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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWhite nationalists and Twitter bots fueled the war against Al Franken and the Democrats fell for it
According a report from Unhack the Vote, while everyone was focused on the Russian meddling of the 2016 election, another campaign was being run out of Japan. Leeann Tweedens initial allegation against Franken was quickly turned into propaganda after being hinted at by Trump ally Roger Stone.
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Just days prior to Democrats calling for Franken to step down, the fake news sites republished a article from a smaller site by Ijeoma Oluo, urging women and activists to stop their defenses from Franken. Dear Al Franken, Ill Miss You But You Cant Matter Anymore, was its title. Thousands of fake Twitter accounts then ensured the article spread.
From there, Senate Democrats, lead by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) went on the attack and demanded Franken resign.
[link:https://www.rawstory.com/2018/02/white-nationalists-twitter-bots-fueled-war-al-franken-democrats-fell/|
hlthe2b
(102,419 posts)You could show Gillibrand this evidence until the cows come home. She is so dug in with her own self-righteousness on this issue that she is apparently literally unable to see that she was manipulated. I forgive politicos for making mistakes during the course of their career--I surely did HRC and on occasion Obama. But, this does not bode well for her political future, IMO. Refusal to distinguish between types and severity of sexual "misbehavior" that continues to today, is to me a real red flag for poor judgement--political AND moral.
chuckstevens
(1,201 posts)Baitball Blogger
(46,769 posts)Hortensis
(58,785 posts)I'm copying Greyl's post up here for additional visibility.
Raw Story:
https://www.rawstory.com/2018/02/white-nationalists-twitter-bots-fueled-war-al-franken-democrats-fell/
Check out this Snopes article, and pay attention to how Louise Mensch will keep spreading the divisive manure.
https://www.snopes.com/2018/02/19/bots-force-al-franken-resign/
This doesn't mean there's necessarily no validity to this topic, but we need to consider the sources. This entire topic, after all, is about using misinformation to make fools of us.
Note that Newsweek, a journal with a good reputation to protect, failed that test also. Their journalist didn't check the information adequately and it got past editorial review to publication. But it's corrected now.
Bernardo de La Paz
(49,047 posts)Roy Rolling
(6,941 posts)False choice. The fallacy of all-or-nothing thought is always accompanied by false choice. They go hand-in-hand.
spooky3
(34,496 posts)without investigation and evidence was very concerning.
onlyadream
(2,168 posts)EffieBlack
(14,249 posts)Gillibrand should rot in political hell for what she
did to Franken!
She is dead to me.
xxqqqzme
(14,887 posts)n/t
oberliner
(58,724 posts)Here's the non click-bait original version:
https://medium.com/@unhackthevote/the-voty-twitter-botnet-and-the-attack-on-senator-al-franken-by-the-alt-right-army-36860deebea8
hlthe2b
(102,419 posts)Response to hlthe2b (Reply #5)
femmedem This message was self-deleted by its author.
oberliner
(58,724 posts)But maybe cut and paste this whole thing into your browser:
https://medium.com/@unhackthevote/the-voty-twitter-botnet-and-the-attack-on-senator-al-franken-by-the-alt-right-army-36860deebea8
Hopefully that will work!
In any case, I would encourage people to read the original work at that non-ad filled link, if possible.
hlthe2b
(102,419 posts)oberliner
(58,724 posts)Great minds think alike.
Kingofalldems
(38,496 posts)These are some of them:
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10029855958
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10029860381
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10029864792
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10029865792
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10029882230
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10029889741
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10029942034
oberliner
(58,724 posts)It was very frustrating that there was so much resistance to what I thought was a very reasonable perspective.
