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Best of the Left - Leftist Perspectives on Progressive Politics, News, Culture, Economics and Democracy

(2017/06/16) So, this whole Russia thing, right?

Best of the Left - Leftist Perspectives on Progressive Politics, News, Culture, Economics and Democracy

Jay Tomlinson

Politics, News, News Commentary

4.53.4K Ratings

🗓️ 16 June 2017

⏱️ 80 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Edition #1112

Today we take a high-level look at the Trump/Russia controversy and examine how we should and shouldn’t be reacting to it.

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Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: Manchurian candidate or useful idiot? - Intercepted (@theintercept) - Air Date 3-1-17

Ch. 3: Song 1: Дискотека Авария - Малинки (feat. Ж. Фриске)


Ch. 4: Act 2: A theory on how Trump got involved politically with Russia - The Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 6-6-17

Ch. 5: Song 2: 007 (From "From Russia With Love") - The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra


Ch. 6: Act 3: Chomsky With U.S. History of Overthrowing Govts, Outrage over Russian Hacking Claims is Laughable - @DemocracyNow - Air Date 04-04-17

Ch. 7: Song 3: Blue Girl - A-Set


Ch. 8: Act 4: James Comey: 'No Doubt' Russia Interfered in 2016 Election, 'No Doubt' Russian Govt. Was Fully Aware - Majority Report (@MajorityFM) - Air Date: 06-09-17

Ch. 9: Song 4: Nothing Is Good Enough (Instrumental) - Aimee Mann


Ch. 10: Act 5: Why Liberals are Falling for Fake News About Russia - On the Media - Air Date 6-2-17

Ch. 11: Song 5: The Love You Save (May Be Your Own) - Joe Tex


Ch. 12: Act 6: Legitimate concerns about Russia shouldn't lead to mass hysteria - The Zero Hour w: @RJEskow - Air Date 6-3-17

Ch. 13: Song 6: The Bathtub (feat. The Lost Bayou Ramblers) - Dan Romer & Benh Zeitlin


Ch. 14: Act 7: Is It a Mistake Focusing So Much Attention on Russia? - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date 03-05-17

Ch. 15: Song 7: People, Turn Around - Delta Spirit


Ch. 16: Act 8: Masha Gessen on how the left has fallen into a Russia conspiracy sphere - The Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 6-6-17

Ch. 17: Song 8: Hide the Truth - Chronicle


Ch. 18: Act 9: Yes, The Russia Scandal Is Actually A Scandal - @theyoungturks - Air Date 05-13-17


Voicemails

Ch. 19: Explaining how campaigning on progressive ideas leads to victory - Steven from the People's Caliphate of Birmingham, UK

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 20: Final comments asking for thoughts on the state of the left

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Thanks for listening!

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Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

For more than six months in our Russia service a crotch for the American imagination,

0:03.7

he used to explain how Trump could have happened to us, and it is also called upon to give us hope.

0:11.6

This program is made possible by the members and donors to the show to support the work we do,

0:15.4

get commercial-free versions of every episode, and occasional members-only bonus content,

0:20.1

visit the Contribute tab at bestofalleft.com. Now, welcome to the award-winning Best of Left

0:25.2

Podcasts with Cupsidae from Intercepted, the Ezra Klein Show, Democracy Now, the majority report

0:31.4

on the media, the zero hour of the Tom Hartman program, and the Young Turks.

0:40.6

Because the two of you have a lot more experience than I do in the world of intelligence,

0:44.8

I want to throw at you something that is, to me, the biggest lingering question about the

0:51.1

the Russian affair, so to speak. The question I have for you guys is this,

0:56.4

given that we know that the same cell or the same actors that we're using the same bitly link

1:02.8

and the same tools and all the forensics indicates this, we're going after opponents of Vladimir Putin

1:09.6

outside of the United States, within Russia, journalists, NGOs, in Ukraine, in other countries around the

1:16.7

world. But in the United States, it wasn't, and this is the point I'm getting at, it wasn't this

1:21.5

like surgical strike on the DNC's emails. It wasn't a surgical strike on John Podesta's Gmail account.

1:31.1

These hackers were targeting swaths of people that were influencers in the United States, that were

1:38.7

connected to the military or connected to intelligence. And so, to me, the idea that you say, well,

1:44.6

the intent of the hack was to influence the election, I don't believe we've seen evidence to back that up.

1:52.8

I think there's four scenarios, and you can rule out a couple really quick. On the Trump side,

1:57.7

what he would tell you is he's just a guy who likes Russian issues and believes very similar to them.

2:03.0

On the other end is the Manchurian candidate. He's picked selected and is doing the bidding of Putin.

2:08.8

I don't think the links are there to come to that conclusion. In the middle though, you've got two

...

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