Numerous news outlets, including The Washington Post and The New York Times, have reported that U.S. officials have briefed Bernie Sanders on Russian efforts to interfere in the election on his behalf.
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News dropped throughout the day yesterday as reports indicated that Russia had begun actively trying to interfere in the 2020 presidential election to aid the campaign of Bernie Sanders. This comes as no surprise to those who understand Russia’s goals are confusion and discord in America and not necessarily electoral victory for any single candidate.
In contrast to statements often made by President Trump, Sanders sought to condemn these efforts by Russia immediately. “Unlike Donald Trump, I do not consider Vladimir Putin a good friend,” he announced, “I stand firmly against their efforts, and any other foreign power that wants to interfere in our election.”
Sanders also pointed out that “Russians want to undermine American democracy by dividing us up.” He is most assuredly correct in this assertion. American society has largely failed to adequately respond to the actions of Putin and Russia because we have been unable to view their efforts in a non-partisan way.
The President has down-played Russian efforts in 2016 mainly because it casts aspersions on his electoral victory. Meanwhile, many Democrats view Russian involvement as uniquely centered on specifically supporting Donald Trump. They have too often responded with equally divisive and ugly rhetoric. Russia most assuredly sees these partisan responses to Russian interference as a victory for their truer and broader aims of tearing apart the American Republic.
Bernie Sanders made a laudable decision to immediately condemn Russian interference in his favor and to assert their true intentions of dividing Americans. But he still took the opportunity to use the situation to provide cover for his outspoken and aggressive followers, often called “Bernie Bros.” He asserted that “Some of the ugly stuff on the internet attributed to our campaign may well not be coming from real supporters.”
This is a repeat of an assertion Sanders made in the recent Democratic debate. He did go so far as to say, “If there are people who make ugly remarks…I disown those people.” But he couched that denouncement by suggesting foreign trolls could be the real culprits of the nasty behavior attributed to his supporters. (Both Facebook and Twitter have already cast doubt on this assertion)
With heightened tensions and emotions tearing Americans apart and into hostile, rhetorically warring camps, America needs responsible political leaders who not only call out their opponents but are willing to check their allies and supporters.
But Sanders, not unlike Trump, is a demagogue who has seen his fortunes rise as the nation has grown more discontented. It should go without saying that two aggrieved populist factions facing off against each other under the banners of Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump is not what this country needs. And, it’s likely exactly what Russia wants.
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