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Trump and 2 Democrats criticize Obama's response to Russia hacking

33 Comments
By Brian KNOWLTON

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Kellyanne left out one small, or maybe big, tidbit of information in trying to blame former President Obama for the Russian-election-interference saga. Republicans blocked the president and his administration from any attempts to reveal what was taking place. Which suggest they already knew, supported the Russia hacks and were likely a part of it from the beginning. Which also makes them guilty as hell.

4 ( +10 / -6 )

"Since the Obama Administration was told way before the 2016 Election that the Russians were meddling, why no action?"

So is this an admission by Trump that the Russians actually did 'meddle' in the election, or is he being sarcastic? Has he been misquoted? Is he being victimized by the 'MSM' for reporting what he said (or might have said)? Is he pushing fake news? Alt facts? Is he flat out lying - again?

Curious that once again this White House is falling back on 'it's (whatever problem) Obama's fault'. 'There's a spectre haunting Trump'ss White House.' And Trump'ss followers.

3 ( +8 / -5 )

Obama may have mishandled the Russians but it was Trump that called for them to continue hacking Clinton.

It will bring me no surprise when the usual Trumpologists hop on here and start saying how bad Obama is for his failure to act while saying in the same breath that there is nothing to the investigations into Russian meddling and possible collusion. Not to mention the obstruction of justice investigation Trump brought upon himself through incompetence couple with lack of self control.

2 ( +7 / -5 )

It has all come full circle back to the fact that Obama and his team didn't do anything because Hillary was supposed to win.

Dems were in charge and Repubs couldn't block anything so Ohama could have announced this at any time between July and Nov. But one man only had already fully cleared Hillary so they didn't want to risk any more interference.

-3 ( +4 / -7 )

That's a great photo!

4 ( +5 / -1 )

You know, I think this was a judgment call. I won't fault the former President for that decision. The soft approach may have solved the issue.

At the time, there was no way to know that it wouldn't.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

For god sake, the "election" was not hacked. The DNC's server was hacked, and emails between Hillary's staff were leaked. That is all that happened. And if there had not been so much dirt in those leaked emails, they wouldn't have made any difference. The emails exposed the DNC throwing Bernie under the bus, worries about how weak Hillary was as a candidate, and warnings from staffers about subpoenas to be issued for her private email server (which gave her time to delete thousands of emails). I am getting tired of people saying and/or believing that the election was hacked, it was not.

The democrat party is now backing away from this Russia-gate nonsense, because as people dig deeper, connections are popping up between Russia and others in government who are not Trump. Next, no one really cares. Even if some connection were found, it wouldn't make any difference to Trump's supporters, and a greatly deal of independent voters. The democrats have lost the four special elections held since Trump was elected, despite spending record amounts of money, and leveraging the media to help by publishing endless Russiagate stories. People who are worried about jobs, healthcare, education, and other matters don't give a rat's backside about Russia and Putin. Many of them might even see a link between Putin and Trump as a good thing. And if the democrat party can't come up with anything against Trump except election potential hacking and unsavory business deals, Trump is going to be reelected.

The democrats have to stop talking about why Trump is bad, and what they would do to do better. So far the democrat party has no message at all to hard-pressed American workers who care nothing about social issues or Russia. As always, "it's the economy stupid".

-1 ( +5 / -6 )

Still dont see how supposed hacking when Obama was President has anything to do with Trump. Obama had full authority to do anything he wanted about it, and did nothing that had any impact.

DNC wouldnt even give the server to the FBI or Homeland Security so why are we still looking into a crime where even the victim doesnt want assistance? If the Dems actually cared about hacking they would have given up the server for forensics so that we could understand what types of attacks happened. But I guess there was too much dirt still on that server that even Hillary's cloth cant wipe off.

-3 ( +4 / -7 )

The whole thing is just falling apart now. Bernie and his wife under FBI Investigation now for fraud. DNC sued by Dem Bernie donors for colluding with Hillary against Bernie. CNN retracting stories seemingly every day, so much that they were told they cant even talk about Russia anymore without high level approval.

