Trump’s collusion with Russia was an open secret. Everybody knew it but nobody would admit it. I first suspected collusion when Trump said infamously, “Russia if you’re listening…”. Interesting how often Trump or one of his spokesman tripped themselves up when denying his relationship with Putin like here.
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The “Russian Defense”, a strategy for avoiding truth and consequences. First deny the act as Putin did Russian interference in our Presidential election. Then, when that is no longer viable, acknowledge the act but disavow the actors. In Putin’s case the second part of the Russian Defense goes something like this: These acts were committed by Russians who were not really Russian. Or these acts were committed by Russians affiliated with the State but they were not sanctioned by the State and they were undertaken without the State’s knowledge. In Trump’s case, now that denying Russian interference is no longer viable, the new message will be this: These acts were committed by campaign officials who were not really campaign officials. Or these acts were committed by people affiliated with me but they were not sanctioned by me and they were undertaken without my knowledge. Trump’s new message will be no more believable than that of his partner. In the meantime, no Russian sanctions, no DT tweet in response to Putin’s new-nukes-aimed-at-Florida announcement and $0/$120M spent by State to protect Nov’s elections.