Sanders did not solicit Russia's aid. He did not encourage it, and he does not

[Tom Rinaldo]

try to pretend that Russia isn't messing with our elections. Instead he reaffirms the need to act to stop Russian interference in our elections. What should Bernie have done when he was briefed on what Putin is up to regarding his campaign for President? He should have cooperated fully with the FBI after the briefing. That is his responsibility, and no one has produced a shred of evidence to suggest that he didn't and that he isn't still fully cooperating. Trump openly asked for Russian help. He encouraged Russian interference. No one has produced a single shred of evidence to suggest that Sanders has encouraged Russian interference, or that he wants it.

Sanders, like all of us here, wants a clean election process that is not skewed by the effects of Russian interference, in either direction. Just look around DU and the internet in general. News emerging of Russian Pro Sanders Russian interference hurts the Sanders campaign for reasons that one can easily deduce from reading some of the comments on the threads responding to this news.

Voters outside of the die hard Trump base already know that Russia interferes in our elections now. It's not like Bernie turned down some chance to be a 21st century Paul Revere by not rushing out and proclaiming "Russia is trying to help me get elected!". It's not like he refused to be a whistle blower, no, he declined to inflict damage on his own campaign literally during actual elections. Sanders didn't ask for Putin to supposedly "help him". Now he has to weather a spate of negative publicity concerning his election prospects on the eve of crucial primary contests.

The full statement Sanders issued is exactly the type of thing that Donald Trump should have issued four years ago, and four months ago, and four days ago, and four hours ago. But Trump will never do it. Bernie Sanders did.

[guillaumeb]

1. His approval numbers keep rising.

[pfeiffer]

11. No doubt with help from the Russians.

[trueblue2007]

25. i agree with you. he has gone a whole month without telling us the truth. Shame on BS

[NurseJackie]

32. BERNIE HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS FOR A MONTH AND NOT SAID ANYTHING??????

WTF? Seriously WTF???!!!

[uponit7771]

43. +1, I OP'd that maybe Sanders was told not to say something and it got reported but in that ....

... that I pose Sanders could've made the Russia thing a gain vs now he looks like he was hiding.

Then I learn that he voted against sanctions multiple times and even "Missed" the latest sanction vote for a damn meeting ?!
... WTF Sanders

[NurseJackie]

48. It's curious and maddening.

WTF is the only appropriate response. How can I trust him now? How? This is TOO FUCKING IMPORTANT to "keep secret".

[Dream Girl]

127. I think he's known about it a hell of a lot longer.

He started to gain notice during Obama. He would go on tv and disparage him. I believe he gained notice from a certain dude back East and was identified as a potentially useful idiot. He was encouraged to primary Obama and failing that was set up to run in 2016. Tad Devine? Remember him? Connections to Russia.

[guillaumeb]

62. OK

[rockfordfile]

75. BS. Where is your proof?

[Butterflylady]

89. I'm beginning to believe

Some of these polling gigs are funded by Russians. Makes sense to me.

[underthematrix]

2. Read the Mueller report

[aeromanKC]

3. But he is getting it

Putin knows who will be easiest for Trump to defeat.

[ChubbyStar]

7. Putin is a dumbass, you really think he has the game wired?

Fuck Putin.

[apcalc]

14. Most assuredly.

[OnDoutside]

17. +1

[Tom Rinaldo]

9. I would like to know more about the "help"

But it would probably take the type of resources that Mueller had at his disposal in order to really nail it down. If that "help" was to gin up those who like Bernie to wildly attack those who don't in the name of "helping Bernie win", I sincerely doubt that actually helps him, but it does help keep us divided and at each other's throats

[Tweedy]

64. It was neither Putin, nor a Russian bot, claiming birtherism

When a reporter asked for Bernie's medical records.

That was a paid Bernie campaign worker.

Perhaps some of the hate originates in Russia, but come on!, Bernie needs to reign in his campaign people &

Join us all in the 21st century!

[apcalc]

10. It is clear that Russia considers his campaign an asset.

It matters not if Sanders wants their help, or even discourages it.

He is getting it all the same.

Speaking for myself only, for him to continue means he is thumbing his nose at democracy.
He is continuing , knowing that a hostile foreign power is helping him.

The process is tainted.

[Tom Rinaldo]

29. Accusing Sanders of "thumbing his nose at democracy" if he doesn't withdraw

to some of us might be considered a prime example of "thumbing one's nose at democracy". He is guilty of absolutely nothing and the voters have every right to vote for him in the coming primaries if they want to. That is democracy and it should not be denied.

[apcalc]

33. I see your point. A conundrum with no easy answer...

Still the process is tainted, through no fault of his own.

