Minnesota

dflprincess

(28,471 posts) Mon Feb 19, 2018, 06:33 PM Feb 2018

From Newsweek How An Alt-Right Bot Network Took Down Al Franken

http://www.newsweek.com/alt-right-trump-franken-mueller-twitter-810355

White nationalist provocateurs, a pair of fake news sites, an army of Twitter bots and other cyber tricks helped derail Democratic Senator Al Franken last year, new research shows.

While everyone has been focused on Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election to support Donald Trump, the Franken takedown originated in—and was propelled by—a strategic online campaign with digital tentacles reaching to, of all places, Japan. Analysts have now mapped out how Hooters pinup girl and lad-mag model Leeann Tweeden's initial accusation against Franken became effective propaganda after right-wing black ops master Roger Stone first hinted at the allegation.

I said all along Democratic senators who called for him to resign were walking into a right wing trap.

12 replies

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Highlight:

From Newsweek How An Alt-Right Bot Network Took Down Al Franken (Original Post) dflprincess Feb 2018 OP

Some of the trappers were here on DU. K&R. n/t rzemanfl Feb 2018 #1

I knew it was a set up MustLoveBeagles Feb 2018 #2

It was such an obvious set-up; Hannity and Roger Stone were involved The Velveteen Ocelot Feb 2018 #3

Smelled from the get go. Wellstone ruled Feb 2018 #4

KG was in a hot frikkin hurry. KG unwitting tool of kgb... elehhhhna Feb 2018 #5

there is NOTHING unwitting about KG Skittles Feb 2018 #6

Who is KG? geardaddy Feb 2018 #8

Kristin gillibrand elehhhhna Feb 2018 #9

Ahh, thanks. geardaddy Feb 2018 #10

I hope that this puts to rest any high office ambition question everything Feb 2018 #7

Sorry to report Lulu KC Feb 2018 #11

Thanks for the update dflprincess Feb 2018 #12

rzemanfl

(30,288 posts)

1. Some of the trappers were here on DU. K&R. n/t

Reply to dflprincess (Original post)

Mon Feb 19, 2018, 06:35 PM

Feb 2018

MustLoveBeagles

(12,560 posts)

2. I knew it was a set up

Reply to dflprincess (Original post)

Mon Feb 19, 2018, 06:37 PM

Feb 2018

I hate being right about this.

The Velveteen Ocelot

(120,858 posts)

3. It was such an obvious set-up; Hannity and Roger Stone were involved

Reply to dflprincess (Original post)

Mon Feb 19, 2018, 06:50 PM

Feb 2018

and everybody knew Tweeden was dealing with them. Even if Russian trolls and bots hadn't catapulted the propaganda, Gillibrand was out of line, but now we know for sure that she got played.

Wellstone ruled

(34,661 posts)

4. Smelled from the get go.

Reply to dflprincess (Original post)

Mon Feb 19, 2018, 07:00 PM

Feb 2018

Especially for we who knew Al and Franny personally. Had my doubts from the start.

elehhhhna

(32,076 posts)

5. KG was in a hot frikkin hurry. KG unwitting tool of kgb...

Reply to dflprincess (Original post)

Mon Feb 19, 2018, 07:00 PM

Feb 2018

Skittles

(159,362 posts)

6. there is NOTHING unwitting about KG

Reply to elehhhhna (Reply #5)

Mon Feb 19, 2018, 07:01 PM

Feb 2018

geardaddy

(25,346 posts)

8. Who is KG?

Reply to elehhhhna (Reply #5)

Tue Feb 20, 2018, 10:06 AM

Feb 2018

elehhhhna

(32,076 posts)

9. Kristin gillibrand

Reply to geardaddy (Reply #8)

Tue Feb 20, 2018, 11:59 AM

Feb 2018

geardaddy

(25,346 posts)

10. Ahh, thanks.

Reply to elehhhhna (Reply #9)

Tue Feb 20, 2018, 12:01 PM

Feb 2018

question everything

(48,808 posts)

7. I hope that this puts to rest any high office ambition

Reply to dflprincess (Original post)

Mon Feb 19, 2018, 10:10 PM

Feb 2018

of Gillibrand, Harris and warren.

Lulu KC

(4,197 posts)

11. Sorry to report

Reply to dflprincess (Original post)

Wed Feb 21, 2018, 03:18 PM

Feb 2018

that Newsweek has retracted the story. It was based on Mike Farb of Unhack the Vote and the data was challenged by a statistician.

It made perfect sense to me!

dflprincess

(28,471 posts)

12. Thanks for the update

Reply to Lulu KC (Reply #11)

Wed Feb 21, 2018, 10:00 PM

Feb 2018

I posted it because it came from a reputable news source, I had not heard that Newsweek retracted the story.

That said, it may not have been bots behind it, but Al was the victim of a right wing hit job.

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