Namely:
1. Franken behaved poorly (which he admitted)
2. The RW took advantage of the situation for their own benefit
In fact, it seems like the RW did more than just take advantage of the situation, but set out from the beginning to coordinate a take-down of Franken - and would use legitimate op-ed pieces from liberal writers (like the one cited in this reporting) in order to do so.
stonecutter357
(12,697 posts)oberliner
(58,724 posts)1. RW forces pushed this with the help of trolls, bots, and other nefarious actors in an attempt to bring down Franken
2. Franken behaved poorly and apologized
Reading the details from the article about how fringe RW groups manipulated social media and pushed this story and to the point that it led to virtually every single Democratic Senator calling for Franken to resign does make me sick as well.
Here's the apology (per Salon):
I want to apologize to you personally. I dont know what was in my head when I took that picture, but that doesnt matter. There is no excuse and I understand why you could feel violated by that photo.
I remember that rehearsal differently, but whats important is the impact it had on you and you felt violated by my actions and for that I apologize. I have tremendous respect for your work for the USO, and I am ashamed that my actions ruined that experience for you. I am so sorry.
Sincerely,
Al Franken
https://www.salon.com/2017/11/17/leeann-tweeden-reads-al-frankens-handwritten-apology-on-the-view/
demmiblue
(36,903 posts)oberliner
(58,724 posts)In the piece, Farb makes that point:
kcr
(15,320 posts)wishstar
(5,272 posts)The NY Times front page editorial plus Chris Cilizza's political piece in CNN on the same day titled "Al Franken's absolutely awful apology" undoubtedly had a great deal of influence among mainstream Dems, more than the viral right social media onslaught.
Cosmocat
(14,575 posts)it was bullshit.
People need to WTF up to these quick moving tides of public opinion and know that most often they have malicious under pinnings, and most often lead to regrettable outcomes.
Beartracks
(12,821 posts)That is, mitigate the direct will of the masses, protect us from mob rule and knee-jerk decision-making.
========
dsc
(52,169 posts)I guess we will temperance lectures from Limbaugh next.
"Mouthpiece Theater" was designed as a sendup of pompous punditry, with Milbank, the paper's Washington Sketch columnist, and Cillizza, a White House correspondent who writes The Fix blog, appearing with oversized pipes and smoking jackets. But its comedic style drew catcalls from online critics, which intensified after Friday's episode about the kind of beer various politicians might drink. Milbank said he couldn't reveal to whom President Obama would serve a brew called Mad Bitch Beer, which was followed by a brief shot of Clinton.
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"I regret that we put up that image," Milbank said Wednesday, "and while I highly doubt the secretary of state has seen 'Mouthpiece Theater,' I would be honored to have the opportunity to apologize to her over a beer."
Cillizza agreed that the plug should be pulled, saying: "We'd hoped the self-deprecating humor of me and the irreverent humor of Dana would combine to make something funny and interesting and on the news. It wound up not working. . . . Ultimately it wasn't funny."
The Clinton joke, Cillizza said, "was inappropriate, over the line and highlighted the broader problems with the show. I'm personally apologizing on The Fix. It's not consistent with the Post brand, but more important to me, it's not consistent with the Fix brand I've worked to cultivate -- insider, straight-dope journalism that tries to shoot down the middle."
So he really could go fuck himself when he discusses apologies.
hexola
(4,835 posts)You can't isolate one or two pieces as if they were created without - or outside the sphere of - any undue influence.
We all have the same internet...!
certainot
(9,090 posts)is well coordinated to reinforce and amplify all these events.
franken has been a target for hate radio since air america. if his supporters had heard the buzz on the radio and been able to quantify it gillibrand wouldn[t have had a chance - the response to her should have been
"that's what limbaugh said, but...."
ms liberty
(8,608 posts)kcr
(15,320 posts)SunSeeker
(51,745 posts)EricMaundry
(1,619 posts)... as "slut shaming?"
rainlillie
(1,095 posts)no one listened to us when we called bullshit on the story.
hexola
(4,835 posts)This was discovered sort of after the fact - but Im sure a lot of DUers sent them to the media - I never heard a peep.
