Thread by @kurteichenwald

1. One of the most frequent Russian tropes: There is some all-powerful DNC that controls everything, that forces candidates down everyone's throats.

It is a lie. There are millions of other dem voters who may agree with you on everything. They may disagree on many things.....

2...but overall, they share your values. They may not agree on how to achieve those goals. But they have honest beliefs.

The REASON the Russians hacked the DNC was so they could manipulate the "DNC controls all" fantasy by misrepresenting what emails said, quite boldly....

3...the most common ones released by Wikileaks, provided by Russian intel, were emails after it became mathematically impossible for Sanders to win. At that point, yes, DNC officials, who ALWAYS shift to support the candidate when they cannot mathematically lose, began....

4...resetting for the general just months away. They got annoyed that Bernie would not accept the math, and kept fighting the presumptive nominee. And that was reflected in a few emails.

THIS became the big DNC "manipulation." It didn't exist. Nothing happened. But....

5...the Russians, aided by angry Americans or people incapable of thinking critically, came to believe that the DNC - which raises money for the general election, organizes the convention, and sponsors debates - somehow forced millions of people to vote a particular way....

6...if you protest vote or "stay home" to prove some point no one hears to the big, evil organization that undermines America, you are simply a useful idiot for the Russians.

The way we defeat the Russians: THINK. Stop with vast conspiracy theories. Stop believing that any....

7..of the dem candidates are evil, or in words often heard from the uninformed "no different than Republicans." DONT let your beliefs guide your facts.

We lost to Russia in 16 because we refused to consider our beliefs might be manipulated. Skepticism is the weapon to fight back