[at140]

88. If Putin was smart, Russia would be #1 country in the world

because Russia has more natural resources than any other country,
and Russia is full of brainy people. Yet China's economy is 10 times bigger than Russia.
This is conclusive proof Putin is a dumbass.

[Skittles]

90. it's too bad so many DUers do not know

[Hoyt]

4. Probably not, but the help tells us something about the situation.

[snowybirdie]

5. Why didn't he come forward sooner?

Work with all other candidates, expose what was happening and make lots and lots of noise about it. Doing nothing is not a good response.

[hughee99]

97. If I understand correctly, all the people in congress are getting these briefings, so Sanders

wouldn't be the ONLY person on that stage the other night that has known for a month.

[drray23]

126. No.he got briefed first a month ago.

Then the members of Intel committees in congress where briefed recently ( and this got trump upset and he fired the DNI and replaced him by grennel)

[hughee99]

130. That's weird. Why do you suppose only the members of the intel committe are briefed, but not the

entire congress, or even better, they just release a public statement so that everyone knows what's going on?

[Squinch]

6. He kept it secret for a month. Didn't say a word about it.

[uponit7771]

15. +1, ... and it looks like he had more to gain than to lose IMHO

[OnDoutside]

20. Yes, and it's a big problem now.

[uponit7771]

22. +1, he could've nipped this quick fast and came out against Trump / Russia helping him then

... gained some cred.

His handling of this is screwed up to the nth degree, maybe Sanders was told to keep quite

[OnDoutside]

27. Yes, I agree, and IF that was the case he was horrifically badly advised. Even here, I've noticed a

marked increase in bullish pro-Sanders posts, in an attempt to brow beat other DU posters, especially since the run up to the Iowa caucus, which is the same time frame that Sanders knew what was going on.

[uponit7771]

28. +1, just damn ... Tell us this aint so Sanders. This just *** LOOKS *** bad for him at best

[OnDoutside]

36. With everything that has transpired since 2015, he and his campaign should have known better to get

out ahead of this story, but to leave it go a month is appalling. In fact, if this hadn't come out now, would Sanders have ever mentioned Russia putting the thumb on the scale for him ???.

[uponit7771]

38. +1, Sanders voted multiple times against Russian sanction then on last one "missed" voting for it..

.. cause some damn meeting ?!!?!

Someone just posted this ... I'm disgusted.

Be careful ... there are MIRC riders reporting post and threads about Sanders

[OnDoutside]

44. Do you know when that vote was ?

Yes, I've already been on a jury against someone who made a very reasonable point.

[uponit7771]

46. Link

https://www.fppolitics.com/bernie-sanders-russia-sanctions-votes-explained/

Looks like some time early Jan maybe?

He voted against Russian sanction multiple time then missed the last vote for sanctions cause some meeting.

I'm disgusted

[OnDoutside]

56. Thanks

[TDale313]

8. I believe that.

I also believe this is a huge problem.

[pfeiffer]

12. Bernie kept this secret for over a month.

[uponit7771]

13. BULL FUCKIN SHIT !!! He had everything to gain with coming out against Trump / Putin at the

... time he was told

[Tom Rinaldo]

24. He comes out againt Trump all of the time. And he's blasted Trump asking for foreign

interference in our elections. The biggest well orchestrated campaign against Sanders now comes from the hoards of talking heads who ceaselessly argue that "Bernie is unelectable". That is the main battering ram used to dissuade people who actually support what Bernie is running for from actually voting for Bernie. Any indication that Trump might prefer Sanders as his opponent is immediately weaponized against Sanders in the Democratic primary. The same thing is true of any indication that Russia wants Sander's to win the Democratic nomination, it is used to dissuade Democratic primary voters from voting for Bernie Sanders. It is going on this very second. Fortunately for the Sanders campaign he already has some traction, more so than he had one month ago.

[uponit7771]

26. No Tom ... AT ... THE .. TIME he was told, vs now

[OnDoutside]

39. That's EXACTLY it. He kept this quiet for a whole month.

[Gothmog]

16. Neither trump nor Putin want Joe to be the nominee

trump and Putin know that sanders is the weakest possible general election candidate

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

[emmaverybo]

30. Amazing that unintentionally MSM lent such a helping hand.

[Gothmog]

124. Trump is trying to pick his general election opponent

Link to tweet

[elleng]

18. THANK YOU, Tom

[Cary]

19. It's a problem.

[CentralMass]

21. Thank you Tom.

[iwannaknow]

23. The only thing worse than Putin rigging primaries for Bernie is his competitors trying to

capitalize on it!!! I would not be so foolish and simple minded as to assume Putin wants Bernie to win the nomination. Remember, Putin is a chess player, not a checkers hack.