Lynch under investigation now, Obama getting blamed for not taking action on the hacking. Podesta to testify. NY Times fake news about Trump and FCC head over the weekend. Russia dossier company supposedly paid by FBI for Trump opposition research refusal to provide payment documents or information. Even the NY Time and Washington Post are starting to run articles that are at least neutral to Trump instead of every article being a hit job.

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

President Trump just proved that the current President's story about the Russian hack being "fake news" is fake news, by admitting that there was indeed Russian interference. One thing that Trump is consistent about is how it always seems to be Obama's fault...or Hilary, Democrats, women, activists, his own party, and practically anyone but him.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

He hasnt admitted anything, he is just going along with the narrative.

So hacking occurred, why didnt Obama do anything about it? Trump wasnt President at the time and had no way to do anything about it. If Russia really hacked and was doing everything they could to elect Trump, Obama had the responsibility to inform the American people. Instead they wasted their time with Access Hollywood tapes to try to make sure Trump would lose. Didnt work out for them and now they will pay the price for it.

-3 ( +4 / -7 )

Russian hackers or not, the problem is to have put Hillary and being so confident she would win...

Now, DT is just rubbing salt into the wound. Again, he is just trolling.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Republicans blocked the president and his administration from any attempts to reveal what was taking place.

Congress cannot stop the Executive branch from carrying out its lawful responsibilities. And if Obama wanted to reveal the Russian hacking story, as President, there was nothing Republicans could do about it.

Obama may have mishandled the Russians but it was Trump that called for them to continue hacking Clinton.

They readily hacked Clinton because her private email was not secure. A failure of competence that led less well connected citizens to long jail sentences. They tried getting into the RNC and failed.

As it turned out the revelations of collusion between the Clinton Campaign and the media and the black balling of Bernie revealed corruption in the Democratic process that people deserved to know before their vote was caste. Obama's incompetence in stopping Russia was costly for his party - not America. That is why the Dems and the mainstream media are so desperate to prove Trump colluded with the Ruskies - when no evidence exists.

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

I agree with this, Obama should have sent the Slavs back into the dark ages where they belong. Trump is supposedly a lot tougher so let's see how he deals with this shocking act of foreign violation against America

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Suppose this claim that Russia interfered in the US election is true, why does the US continue to make a fuss about it? It's not like they haven't done the same thing in other countries.

The US always interferes in other country's internal affairs, and do even worse, forcefully change the regimes, and orchestrate attacks on the leaders of the countries in question. Washington is in no position to criticize Russia because they ( the US ) have done far worse.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

If then sitting-president Obama had said or done anything during last year's election, Trump and his fellow Republicans would have been able to arguably declare it rigged, especially if they'd lost.

Damned if you do and damned if you don't. Not an easy choice for any sitting president to make. At the same time, it's funny to listen to Trump criticize Obama now when Trump himself was the guy leading the charge for the Russians to get involved in a U.S. election hack Hillary and the DNC. In this regard, Trump is the pot calling the kettle black.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

If then sitting-president Obama had said or done anything during last year's election, Trump and his fellow Republicans would have been able to arguably declare it rigged, especially if they'd lost.

Not if they had proven this supposed collusion at the time it happened and not waited until after Hillary lost. Actually that would have ensured Hillary would win if they had proven collusion last July/August when it was supposedly happening. Everyone would have understood once they saw the evidence that we cant elect someone working in tandem with the Russians to undermine our democracy. Trump would have been gone and replaced.

Problem is they didnt have any proof of collusion then, and still dont. They didnt want Trump replaced because they knew they could beat him easily (so they thought anyway). So they just figured some decade old tapes about women would do the trick to finish him off, but it didnt.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

If then sitting-president Obama had said or done anything during last year's election, Trump and his fellow Republicans would have been able to arguably declare it rigged, especially if they'd lost.

Trump was already saying the election would be rigged and disclosing would have been jumped on by Trump.

I agree, Obama should have done more than what he did do. He tried to balance too many things instead of coming out with the facts.

