Putin: ‘Does Anyone Seriously Imagine Russia Can Somehow Influence the American People’s Choice?’

By Patrick Goodenough | October 28, 2016

(CNSNews.com) – Russian President Vladimir Putin charged Thursday that the “elite” in the U.S. were trying to divert voters’ attention away from acute problems like the national debt, gun violence and police shootings by accusing Russia of trying to influence the election.

 “Does anyone seriously imagine that Russia can somehow influence the American people’s choice?” he asked during an address in Sochi. “America is not some kind of banana republic after all, but is a great power,” he added. “Do correct me if I am wrong.”

According to the Kremlin’s translation of Putin’s words in Russian (which differed slightly from the live interpretation dubbed over the official video), the president said “hysteria” had been whipped up over supposed Russian meddling in the election.

The U.S. intelligence community has accused Russia of being behind the theft and public release – via Wikileaks – of thousands of emails linked to Hillary Clinton’s campaign. The Democratic nominee claims that the alleged Russian hacking is designed to boost her Republican rival, Donald Trump.

Putin sounded bemused by the attention devoted to the matter in the recent series of Clinton-Trump debates.

“The United States has plenty of genuinely urgent problems, it would seem, from the colossal public debt to the increase in firearms violence and cases of arbitrary action by the police,” Putin said.

“You would think that the election debates would concentrate on these and other unresolved problems,” he continued, “but the elite has nothing with which to reassure society, it seems, and therefore attempt to distract public attention by pointing instead to supposed Russian hackers, spies, agents of influence and so forth.”

Putin also alluded to some of the less savory issues to have arisen during the presidential campaign, and suggested there was little to choose between the candidates.

Elections, he said, had become “nothing but scandals and digging up dirt – who gave someone a pinch, who sleeps with whom, if you’ll excuse me. This just goes beyond all boundaries.”

“And honestly, a look at various candidates’ platforms gives the impression that they were made from the same mold – the difference is slight, if there is any.”

Putin says it’s ‘nonsense’ that he favors Trump

Putin’s comments came during a wide-ranging speech at the annual meeting in Sochi of the Valdai Discussion Club, a 14-year-old Russian dialogue initiative.

Elsewhere during the event, he had more to say on Trump, whom he said represented the interests of those parts of society tired of the establishment.

“He is representing the interests of ordinary people and wants to portray himself as an ordinary lad who is criticizing those who have been in power for decades and those who dislike the idea of transferring power by descent,” ITAR-Tass quoted him as saying.

Putin dismissed as “nonsense and lunacy” Democrats’ allegations that he favored Trump, calling them an attempt to manipulate public opinion ahead of the election in a bid to help Clinton.

He said he welcomed any candidate calling for improved relations with Russia, but cautioned that no-one can tell what a successful candidate will actually do once in power.

Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson and Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said earlier this month the intelligence community was confident the Russian government was behind the compromise of data including the campaign emails.

“These thefts and disclosures are intended to interfere with the US election process,” they said in a statement. “We believe, based on the scope and sensitivity of these efforts, that only Russia’s senior-most officials could have authorized these activities.”

Putin’s speech in Sochi touched on many of the Russian leader’s gripes about the West, which he accuses of trying to dominate the globe since the collapse of the Soviet Union (a development which Putin years ago described as “the greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the [20th] century.”)

“Some countries that saw themselves as victors in the Cold War – not just saw themselves this way but said it openly – took the course of simply reshaping the global political and economic order to fit their own interests,” he said.

Those countries, he said, abandoned dialogue with other players and tried to bring the entire world under their sway.

He criticized the U.S. and its allies over NATO’s expansion and for military campaigns in Serbia, Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya, and accused them of arming and training “terrorist groups in the hope of using them to achieve their own political aims.”

The latter is presumably a reference to Syria, where the U.S. and allies are supporting some rebels who are fighting against both Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and ISIS and al-Qaeda-affiliated Jabhat al-Nusra. For its part, the U.S. disputes Russia’s claim to be fighting ISIS and Jabhat al-Nusra, saying its air campaign in Syria is primarily in support of Assad.

