Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was asked Friday how Russian disinformation made its way into America and the mainstream media.
Clinton asserted in an interview on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” that the Russian disinformation happened “with the ascent of Trump,” which she argued resulted in “a total loss of spine and conscience among too many Republicans.” The failed presidential candidate urged more people in the media and political realm to call out Trump over his “outrageous comments.”
“[I] think it’s happened because starting with the ascent of Trump, there has been, sadly, a total loss of spine and conscience among too many Republicans, who at first saw no harm in echoing and parroting the kind of crazy stuff that Trump would say, totally against history, against common sense, as you know so well, and now they’re kind of caught in a bit of a downward spiral where they’re afraid to stand against even the most outrageous comments,” Clinton outlined.
“There’s also another element, which is these people are naive in such a dangerous way,” she added. “They somehow believe that because Putin presents himself as a strong leader in behalf of certain values that are, you know, anti-gay, that are anti, you know, freedom and democracy that’s so messy, that somehow, you know, that corresponds with the views of certain members and elements of the Republican Party. They could not be more mistaken. You know, this man is not — he takes no prisoners, he kills them, he poisons them, he imprisons them, whatever. And I think the naiveté that we saw starting with Trump, but which has now been accelerated, is really hard to understand, Joe. But nevertheless, we have to deal with it, and we have to call it out. And more people in the press and in politics need to be doing that.”
Follow Trent Baker on Twitter @MagnifiTrent