Did anyone report this?
hexola
(4,835 posts)Dividers...
spooky3
(34,496 posts)and she specifically said she did NOT want him to resign. It was the outrageous reaction that was nuts.
RandomAccess
(5,210 posts)of opportunity to go after the other facts without slut-shaming.
a kennedy
(29,723 posts)DAMN, DAMN, DAMN, DAMN, DAMN, DAMN, DAMN, DAMN, DAMN, DAMN!!!!!!!
rainlillie
(1,095 posts)pazzyanne
(6,559 posts)We lost one hellofan advocate for truth and justice and for what? Because people leaped on a bandwagon without doing further research and waiting for the FACTS to come out. I am still angry about this, both with the Democratic Senators that piled on this allegation about Al Franken and with the damage that was done to a basically decent man.
certainot
(9,090 posts)the screaming on the radio about franken, which is what 90% of swiftboating is based on, and it would have lost it's steam.
liberals cannot collectively say they are getting any of their favorite's backs as long as they let 300 assholes on the radio lie about them all day and never say shit back
rainlillie
(1,095 posts)Too bad folks fell for it. Gillibrand is my Senator, after this debacle she lost my support.
Response to rainlillie (Reply #17)
Post removed
Response to Post removed (Reply #23)
Post removed
tavernier
(12,410 posts)She showed us who she is and too many of us saw it.
DownriverDem
(6,232 posts)Not me. I'm a Dem and knew that the Dems were way more better than the repubs or any 3rd party candidate that didn't have a chance in hell of winning. I look at what the party stands for. repubs offer me nothing. I wish Franken would run again!
lark
(23,166 posts)Some made really sure of that. He wasn't given a chance to clear his name and has been pronounced guilty by people for their own political advancement.
blue-wave
(4,368 posts)disagree. I believe that this new revelation opens up the opportunity, if played right, for Al to run again. And I bet he'd win with margins larger than his previous wins. There are enough Americans waking up to the manipulation within our society that with this story alone, Franken could ride a huge blue wave.
lark
(23,166 posts)Dems came down on him like a ton of bricks and declared he's a molester, how can he ever recover from that? Do you see self-righteous Gillibrand, Harris or Sanders saying they was wrong, fuck no. Frankens photographer already said those photos were changed, they didn't care one bit and still don't. Mancin is the only one who has apologized for not listening to the truth, the others got the same info as him and still stand by running him out on the rails.
Regretfully still think he can never run again.
AllyCat
(16,236 posts)Online news? Shouldnt the media have that? Cannot believe Democrats fell for this crap.
sinkingfeeling
(51,482 posts)them they were being played and begging for an ethics hearing before driving Franken out. They all lost my financial support.
enough
(13,264 posts)slash the opposition with powerful wit, while knowing when and where to use it for the most impact.
We have several good spokespeople, but nobody who can do what Franken was doing.
mythology
(9,527 posts)It wasn't just one woman, it was multiple.
TheCowsCameHome
(40,169 posts)Oh, wait...........
: :
spooky3
(34,496 posts)stonecutter357
(12,697 posts)kcr
(15,320 posts)wellst0nev0ter
(7,509 posts)And four anonymous sources whom Franken never had a chance to face.
The only one I actually believe is Tina Dupuy, who says she felt uncomfortable when Franken held her at the waist when they were posing for a photo.
Yeah, that's where we are.
kcr
(15,320 posts)I also think Tina Dupuy is the worst of them. She's full of shit. Sorry for butting in and causing confusion, but I'm still so angry.
wellst0nev0ter
(7,509 posts)message still stands for all who stand with the lynch mob
mythology
(9,527 posts)Did he fall for it?
Oh and speaking of falling for it, the article in the OP has been found to be fraudulent. Good job on proving that yes, people do have a hard time with accepting things they don't want to.
kcr
(15,320 posts)If that aspect of the pitchfork crowd doesn't show what it's about.
rzemanfl
(29,573 posts)nadine_mn
(3,702 posts)oh wait you are right -my bad. He put his arm around someone's waist for a photo. And those anonymous accusers somehow disappeared once the mission of getting him to resign was accomplished.
pandr32
(11,631 posts)He did nothing wrong and accusers disappeared the minute the smears worked.
