Before the election it was reported that Donald Trump had stayed in contact with his longtime hero Vladimir Putin since he left office in 2021, as recently as this year, according to author Bob Woodward. (And that he sent Putin COVID care packages, while your American Nana was dying of it!)
It was then reported, in Rupert Murdoch’s Wall Street Journal, that Trump’s new benefactor Elon Musk has been having his own secret telephone tonguefucks with Putin for a while now.
One passage from that WSJ story is on our minds this morning, and please, dear leaders, understand that we are just asking questions about it. The article explained that on top of Putin, Musk has also been in contact with one of the Russians in charge of creating Russian disinformation, specifically of the kind intended to screw with the American election:
One of the officials was Sergei Kiriyenko, Putin’s first deputy chief of staff, two of the officials said. What the two talked about isn’t clear.
Last month, the U.S. Justice Department said in an affidavit that Kiriyenko had created some 30 internet domains to spread Russian disinformation, including on Musk’s X, where it was meant to erode support for Ukraine and manipulate American voters ahead of the presidential election.
The extent of Russia’s interference in the 2024 election isn’t yet known, although we know it’s just part of our lives now, especially as the US hands itself over to join the axis of Russia, Hungary, China, North Korea and whatever other dictator Trump is sucking off that day. (Oh, is that not what you meant with your vote, Profoundly Stupid American 2024 Electorate?)
One thing’s for sure, though: There were a ton of bullshit bomb threats on polling places in heavily Democratic areas yesterday, and the FBI and other officials, including Republican Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, say they came from Russian actors.
Wonder who in Russia’s disinfo and crime factories gave the orders for those.
None of the threats was deemed to be credible — real bombs would cost money, and Russia is poor as balls. It’s kind of an on-the-nose election interference operation, if the initial reports attributing the threats to Russia pan out. Kind of tacky and unmannerly, if you ask us. Then again, nobody ever accused Russia of being civilized.
“The FBI is aware of bomb threats to polling locations in several states, many of which appear to originate from Russian email domains,” the agency said in a statement. “None of the threats have been determined to be credible thus far.”
Many polling places had to shut down temporarily and/or evacuate, especially in Georgia in Black neighborhoods in the Atlanta area, but also Biden counties in Michigan and Wisconsin and Pennsylvania and Native American areas in Arizona. (Was the Kremlin watching the New York Times needle or something? Maybe they’re just big Nate Silver fans.)
How many voters went home and didn’t come back? How many decided to stay away entirely? Probably unquantifiable.
One thing’s for sure: Russia’s gift was wrapped in a bow for two special boys and their supporters in the United States.
They didn’t get anything for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. Not even an “RIP your democracy” card.
Historian and author Timothy Snyder wrote late last night that regardless of the outcome of the election — and we now know — there must be a response to address this, and it must happen fast.
Should all precincts with affected polling sites get an extra day to do-over their votes? That’s what Snyder suggested. Oh, is that a crazy idea? Because before the election several fuckhole Republicans suggested North Carolina should give its electoral votes to Trump preemptively, because of the hurricane. Extenuating circumstances call for weird measures sometimes!
Also last time a big group of people in America thought an election had been unfairly tampered with, they mounted a waddling Nazi terrorist attack on the United States Capitol.
Of course, if Russia is definitively found to have been behind the threats, then the United States must respond to that before Russia’s golden boy lies his way through another oath of office.
Not sure what that would look like, but we’re sure we could spitball some ideas.
Again, we have no idea how these threats moved the needle, if at all. We have no interest in MyPillow-Guy-ing this election, now or ever.
But if we’re going to pretend to be a functioning non-fascist state for the next 75 days, we should at least pretend to be a functioning non-fascist state for the next 75 days.
We are just saying.
[Wall Street Journal / Washington Post]
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I’m mostly just sad for Jr. He’s 18 years old and just voted for the first time.
Dear Mr. Carter
I thank you for everything you have done as a good and decent human being and citizen of our shared country. May you go to your reward while Joe Biden is in office. You deserve the dignity and respect you will not get if you pass while Mr. Trump is in the White House.
Humbly and respectfully,
PG