First of all, this intelligence was very sensitive because it came from Putin's office itself. The WP was asked not to disclose certain aspects of the intelligence. Still, people close to Putin are going to be dropping like flies in the coming weeks as the FSB tries to ferret out the CIA's source. I don't believe this is a counter intel op because of the people in the Obama administration who knew about the intel.

Secondly, Obama also thought it was clear that Clinton would win, so there would be some continuity in punishing Russia for the hacks.

Third, Obama was afraid of being perceived to have rigged the election by disclosing intelligence. Trump obviously would have played this hand to the tilt even though he would be briefed on some aspect of the intelligence.

Fourth, Obama tried to get Congress involved to help remove the taint of "rigging" the election. McConnell refused to agree on a limited disclosure to states to warn them about potential attacks on voting machines and voter roles, but then he later sent out his own communication to states that was very watered down.

Fifth, Obama considered releasing financial information on Putin and oligarchs. The behavior was too similar to Russia's and collecting the information could take time.

Sixth, Obama failing to get any traction domestically confronted Putin. Hacking of voting machines and voter roles stopped.

Obama ordered the government to stop issuing visas to Russians who could hack voting machines.

Obama also ordered the comprehensive identification of Russian spies in America and expelled them.

All in all, not enough was done. He should have come forward in 2015 when the FBI had identified the DNC hack.

So, all this begs the question, does Trump now believe there was a hack by Russia, or is it still a 400lbs person lying on their bed. He denies too much when he obviously has access to the intelligence. I'm just surprised he hasn't told Russia everything, or maybe he has.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

"Problem is they didnt have any proof of collusion then, and still dont."

And yet Trump was the guy leading the charge for the Russians to hack and be actively involved in a U.S. presidential election. Proof, maybe not. Implications of collusion, most definitely.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

does Trump now believe there was a hack by Russia, or is it still a 400lbs person lying on their bed. 

Politics have made it impossible for him to answer this now. Back in January he kind of went along with it and said ok sure, the Russians. Lets look into it and see what happened.

But since then as the Dems have made this collusion nonsense somehow the link to how he is even President, he cant answer it directly either way anymore.

Example:

Yes, I believe Russia hacked in an attempt to influence the election. Yes, we knew you knew about it! Why didnt you denounce it once you knew! you knew they were trying to help you win and you said nothing! They hacked the votes somehow too! You didnt win! Collusion! Obstruction! Treason! illegitimate presidency!

No, I dont believe Russia hacked. But, 17 intelligence agencies! But Obama! But Hillary! What are you hiding? Protecting the legitimacy of your illegitimate victory! Hiding Collusion! Protecting Putin!

So he should just let it be and let the people looking into it tell him what happened, PROVE it and most importantly prove that he himself had nothing to do with it.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

@viking68

I agree with you for the most part. However, for any president regardless of party to get involved or say anything damaging to the opposing party's presidential candidate during what it hopefully a free and open election might have created a bigger mess than the one we're seeing today. Whether or not to open this can of worms was a very delicate decision for Obama to make.

Did the Russians help defeat Hillary and get Trump elected? This will be debated for many years to come. Did Trump seek the Russians help? Trump's on video for the whole world to see inviting the Russians to hack into Hillary's e-mails, so Trump shouldn't be surprised that he and his team are going to be thoroughly investigated to prevent this sort of thing from happening again. If Trump and his team are guilty, the he should be impeached and the people around him who colluded with the Russians, a hostile foreign power, should be imprisoned.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

They tried getting into the RNC and failed.

Wolf, any proof of that? I suspect that they have accessed, if not the RNC itself, at least a number of prominent Republicans. They just have no incentive to use the intel. Yet.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Whether or not to open this can of worms was a very delicate decision for Obama to make.

I agree, but why did he wait until after the election and then open it anyway? He had a chance to prevent anything he thought was going on that was illegal or unfair. But waits until his side loses, then decides to open the same exact can of worms?

Does it help the United States in any way whatsoever to have a President under investigation or to have the legitimacy of his presidency questioned? Obama and Hillary did that out of spite for losing and for muh legacy!

