pay you to sit in a room and post bad tweets all day

stupid hot take. he makes it sound like someone with their feet up on the desk, eating bad Chinese take-out from a carton and tweeting whatever popped into their head. just cuz he does it that way doesn't mean the Russians did. social media are perfect for conducting psy-ops and iteratively measuring their success.

maybe true but my own image of the Macedonian teenagers at least is not a roomful of sober guys in black ties

breaking: first photos of russian election meddling HQ emerges

https://i.imgur.com/WmFHNzS.jpg

what they wear is not relevant. how they decide what to tweet is relevant.

Boris is 18 years old, a lean, slouching youth with gray eyes, hair mowed close to his skull, and the rudiments of a beard. When he isn’t smoking a cigarette, he’s lighting one. He listens to a lot of gangsta rap: the Notorious B.I.G., Puff Daddy, Wu-Tang Clan; after watching Notorious, the 2009 biopic of B.I.G., he decided he would like to visit Brooklyn, a New York City borough he imagines overrun more by gangsters than hipsters. He is an affable raconteur, with a droll sense of humor and a clear-eyed view of himself and his town. Someday he wants to leave Veles, because of how little there is to do. You can live with your parents and have them pay for your evenings in a bar, or you can bus tables in a café. If you’re a gym rat, you might work security. A few factories on the outskirts of town still offer regular employment, but nothing lavish. “We can’t make money here with a real job,” Boris says.

https://www.wired.com/2017/02/veles-macedonia-fake-news/

I apologize for suggesting that our president is an unrepentant piece of shit who will gleefully indulge in any and every opportunity to transgress against the basic moral fabric of the country he leads. I meant to state it outright rather than merely suggest.

“Effective one week today, discontinue any Top Secret or SCI-level interim clearances for individuals whose investigations or adjudications have been pending since June 1, 2017 or before,” the memo states as one of the White House’s new guidelines.

— Robert Costa (@costareports) February 16, 2018

new kelly clearance guidelines. does this mean jared?

the misuse of the term gangsta rap really irritates

And Ivanka?

ivanksta rap

Russia started their anti-US campaign in 2014, long before I announced that I would run for President. The results of the election were not impacted. The Trump campaign did nothing wrong - no collusion!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 16, 2018

https://i.imgur.com/vGTumqA.png

that's why the trump campaign deputy manager is pleading guilty of "something", mr. president : )

The criminal complaint, Dowd said, “speaks for itself,” adding that, “I think the special counsel found the culprits. I think he did a good job. I think he did a hell of a job.”

Case closed!

whoops https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-lawyer-presidents-happy-mueller-indicted-13-russian-meddlers

Dowd said he was confident the president would be pleased with the news. “I’m sure he is happy,” he said. “We’ve had a lot of faith in Bob Mueller and his team and it makes you feel good when they do a good job. They got these bastards who tried to hurt the country.”

lmao

Hmm

Headline doesn’t reflect that Cordish is a close friend of Kushner https://t.co/ejdGKQ7FEL

— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) February 16, 2018

I could be wrong but I’m pretty sure no one was indicted and plead guilty over Benghazi.

it's just lib benghazi, but I guess that's how american politics works

— Matt Bruenig (@MattBruenig) February 16, 2018

probably similar levels of import in the long run

what do you mean

it means benghazi had about as much to do w/ what ails america as russian meddling does

I.e. a lot.