[emmaverybo]

34. A month. He kept silent. And he saw this show before with Mueller's report.

[uponit7771]

49. No, Sanders kept quiet for a month when he could've benefited from saying something

[awesomerwb1]

55. LOL

"I would not be so foolish and simple minded as to assume Putin wants Bernie to win the nomination."

Then what is it? Why would russia AND trump want Bernard to win? Because they want to lose?

[Tweedy]

67. Putin IS a checkers hack

Have no doubts about it. How is that Russian economy doing? That bad, wow-- real genius Russia's got tsar'ing it up.

And Putin is an enormous thief.

Though it looks like the RNC is competing to steal a higher percentage from their donors than the shirtless one steals from the Russian people.

Always remember when you hear what the GOP has raised, somebody is pocketing most of it 😁

[RockRaven]

31. Russians and Trumpists both think their best chance at Trump being re-elected comes from

a general election contest with Bernie Sanders as the Dem nominee.

That is not a random, whimsical, or flighty choice on their part. They did not close their eyes and throw a dart at a photo array of the candidates to make that decision. They believe that for a reason. Democrats need to pay attention to why they believe that.

[juliuswest]

35. Didn't the Democrats want Trump to be the Republican nominee in 2016?

[JenniferJuniper]

63. I did.

[Tweedy]

68. I didn't

😬

[JenniferJuniper]

70. I'm confessing.

I really thought he had no chance in the general. None.

But I couldn't have known what was going on behind it all. It made sense later.

[Tweedy]

73. I hoped he had no chance

And was sadly disappointed.

Your bet was not a foolish one, really.

The unindicted co-conspirator did not win our support.

He was selected by the electoral college.

The man has creeped me out since he decided to publicly row with Rosie O'Donnell. Who does that? A "short fingered vulgarian" malignant narcissist, that is who.

[Cosmocat]

96. Not me

nm

[tishaLA]

37. He never bothered to open his mouth last time it happened

when the convention was falling apart and his supporters were disrupting the proceedings even though "of course we knew" that Russians were helping him.

[uponit7771]

40. THIS !!!! The fist time maybe he didn't know how to handle but this time ... just damn !! Careful,

... there are MIRC Riders reporting post about Sanders and Russia

[Sloumeau]

95. "MIRC Riders" may actually contain a mispelling of the word "MIRT"...

MIRT is the Malicious Intruders Removal Team here at Democratic Underground:

[link:https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=modsystem|]

[Sloumeau]

116. You are very welcome. :)

We were all new once.

[ehrnst]

102. And didn't this time either...

He was informed a month ago, said nothing, then blasted WAPO for writing an article on it...

[comradebillyboy]

41. How do you know that?

[ibegurpard]

42. I agree with this however

I'd really like to know why he sat on this info for a month. That is not good at all.

[democratisphere]

45. BS found out a month ago and didn't bother divulging THIS

information on Russian help. WTF?!

[jg10003]

47. security briefings are not always for immediate public release

Why didn't Bernie say something a month ago when he was first briefed by the FBI or CIA or whoever? Maybe it's because he waited for confirmation and/or more information. (according to Reuters "the findings are very tentative" ). Maybe it's because the intelligence agency wanted to keep it quiet while the investigation continued. Maybe Bernie takes national security seriously and actually listens to our intelligence experts instead of shooting off his mouth like some people.

[ibegurpard]

50. maybe

He needs to explain why he didn't say anything about it at the time and he needs to do it quick

[uponit7771]

52. Right, I'd like to know if he was told to keep quiet about this issue. If not then this is screwed u

... up and upsetting especially seeing how many times Sanders voted against Russian sanctions.

[Kingofalldems]

51. And he DID NOT mention it when he learned about it a month ago.

[boston bean]

53. He just kept it to himself Russia was helping him.

Now that he doesn’t say how, I am even a bit more suspicious.

[Aaron Pereira]

54. Has anyone detailed exactly what this interference consists of?

So far I see an unsubstantiated claim of Russians assisting Sanders based off a fact free claim that was conveniently leaked. My bullshit detector is off the charts right now.

[Tweedy]

69. Senator Sanders is a leak?

i don't follow your point.

[Aaron Pereira]

74. Someone leaked the contents of a classified briefing to the Post.

I really don't think it was Sanders.

[Tweedy]

77. Senator Sanders suggested this at the NV debate

To cover for his supporters attack on the culinary union.

