Dotard

13 June 2019

 

Cogito Ergo Non Serviam

Trump Naively Open to Foreign Campaign Help

 

Donald Trump was the beneficiary of a massive active measure in which Russian Military Intelligence [the GRU] undertook a systemic attack on the US election system in 2016. The Mueller Report and vast media reports prove it. Yet in an interview with ABC's George Stephanopoulos, he said he saw nothing wrong in accepting information from a foreign source. Mr. Trump is not only unpatriotic here, he is horribly naive.

Considering the hypothetical that a foreign power had dirt on one's opponent, "Its not an interference, they have information -- I think I'd take it," Mr. Trump said."If I thought there was something wrong, I'd go maybe to the FBI, if I thought there was something wrong." He also noted that he had never in his life called the FBI, which is untrue as he fired its director and at some stage had to have been on the phone with the agency.

"I think you might want to listen; there isn't anything wrong with listening," Mr. Trump said. "If somebody called from a country, Norway, 'We have information on your opponent,' oh, I think I'd want to hear it." In all likelihood, if Norway had dirt, it would publish it, not get involved in US political campaigning. And the suggestion that Norway and Russia are moral equivalents on the world stage is insulting to Norway.

Mr. Trump posed his own hypothetical. "You're a congressman, someone comes up and says, 'I have information on your opponent,' do you call the FBI?" he asked. Mr. Stephanopoulos replied, "If it's coming from Russia, you do."

FBI Director Christopher Wray said in a Senate hearing back in May, "I think my view is that if any public official or member of any campaign is contacted by any nation-state or anybody acting on behalf of a nation-state about influencing or interfering with our election, then that is something that the FBI would want to know about."

Mr. Trump stated that Mr. Wray is wrong.

The main complaint against Mr. Trump from all sides but his own is that foreign influence in a US election is harmful by definition to US interests. While that is true, it misses a more subtle fact. The GRU or any other foreign actor could supply false information, which can prove doubly damaging. First, the campaign taking the fake information and using it will harm its opponent. Then, the foreign entity or a decent journalist can pull the rug out from under the campaign by demonstrating its provenance and falsehood.

Moreover, if the Russians (for instance) decide to help Mr. Trump and the Republicans, what is there stopping the Chinese from weighing in to help the Democrats? And the Indians, and the Brazilians, and the Germans, and the other 200 or so members of the UN. The answer is nothing at all.

Adding to the general awfulness of this sad episode is the deafening silence from the Republican Party. The party used to play the patriotism card at every opportunity, claiming the Democrats don't love America as much as the GOP. While untrue, it has been effective. This silence will cost them that card over time.

The Republican Party is no longer a conservative engine of ideological reaction. It has become a cult of personality that exists for the benefit Donald Trump's ego. Shameful.

© Copyright 2019 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Ubuntu Linux.


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