Denzil_DC
(7,280 posts)Hong Kong Cavalier
(4,573 posts)The near-steady flow of accusations dried up the day he announced his resignation.
pandr32
(11,631 posts)Funny as in strange, isn't it?
Jakes Progress
(11,123 posts)That is what happens when russian and white nationalist twitter bots are you main source of news.
zentrum
(9,865 posts)Now. We need him. He's one of our best Democrats.
TheCowsCameHome
(40,169 posts)dalton99a
(81,636 posts)Farmer-Rick
(10,216 posts)Letters by coworkers saying how he did not act the way a handful of right wing women claimed.
After I found out about Russian interference in our elections, I stopped jumping on the band wagon and learned to think for myself. So, I never believed the campaign against him. So, it was really sad he gave in to them and resigned.
I knew he was being railroaded and so did so many people here.
I'm so glad I'm a member of DU.
mountain grammy
(26,658 posts)tell us why she played her part in taking down Al Franken.. Russian$$$ Tina?
NCTraveler
(30,481 posts)This is like saying all Sanders supporter fell for propaganda from the right and Russia. Rawstory is getting really bad and is a force for division. Putins goal.
NurseJackie
(42,862 posts)... if he insisted on the ethics investigation. In my opinion, it's clear to me that he cared more about the future of the party, than he did for himself. (That's my best guess.)
NCTraveler
(30,481 posts)Completely fucked. We are worse off for it. I just won't negate his own role in it as a meant to attack others.
"it's clear to me that he cared more about the future of the party, than he did for himself."
I think he was one of the most thoughtful people in DC. One of the most intelligent. He was becoming a lion of the senate, if not already at that point.
We lost.
NurseJackie
(42,862 posts)Those two little words sum it up perfectly.
Bluepinky
(2,276 posts)We lost one of our best progressives for no reason. Its also telling that Franken is so honest and kind, he apologized for things he didnt do, in case his actions made anyone feel uncomfortable. The right took his words and pronounced him guilty, saying he confessed to everything accused of.
Meanwhile, we have a sexual predator in the Oval Office who claims that every woman is lying. The deplorables can point to his denials and say He hasnt admittted anything, hes innocent.
Being a decent person gets you nowhere in Trumps America.
NCTraveler
(30,481 posts)"he apologized for things he didnt do"
That isn't the positive you are making it out to be.
Bluepinky
(2,276 posts)I dont think he needed to, but hes such a nice guy, he apologized if he made someone feel uncomfortable. Other people took that as an admission of guilt for everything he was accused of, even though he denied some of the accusations and asked for an ethics investigation.
NCTraveler
(30,481 posts)Full of power players. Nothing but cut-throat.
"Other people took that as an admission of guilt for everything he was accused of"
Never would have seen that coming.
Initech
(100,108 posts)PatrickforO
(14,594 posts)Always...
ALWAYS...
Ask who will benefit. From anything anyone puts in front of you.
Who will benefit and who is benefitting.
Then make your decision.
Too many good Dems got on that bandwagon without asking that. Results:
- Republicans were able to get rid of Al Franken, a powerful voice demanding accountability.
- They had the additional benefit of watching us split into two camps over the matter.
Let's not do that anymore, shall we?
suegeo
(2,573 posts)More extensive investigations could have turned up bank accounts in Cyprus, filled with rubles in the name or alias of accusers. Property on a tawdry golf course in Florida now in the name of Tweedon.
He was my senator, now we have to defend a seat in times of the Russians hacking the voting machines and propaganda targeted at the rubes up state.
Al won the seat earlier in a close, long recount. He is an innocent man, and my vote was stolen from me. And will like be stolen from me again by the grand old putin party.