Elaborating on his view of the international political situation, Putin pointed to the rise of populist sentiment and movements, attributing them to the realization that most people, even in the most advanced democracies, have no real influence on power.

“Public movements that only recently were too far left or too far right are taking center stage and pushing the political heavyweights aside,” he said, portraying them not as fringe groups, but comprising “ordinary people, ordinary citizens who are losing trust in the ruling class.”
October 29, 2016 | 10 Comments »

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  1. Anybody remember this? The Soviet Union collapsed shortly thereafter:
    President Ronald Reagan “Tear Down This Wall” Speech at Berlin Wall
    https://youtu.be/Ei1HnWwzmNk

    The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989
    https://youtu.be/zmRPP2WXX0U

    Conducted by Leonard Bernstein, THE BERLIN CELEBRATION CONCERT is an historic performance marking the fall of the Berlin Wall. Performed on Christmas Day 1989 in the former East Berlin, the concert unites an international cast of celebrated musicians and vocalists for a moving performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.

    Symphonieorchester des Bayerisches Rundfunks and members of Staatskapelle Dresden, Orchestra of the Leningrad Kirov

    https://youtu.be/IInG5nY_wrU

    In the ’60s, the Situationists popularized the slogan, “The Revolution Won’t Be Televised”.

    But, it was.

  2. additional: Administration nixed probe into Southern California jihadists
    By Philip Haney
    http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/homeland-security/263284-administration-nixed-probe-into-southern-california

    Former Agent and whistle-blower tells how he was forced to scrub records that would have prevented terror and saved lives.

    Seriously, it’s no longer a question of whether to vote for Trump. We’re past that. The burning question is whether you will let someone else be first on line to vote for Trump when the polls open. That would be so uncool. Go before the polls open. Like it was a Star Trek Movie or a new Ipad, and you’re 15-30. Bring popcorn and those awful sugary drinks.

  3. This quote names the sources cited by the article. I googled their names with “Discover The Networks.”

    Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson and Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said earlier this month the intelligence community was confident the Russian government was behind the compromise of data including the campaign emails.

    “Speaking at the United States Conference of Mayors on Friday, Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said the approximately 11 million people who are in the country illegally have “earned the right to be citizens…”

    ‘[T]he senator has tried for months to get answers from DHS. In February he wrote a letter to DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson saying this: “I’m puzzled how someone could be a member of the Muslim Brotherhood and unindicted co-conspirator in the Holy Land Foundation trial, be an associate of [redacted], say that the US is staging car bombings in Iraq and that [it] is ok for men to beat their wives, question who was behind the 9/11 attacks, and be afforded the luxury of a visitor visa and de-watchlisted. It doesn’t appear that we’ll be successful with denying him entry tomorrow but maybe we could re-evaluate the matter in the future since the decision to de-watchlist him was made 17 months ago.”

    “The agency’s response, dated April 10, apparently frustrated the senator enough to make the whole thing public this week…”
    http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/viewSubCategory.asp?id=2096

    “Early in February, Obama’s Director of National Intelligence, James Clapper, tried to allay concerns about a Muslim Brotherhood takeover in Egypt by claiming, preposterously, that the group was “largely secular.” Although the subsequent torrent of ridicule compelled the Obama camp to issue a correction, the subtext of Clapper’s statement was clear: the Obama Administration had no problem with Muslim Brotherhood rule in Egypt, and was not only going to do nothing to stop it, but was going actively to enable it.”
    http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/viewSubCategory.asp?id=1949

    “Retired 4-Star U.S. Navy Admiral James A. “Ace” Lyons was recently at the National Press Club. And his claims are shocking.

    “It appears that the Obama Regime has been FULLY infiltrated by the Muslim Brotherhood terrorism front group on every level. And that pro-radical Islam group is also in every level of U.S. security agencies. Lyons went on to say that “the transformation of America has been in full swing ever since 2008.” And when Obama campaigned on a platform to “fundamentally transform America,” Obama has done exactly that!”

