Republicans have been calling out the Russian threat for decades, Democrats have mocked it. Suddenly, when they think they can use it to help a coup, now it matters?
Via NY Post:
When the news broke that the CIA thinks Russia interfered in the presidential election by allegedly hacking both the RNC and DNC but only leaking the DNC documents, Twitter exploded into full-on hysteria. And there was only one direction to point the finger for blame.
Not at the current sitting president — who is, after all, charged with keeping American democracy safe. No: Republicans.
Mother Jones’ David Corn tweeted: “The choice for Republicans is clear: defend American democracy or embrace Putin-aligned opportunism.” The Washington Post’s EJ Dionne wondered how many conservatives would join independent Evan McMullin “to call out this attack on our democracy.” Ian Millhiser, justice editor at ThinkProgress, tweeted: “Dear Republicans: Think of all that Ronald Reagan did to diminish Russia’s influence. If he were alive, you would disgust him.”
Some on the right welcomed Democrats’ newfound appreciation for the Russian threat. “Orientation for new Russia hawks begins at noon on the quad. Be sure to wear your Better Dead Than Red spirit shirt for the group photo,” tweeted the Washington Free Beacon’s Blake Seitz.
For the last eight years, Republicans noted again and again the rise in Russian influence worldwide only to be pooh-poohed for living in the past. Millhiser’s opinion of Reagan must have increased significantly since he wrote a gleeful piece in July about how Hillary Clinton “stuck a knife” in Reaganism. And during the vice presidential debate in October, he tweeted his agreement with journalist Irin Carmon, who called the questions “from another era.” Millhiser wrote: “Yup. Deficits. Russia. It’s like Quijano went into stasis in 1988 and just woke up to moderate this debate.”