WhiteTara
(29,728 posts)TheCowsCameHome
(40,169 posts)Absolutely disgraceful.
WhiteTara
(29,728 posts)a very influential senator and candidate for president. I'm not thrilled with KG at all. KGB...oooh harsh.
getagrip_already
(14,891 posts)It was even posted in DU.
Nobody listened, especially those out for franken's head. To them, it was helpful.
And that is the evil in this methodology. It amplifies what people already think and overstates the issue. It's a feedback loop that once started, takes off on its own. The bots just push the cart over the hill. Gravity causes it to pick up speed.
Until we can stop the feeds, we will suffer the negative effects.
Can we start our own bot farm?
rzemanfl
(29,573 posts)Copied by yours truly because the poster is no longer with us, at least under that name:
Franken was spot on about the mock grab photo, expressed perfectly.
So what does the left do? In his defense, throw up naked pictures to try and shame her. It was stupid. No different from, what was she wearing and too many on the left jumped in both feet.
Franken had it handled. That left did not help him or us.
That's the sort of thing we saw here during the Franken rat-f**king saga orchestrated by Roger Stone, et al.
I had the above post saved as an image in an email I sent.
lancelyons
(988 posts)They are picking fights with other democrats.
Trying to push blame on other democrats like Gillibrand.
Be aware of this. On TheHIll while trying to debunk threads, 1 in every 3 russian troll messages posted there where quickly deleted.
Dont fall for the democrats fighting the democrats.. Its all troll stuff.. Fight against that..
Stand United.
Progressive dog
(6,921 posts)are looking at white nationalist web sites to get their orders for the day.
What awful propaganda, probably being fed by Russian bots and white nationalists-then picked up by the sort of main stream media. I guess Franken fell for it, too, since he's the one who resigned.
Blue_Tires
(55,445 posts)A decade ago they would have been *ALL* over this...
Mountain Mule
(1,002 posts)No need to worry about the repugs and the pussy grabbing traitor in the White House. We'll just go ahead and destroy ourselves in the name of optics. I was extremely upset when Franken just resigned and I'm more upset now.
Did Cheeto just throw in the towel and resign? Has the repug party demanded that he do so? Of course not.
PS I think Al Franken should run in the next election. I bet he would win.
blue-wave
(4,368 posts)Another example of the Democratic Party circular firing squad.
It was obvious to anyone with the most remote amount of cognitive thinking skills that something was rancid about the Franken smear campaign. And in D.C., I'm sure they had MUCH more information that was passed around through word-of-mouth than we in the general public were exposed to, so they likely knew something smelled really bad. So Gillibrand fell for the reichwing smear tactics. How wonderful!! We lost one great senator and might lose another (her) because of it. When will the Democrats learn to not fall victim to the reichwing crap attacks? Wake the f*#!k up!!!!!
(Reposted from another thread cause I feel sooo strongly about this!! Wake up Democrats!!!)
LiberalLovinLug
(14,178 posts)Honeycombe8
(37,648 posts)Any politician who didn't recognize that is either too stupid to be in office, or too self-serving (because getting rid of Franken helped clear the way for a few other).
I know who they are. I have a list. Did you save the list, too? I think there are about 30 of them. I don't have to worry about voting for them locally, since my state is red. I only have to worry if one of these guys runs for President and wins the Primary. That's a long way off, tho.
malaise
(269,219 posts)Crazy shit
madville
(7,412 posts)That doesn't make any sense on the surface, a guy that admitted to hitting his wife gets a pass but Al is railroaded out.
I wondered if Al was just secretly not liked by his Democratic Senate colleagues.
annabanana
(52,791 posts)That guy is nothing but trouble.
madville
(7,412 posts)If it wasn't for the TV media and news websites regurgitating all the shit-posting there it 24/7.
