#SeditionHunters and journalists: as Russia launches its attack on Ukraine we will hear - are hearing - U.S. public figures praising Putin. The same who also pushed the Jan 6 attack. Realize: the PR groundwork for today was laid over years. Here is Jack Posobiec last month. 1/
Posobiec, chief propagandist for the alt-right, is so obvious he's a guide to whatever op is current: election fraud, racial division, trucker convoys, war. Candace Owens is almost as reliable. Both ex-actors, 'platformed' in 2016-2017. Here's Candace & Jack last month. 2/
Last month was the signal to panic: Posobiec temporarily changed his Twitter name to "Jacek" in January and started posting about Ukrainian territorial integrity. He's a barometer for disinfo, a pure tool. But he represents many, not just 'influencers' but also politicians. 3/
As explosions rock Ukraine it is not the time for a big thread. Just let's not be surprised when many of our newscasters, our politicians, stand up for Russia now instead of for the US. The rot in America started early (see link) & was spread by design. 4/ docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d…
The 'VIP timeline' was made to trace the back-stories of the public figures who brought crowds to the Capitol on Jan 6. As an exercise, I also counted mentions of any foreign country. No surprise, but it helps to understand our long national nightmare. 5/ docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d…
Right now Ukraine's national nightmare is worse than ours is. They are where our thoughts should be, but may we find a way out of it, somehow, together. 6/
In an article about Posobiec's OAN Network in June 2020, former US Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul raised an alarm about the level of foreign disinfo in the US: “There’s never been a moment like this in American history..." 7/ theatlantic.com/politics/archi…
To put McFaul's quote about disinfo in context: June 2020 was just before the start of the crowd-gathering efforts & series of rallies that culminated in the Jan 6 Capitol attack. Posobiec watched it from OAN's rented rooftop, then strolled the Capitol grounds "reporting". 8/
McFaul has advice for our current moment too: "There is a time and place for hearing two sides of an issue. This tragic moment in European history is not one of them. Do not give false equivalency to voices of evil and voices of good." 9/
Yesterday's Dem unity is wonderful to see. Fascism may be on its heels. Just realize that the forces against Harris are the same as those against Biden. Here's media from today. The broligarchs won't quit. And Putin's fight is existential now. People must stand up for her. 1/
There's really no daylight between Peter Thiel's crowd and Putin anymore. Elon Musk and David Sacks are spreading direct Russian propaganda. And Putin's only hope of survival is electing Trump/Vance. This set will throw everything against Kamala Harris. 2/
We should be optimistic. But we should also be prepared. What's coming will be ugly: misogyny, racism, lies. And, if the propaganda doesn't work, whatever else Putin can do to hurt the US - whatever divides and demoralizes. Unity and confidence and teamwork is the way to win. 3/
A fascinating trend in those calling for Biden to drop out: they're all in deep blue districts. No experience with swing voters. Their political world is fighting with other Dems in primaries. Here are today's: Huffman, Garcia, Pocan, Veasey. Their last elections: 68-74% D. 1/
Who else called for Biden to drop out? Adam Schiff - last election 73% D. Jamie Raskin - 80% D. These people live in deep blue bubbles. Their calls to drop out include no analysis, just "vibes". Why do we trust their instincts for swing voters in MI, WI, PA, NV, GA? 2/
Jamie Raskin is a good man but his experience with swing voters is zero. And on the J6C he ducked the hard task - his colleagues. Two of Peter Thiel's avatars, Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley, were key to the attack. Raskin let them slide. Now Thiel controls the GOP candidate for VP. 3/
We now know Trump's campaign strategy. With JD Vance for VP, it won't be traditional: Vance, like all Peter Thiel proteges, repels voters. Trump's only path to win is by using vast sums of money to divide the left, slander Biden and Harris, and suppress the vote. Brace for it. 1/
All Thiel's candidates ooze JD's repellent brew of resentment and entitlement. So let's review, to prep: Cruz, Hawley, Masters, Vance. Ted Cruz: his Princeton roommate said "We should be afraid" and "I would rather pick someone out of the phone book". 2/ thedailybeast.com/ted-cruz-at-pr…
Josh Hawley: his hometown newspaper crusades against him. His childhood neighbor said "I wouldn't vote for him for dog catcher. I wouldn't inflict that on the dog." Hawley won in MO, but a presidential ticket has to win nationwide. Biden can do it. 3/ archive.ph/jhuyi
Today's horror, but an expected one: Aileen Cannon has dismissed Trump's Mar-a-Lago case, exactly as predicted. No one should pretend to be shocked - no pearl clutching. This was so clearly the plan. Media, if you didn't see it, ask why you missed something so obvious. 1/
Ask how we got to this point, that obvious fuckery goes unchallenged. That media pre-comply instead of speaking truth to power. That editors don't let reporters dig. Authoritarians only succeed when institutions cede them power. We must fight back. 2/
This decision will affect the January 6 case too, everything that Jack Smith touched. Sure, it can be appealed - up to the Supreme Court that just granted Trump immunity. This was the game plan for months. Why was it not called out? Why did no one question Cannon's motives? 3/
An eyewitness report now suggests JD Vance will be Trump's VP pick. If so, reporters must give context: Vance is an avatar of Peter Thiel, who bankrolled his entire career (and spent $15M for his Senate seat). And Thiel wants the presidency. Vance is a way to get there. 1/
If people are unfamiliar with Peter Thiel, he's such a Bond villain that he gets his own theme song. German-born, he can't run for US president himself, but he owns 3 Senators: Vance, Hawley, and Cruz. Vance is now his ticket to a higher seat. 2/
Vance has been financially dependent on Peter Thiel since 2016, when Thiel made him a partner in his Mithril Capital. (Peter names all his companies after Lord of the Rings.) OH journalists covered this part of Vance's career. In 2019, Thiel set him up with Narya Capital. 3/
People are foolishly passing around a Tim Alberta article in which he follows Trump's campaign advisers around and repeats what they say verbatim in The Atlantic: Susie Wiles wants Biden in the race to help Trump! Tim: are you so naive you can't see when you're being used? 1/
How can it be a surprise to reporters that Trump lies, and so do his advisers? If someone gives you days of access, it's because you're useful. You aren't using them. They're using you. This message - "Biden is a gift" - is what Susie Wiles wanted you to print. It's a lie. 2/
Alberta's article is just shockingly naive. He says Trump wants Biden because the Trump campaign has had time to prep, so new attacks are "deliberated" and "poll-tested". Something new is coming when Trump has been attacking Biden and his family for 4 years without success? 2/