    Read more: http://www.thepoliticalinsider.com/breaking-four-star-admiral-makes-huge-announcement-obama-muslim-brotherhood-video/#ixzz4OXkgL7y5
    http://www.thepoliticalinsider.com/breaking-four-star-admiral-makes-huge-announcement-obama-muslim-brotherhood-video/

    Huma Abedin’s ties to the Muslim Brotherhood
    By Kenneth R. Timmerman, contributor
    http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/presidential-campaign/292310-huma-abedins-ties-to-the-muslim-brotherhood

    “As President, Hillary Clinton will appoint Huma Abedin as Secretary of State. This according to leaked e mails between Abedin, Mrs. Clinton, and Clinton’s former chief of staff Cheryl Mills.”

    https://shariaunveiled.wordpress.com/2016/09/19/breaking-leaked-email-report-huma-abedin-to-be-clintons-secretary-of-state/

    I can’t find it now, but Trump has promised to put the Muslim Brotherhood on the list of Terrorist Organizations. Get the Muslim Brotherhood out of the White House. Vote Trump!!!!!!! Don’t let them distract you with red herrings.

    Muslim Brotherhood Fact Sheet
    http://www.standwithus.com/news/article.asp?id=1757

  4. Comey was set-up by Billy, Laura and Barak to let Hillary free and win the election.
    The trick was for Lynch to “get out of the corruption” ring!!! The “brilliant” idea must have come from Podesta who must have set-up the meeting Laura-Billy on the airport tarmac, Phoenix, Arizona two days before Hillary met the FBI. This automatically forced Laura Lynch to recuse herself after the plot was set and put into motion.
    Sleazy for selecting Comey as the executioner of the Hillary coronation!!! And the “GOP” was all for IT! Shame on the corruptocracy. The swamp must be eliminated ASAP!

  5. @ Lorensacho:
    a dozen years ago was 2004. We were at war in Iraq and W. was about to be re-elected in a landslide. Who on the Right (or Left) was talking about “Russian subversion?”

    News Flash: The Cold War ended in 1990. We won. Russia isn’t a Communist country. They aren’t trying to conquer us. They aren’t sponsoring terror. Why should we mess with them in their backyard? Why should we stop them from fighting Islamists?This is a red herring. I prefer mine kippered or pickled. Especially with scrambled eggs sprinkled with paprika. or in cream sauce. or Louisiana hot sauce. This is your brain on red herring. This is your brain on red herring on a toasted rolll with lettuce, tomato and tartar sauce. As they say in traditional Japanese Kabuki theater:Just say No.

    Signed, Dr. No

  6. Especially the second time

    The first election of Obama was willful blindness to obvious reality. His reelection – following four years of abject failure and unrelenting hostility to the country he was leading – represented a chilling indication that generations of public school mis-education has created an electoral majority of intellectually non-functional parasites.

    The GOP again got themselves fooled when they allowed highly biased moderators to conduct the debates.

    Given that Republican leadership always makes exactly the same “mistake”, maybe it isn’t unintentional. How many times does Martha Raddatz have to prove that she is a partisan Democrat before Reince Priebus figures it out? There is something else going on there.

  7. Re: Putin: ‘Does Anyone Seriously Imagine Russia Can Somehow Influence the American People’s Choice?’

    I love to see so may on the right supporting Putin when maybe a dozen years ago these same people were Cold War warriors who were warning us about Russian subversion. I guess their hatred of Hillary has made it possible for them to embrace their former worst enemy. 17 intelligence agencies from around the world including from Israel have claimed that the hacking of the DNC and Hillary Clinton was carried out by Russia. Of all the E-mails released by Wikileaks, not a single one was from the RNC or Trump or any of his officials. Now why is that? You have got o be very cynical or bereft of your senses to avoid thinking that Russia wants Trump to win. Relying on Putin’s denials to make his own case is pathetically juvenile.

  8. @ babushka:Yep the wise populace showed twice how stupid it can be by electing Obama.

    Especially the second time. They have a lot of help however because the Mainstream Media is pretty close to one and the same with Democratic Party.

    The GOP again got themselves fooled when they allowed highly biased moderators to conduct the debates.

  9. There are 300 million Americans. Included in that group are people possessing wisdom and integrity and compassion. Voters have nonetheless repudiated such misfits and narrowed the leadership selection to a pair of corrupt leftist miscreants. If anyone can influence the American electorate please do so, because left to their own devices the voters are failing miserably.