[33taw]

57. How do we know this is not true? I guess I will have to defer to the intelligence community on this

I never liked the Tad Davine hire by Bernie. Too many connections to Manafort, Russia and the Ukraine. But if he is nominated, I will vote for him.

[comradebillyboy]

58. Yet the Russians persist in helping Bernie's campaign just like they did in

2016. Why do you think Putin wants Bernie to be the Democratic nominee?

[Blue_Tires]

59. But he waited a month...

And he still hasn't answered for 2016, fwiw

[JenniferJuniper]

60. Sitting on such information

is unacceptable. Period.

I won't accuse him behaving like Trump, but ....

[dlk]

61. If that were really true...

[Baltimike]

65. His silence was consent. nt

[tinrobot]

66. The unanswered question - why does Russia want him to win?

I see a few answers to that... none are very good for Bernie.

[JenniferJuniper]

71. Polling data?

I have none, but I have trouble imagining Sanders winning a general election in the United States of Electoral Rednecks.

[bucolic_frolic]

82. They want him to win so he can lose and reelect Trump

or they favor Bernie so as to divide the Democratic Party and make it weaker for Trump, to depress our turnout.

If something goes wrong and Bernie wins the general election, they have something on him just like on Trump. What socialist isn't aware of the old USSR.

But really, for dictators around the world including 45, it's about eliminating democracy as a challenge to despotism. No fair elections is a good way to stay in power.

[bucolic_frolic]

76. How do you know?

And why do you feel a need to deny it? He's not trodden upon, he's being used as if he didn't suspect it.

What I see here is the far left and the far right are on the same page relative to skewing elections that they've never been able to penetrate before. They want to hollow out the political middle, the strength of America, for their separate agendas.

This is a battle of Dictators vs. Democracy and Bernie isn't in on it, but he is being used and ought to know, or had to suspect it.

[ebbie15644]

78. He voted against the Magnitsky act, why?

[yaesu]

79. Bernie is a very popular candidate & all this talk about russian this, republicans that don't change

the fact that he is leading & will continue to lead in the polls because, well, he's a hell of a leader.

[Happy Hoosier]

123. So I now hear he was not obligated to not share this....

... that raises the troubling question of why he did’t at least warn his supporters.

[Alliepoo]

131. But now the "Russian this and republican that" for bs is known-

I can’t help but question how and why he’s leading. Is he really leading or is it due to Russian assistance? What and how much for how long have the Russians done to help the bs campaign? Why did he sit on the info he’s been aware of for an entire month? I know I’m far from the only one that’s asking these questions. It seems to me that his entire campaign is now tainted and has an awful lot to answer for and we have to question everything about bs, the divisive people that he’s installed to run his campaign, his insults to the Democratic Party, his refusal to release promised medical records, his votes against sanctions and much more.

[EveHammond13]

80. I don't see him denouncing them

[Blue_Tires]

81. For the record, I'm still very fucking concerned

And you should know that even if Sanders is just playing the useful idiot here, he still bears responsibility

[bucolic_frolic]

85. THIS

To not know is to be a fairly stupid unaware politician, and that's just not believable.

[AdamGG]

83. I don't dislike Bernie, but George McGovern was a decent guy

and Nixon definitely pulled strings to make him the nominee instead of Edmund Muskie and the results were brutal.

[Lordquinton]

84. He's denounced it

That's enough to forgive and forget other candidates, wonder why it's not good enough for Bernie?

[uponit7771]

103. Why didn't he denounce it when he found out ?! Really ?! You understand that's the issue here

... is disclosure and effort which he took none.

[warmfeet]

86. Bernie is not my first choice.

That being said, he is far better than our current disaster of the united states (DOTUS). Vote accordingly.

[LAS14]

87. K & R

[helpisontheway]

91. Why didn't he release the info after the briefing? Why does he constantly

vote against Russian sanctions or does not show up to vote?

[Devil Child]

92. Thank you Tom! N/T

[UniteFightBack]

93. Jesus fucking Christ nobody is saying that he solicited except YOU. He did however KEEP IT SECRET.

[PatrickforO]

94. Yeah if you look at the bigger picture and see things from

Putin's viewpoint, the desired outcome is to sow chaos in America.

Now look at the method: Russian trolls are paid to 'help' both Trump and Bernie.

Results:
1. Democrats turn on Sanders supporters.
2. Sanders supporters fight back.
3. The primaries continue.
a. If Sanders wins then many Democrats will blame Putin (and Bernie) and not vote for him.
b. If Sanders loses, then the Russians will try to seduce Bernie's supporters into voting Green or Libertarian.
c. If it is too narrow to call and there's a brokered convention, the Russian trolls will do their best to divide us.
4. The objective for Putin is for Trump to get a second term. This will destroy the US as a republic.