Mr.Bill
(24,334 posts)was family driven. I have no proof, but it would have been perfectly reasonable for his wife to say she's had enough, and for him to respect that. Still sad, though, but I will respect that his decision was what was best for him and his family.
wellst0nev0ter
(7,509 posts)Like Gillibrand who shivved him instead of sticking up for him, it was over. I'd probably quit too, especially after they took that waist-grabbing allegation as proof that I'm a sexual predator.
SergeStorms
(19,204 posts)Others, who had their heads screwed on tightly, knew what was going on. I'll be the first to admit, when the news first hit I was cursing Franken's name. After I found out the facts about the supposed "sexual misconduct" (and that took less than a day) I was back in Franken's corner, and actually increased my monthly donation to his re-election campaign. That's now a thing of the past due to the Democrats (and you know who you are, Kirsten Gillibrand) who never bothered to get the facts straight in more than a week!
Gillibrand is the junior Senator from my state, but she won't be receiving any campaign contributions from this guy ever again. I suppose I'd have to hold my nose (and tongue) and vote for her, but my heart certainly won't be in it.
Hekate
(90,865 posts)And wait for legitimate investigations to play out?
LisaM
(27,843 posts)Ugh. I am glad that I refused to fall for the anti-Franken narrative.
Skittles
(153,220 posts)fucking IDIOTS
progressoid
(50,000 posts)Skittles
(153,220 posts)FUCK the people who failed to stand by him
progressoid
(50,000 posts)I am a huge Franken supporter (have three of his books and supported his campaign $). However, Twitter bots notwithstanding, Al admitted to his digressions.
Skittles
(153,220 posts)HE IS NOT A PREDATOR
wellst0nev0ter
(7,509 posts)He was waiting for a forum to defend himself. The useful idiots in our party refused to grant him even that much.
Skittles
(153,220 posts)wellst0nev0ter
(7,509 posts)What if he went full-court press and tarred his accusers as liars? Would that satisfy the doubters? ugh
Skittles
(153,220 posts)progressoid
(50,000 posts)I am however, amused by DU's shifting moral absolutism.
Amaryllis
(9,526 posts)at the time.
radhika
(1,008 posts)Not for standing up versus sexual harassment, or even calling Franken out and investigating. Duh, we are all for that. But we're also for stopping the Trump agenda overall.
How could Gillibrand and the Dem women so quickly oust a reliable voice for Progress in the Senate without DEMANDING that a set of rules be in place that would impose the same standards on all Senators, regardless of party! And for treating all bad acts - regardless of time frame and power relation - as equal and demanding the 'death penalty' for all transgressions. Oh yes, and the due-process thing.
Democrats sacrificed a valuable game piece for no benefit; Republicans hold on to their players as long as it suits their goals.
If Gillibrand thought her no tolerance campaign would elevate her brand for a national run, it may well backfire.
orleans
(34,084 posts)i'm *still* pissed at her.
and after reading this op i'm even more pissed
Blue Owl
(50,529 posts)greyl
(22,990 posts)https://www.rawstory.com/2018/02/white-nationalists-twitter-bots-fueled-war-al-franken-democrats-fell/
Check out this Snopes article, and pay attention to how Louise Mensch will keep spreading the divisive manure.
kcr
(15,320 posts)I don't think the claim was ever that Russian intelligence was behind the campaign. There were still bots spreading discord starting with Roger Stone, a fact they bury. So what if RawStory got one thing wrong about the timing of Olou's story? And then it ends with this:
"It is true that far-right Internet trolls tried to exploit to #MeToo movement to take out political opponents, with varying degrees of success, but this was not an unfounded character assassination; Tweeden had a photograph showing Franken smiling and appearing to grope her chest over a flak jacket as she slept."
Basically the piece amounts to It doesn't matter, beccause it wasn't a smear, in their opinion. The quality of Snopes has seriously declined.
NCTraveler
(30,481 posts)MFM008
(19,823 posts)For a second.
Notice how the weekly accusations
stopped when he resigned .....