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Obama may have

May have? That's being awfully gracious, just a tad me thinks.

mishandled the Russians but it was Trump that called for them to continue hacking Clinton.

Doesnt matter, the fire was started with Obama and once again, the man proved to me what a coward he really is.

It will bring me no surprise when the usual Trumpologists hop on here and start saying how bad Obama is for his failure to act while saying in the same breath that there is nothing to the investigations into Russian meddling and possible collusion.

Pretty much. You guys keep hope alive, 8 months and still nothing ROFL!

Keep shoveling.

Not to mention the obstruction of justice investigation Trump brought upon himself through incompetence couple with lack of self control.

Alan Dershowitz thinks otherwise. I'll go with one of the greatests lawyer and Harvard Professor that made studying the constitution his highest achievement.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

I wish that we could have speech or thought bubbles on these pictures, I am sure Mr Putin is thinking "lets go out the back and sort this out man to man", and I wonder what the former president is thinking to, may be" let go around the back and sort this out man to man"

1 ( +1 / -0 )

HOLD THE PRESSES NY TIMES, WASHINGTON POST, CNN et al;

Swift_Justice has a scoop!

Obama may have mishandled the Russians but it was Trump that called for them to continue hacking Clinton.

Based on absolutely nothing, true. But Trump is gross so it MUST be true!

-7 ( +0 / -7 )

“Here’s the No1 lesson from Georgia 6,” the New York senator Chuck Schumer said on Sunday. ABC’s This Week

“Democrats need a strong, bold, sharp-edged, and common-sense economic agenda. Policy, platform, message that appeal to the middle class. That resonate with the middle class … and unite Democrats. That’s what I’ve been working on for months.”

One more time for effect:

"That’s what I’ve been working on for months.”

So THAT's what Chucky has been working on...for months.

Priceless.

Senator Chuck Schumer also talked about watching a New York Yankees baseball game alongside a man who wore pro-Trump clothing.

See, we can get along.

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

 Whether or not to open this can of worms was a very delicate decision for Obama to make.

@stormcrow

I agree it was a delicate decision. Obama was damned no matter what he did. He choose the high road, and look where that got him.

Meanwhile, the GoP is playing scum gutter politics straight out of Newt Gingrich's playbook. Ethics and country be damned.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Uh . . . Did Trump not ask for more of Clinton's emails?

Since I know how much you love YouTube. Oh, my . . .

https://youtu.be/gNa2B5zHfbQ

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Obama should have come down harder on the Russians I think we can fault him there, strongly. But what has Trump done since except utterly fail to do anything at all to punish and deter Putin from trying this again here, or any of our allies ? Unfit!

4 ( +4 / -0 )

@bass

You guys keep hope alive, 8 months and still nothing ROFL!

Watergate occurred in June 1972.

The "smoking gun tape" was released in August 1974.

There may or may not be anything to find, but 8 months is not a long time for an investigation of this scale.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

There may or may not be anything to find, but 8 months is not a long time for an investigation of this scale.

Very true, but with the anger and the hatred from the left towards Trump and the resources that they have and the forces that are used to find anything on him to get him out of office so far doesn't and hasn't produced any results, because if it did, we would have already known about it. Remember, we are talking about the intelligence agency, these people are deep and thorough and so far, nothing. But yes, that doesn't mean that something nefarious happened or didn't, we just don't know.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

As the guy in the CNN fake news tape said, if there were something it would have been leaked already. I agree with him. But lets go ahead and finish having everyone testify and see where we are. To me, it was a waste of time because only one side was being investigated and speculated about. But now I see the other side being investigated too and even Dems saying maybe Obama people possibly in the wrong too. So now that its fair and less of a witch hunt, I think we can hear the actual facts someday now.

I think in the the end Dems will regret digging so deep because a lot of the dirt is coming back around to them now. Wouldnt be surprised to see the Dems willing to let the whole thing drop after Lynch has to testify, assuming she doesnt just take the 5th on everything.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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