So.......we're being rat-fucked. HARD. Karl Rove and Lee Atwater in their worst days couldn't have done any worse to us.

And this is NOT Bernie's fault.

Speaking personally, my pledge is to support whoever our nominee is wholeheartedly. Bernie isn't my first choice, but if our nominee is Bernie, he will have my unreserved support in the general election. As will Biden, or Warren, or Klobuchar, or Buttigieg. Or, (holding nose), even Bloomberg.

I repeat - this is NOT Bernie's fault. It is Trump's and Moscow Mitch's. Job 1 is getting Trump and McConnell out of office. Putin WANTS TO TROLL US SO WE BECOME DIVIDED AND THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN, BECAUSE IT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF RUSSIA THAT THIS REPUBLIC FALL.

Just remember that before you get snarky on Bernie or any other candidate. Please.

[JenniferJuniper]

106. +10000

[jg10003]

109. excellent post

[scipan]

121. Chaos and division is what Putin wants.

We all know this. Thank you for your thoughtful post.

[Gothmog]

98. #BernieKnew is trending on twitter

Link to tweet

[Evolve Dammit]

99. Listen to what Bernie said on CNN: "Putin is a thug." Shame on anyone suggesting he is inviting

Russian assistance or withholding his confidential briefing. You're just buying into GOP/ Russian lies, and are foolish for doing so. 45 is a Russian asset, and that is where the focus needs to be. He is a fucking traitor.

[uponit7771]

105. Red Herring, you understand clearly the main complaint isn't Sanders inviting interference

[Evolve Dammit]

110. that seems to be the implication from some posters

[bitterross]

100. This could so be copied from a Trump press release.

Denial, denial, denial.

Did I forget to mention Bernie is NOT a Democrat?

[ehrnst]

101. So why did he not go public with it, then blasted WAPO when they reported on it

a month later?

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

104. We should all be proud of Bernie & how he handles these distractions. It's why he's leadin the field

Bernie/Elizabeth or Elizabeth/Bernie 2020!!
Either way, they're stronger together & can't be bought!!
Jump on the Bernie Bandwagon & join The Revolution!!

[uponit7771]

107. No, Sanders should've publicaly denounced Russia when he found out not wait months while they help

[IcyPeas]

108. Russia is causing perfect chaos

so if bernie wins? or loses? is it down to russia

and

if trump wins? or loses? is it down to russia.

how will we know?

CHAOS

[krissey]

111. He voted against acting on Russia interference.

[uponit7771]

113. Do you have a link to this? Him also voting against Russian sanctions will paint a bigger picture

... for me.

Thx in advance for any input.

[BadGimp]

112. But does he care WHY Russia AND the GOP want him to be the Candidate for the Democratic party?

That would keep me awake at night.

I think it's an urgent debate Democrats need to have:

WHY THE FUCK does Russia and the GOP want Bernie to run against Trump?

[uponit7771]

114. +1, I want to know why Sanders didn't denounce the second he found the Russians were helping him

[cliffside]

118. knr nt

[Skidmore]

119. He didn't have to

solicit. Russia recognizes an ally in him. Research his votes in regard to Russia.

2012 Magnitsky Act - nay
2014 Russia Sanctions - nay
2017 Russia Sanctions - nay
2019 Russia Sanctions - did not vote

[Tom Rinaldo]

120. Oh, I have

You can start here:
https://www.democraticunderground.com/1287556084

You know, the thing is about refusing to vote for a bill that turned the screws tighter on Iran after they negotiated with us: we came within inches of having a full blown war with Iran a few months ago, and it could still happen. Had we suffered a dozen deaths rather than "mere brain injuries" after Iran retaliated with their missal strike for our killing their general, it could easily have spiraled out of control. The Bill that launched the massive American military presence in Vietnam, the Gulf of Tolkin Resolution passed 98 to 2. The dissenters today are honored by almost all Democrats. Sanders had more Democratic colleagues on his side opposing pushing Iran toward war recently than did those who tried to prevent the Vietnam War then.

[kcr]

122. Sorry. He shouldn't have kept it secret for a month.

He shouldn't have acted the victim over it when the story broke. And he sure as hell shouldn't have tweeted the crap that gets him that support the day the story broke. It makes him look at best complicit, which I believe he is.

[Gothmog]

125. If the Russians want to re-elect Trump makes perfect sense they want Sanders

Link to tweet

[Squinch]

128. Has he asked anyone for help to find it and stop it?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

129. But why is he getting it at all?

And why didn't he tell anybody when he's known for a month?