Hillbots, Assemble! Operation: Subvert Democracy

Incoming! The DNC is launching a new (and improved) troll army - pardon me, troll FIGHTERS - led valiantly by a former Hillary Clinton staffer.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/02/politics/facebook-democrats-disinformatio...

All of this is under the guise of countering "disinformation" (which is one of the stupidest words ever created to obfuscate "lie" and "propaganda"), but among the targets of these freedom fighters is the word rigged. So, for example, if you are on Twitter, reminiscing about the 2016 election, use phrases like "Hillary Clinton won the popular vote" or "Jill Stein is a Russian asset."

So comrades, keep your Russian assetness in check. I'm off to watch my re-education programs on CNN and MSNBC. Happy Iowa Caucus Day!

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Centaurea's picture

Unfortunately, it doesn't appear to be.

From the CNN link:

Both Republicans and foreign actors, like Russia, have an incentive to divide the American electorate and may try to use the Iowa Caucus to further that goal," the DNC wrote in a "counter disinformation update" sent to campaigns on Thursday.

Only Russia and Republicans would ever try to "divide the American electorate". Right. The DNC itself would never, ever do anything like that. Nuh uh, no way, pinky finger swear. ROFL

On Monday, it'll watch for misinformation about how and where to caucus. Variations of the word "rigged" had been loaded into system when CNN was shown it Saturday — attempts to undermine legitimate vote results using disinformation is something Democrats are watching out for.

Huh. We use the word "rigged" around C99 a lot. I myself have been known to talk about it a few *cough* times, here and on other social media. Looks like the DNC is on to us, Comrades.

Among the new weapons in the Democrats' online arsenal is a monitoring tool called "Trendolizer." When stories from websites known to peddle misinformation mention candidates and begin getting shares on social media, Trendolizer detects it and an alert is sent to the relevant campaigns.

"Trendolizer". ROFL

You can't make this stuff up.

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"Don't go back to sleep ... Don't go back to sleep ... Don't go back to sleep."
~Rumi

"If you want revolution, be it."
~Caitlin Johnstone

Cassiodorus's picture

@Centaurea

Both Republicans and foreign actors, like Russia, have an incentive to divide the American electorate

Unlike those true "loyalists" who would never, EVER, vote for Bernie Sanders if he were nominated.

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19 users have voted.

"The war on Gaza, backed by the West, is a demonstration that the West is willing to cross all lines. That it will discard any nuance of humanity. That it is willing to commit genocide" -- Moon of Alabama

@Centaurea because every time I tried to make a statement, the absurdity of it all overwhelmed me. This is real. This is what elections in America have come to in 2020.

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18 users have voted.
snoopydawg's picture

@Centaurea

People really believe that Vlad is hanging around twitter and the internet to find ways to disrupt the election. Again. One of the first replies to the tweet is that it helps Trump and Putin. Lots of likes on it.

Then there are these comments:

Could Julie Pillay be a Russian bot? From the comments it sure is plausible.

Putin is loving this diary. Just as he and his minions did in 2016, he’s figuring out how to exploit the minor distinctions within the Democratic Party to the fullest, in order to manipulate people into staying home.

This after scolding him for posting it the first place cuz Tlaib was wrong to boo the Hill cuz she owes her career to Her. (how? Who the hell knows)

If it wasn't for leaders of women such as HIllary Rodham Clinton these women wouldn't have the opportunity to showcase their rally skills on the national stage.

Huh?

bernie did this last time and the reason in part dems lost - he reluctantly ended his campaign and didn't convince his followers to support hillary. it is a form of trumpism.

Groan!

By the way...Bernie's not a Dem.

Don't forget that Neera said this just shows how Bernie's Bros are misogynists even though it was a woman of color who said it and Neera erased.

Don't forget folks, Her beat Bernie by 4 million votes even though 2 million weren't counted in California. New York kicked 200,000 Bernie voters off the voting rolls and who know where else that happened.

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Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.

@snoopydawg But that's not sexist at all....

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Only a fool lets someone else tell him who his enemy is. Assata Shakur

snoopydawg's picture

@lizzyh7

This isn't as bad as the one I posted in my Tlaib essay. A young black guy went on a profanity rant against all 3 women and it's very disgusting. Either he was paid to do or he hasn't paid any attention to Hillary's history of working against blacks and the poor.

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4 users have voted.

Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.

Not Henry Kissinger's picture

where the money from Bloomberg's $1M debate bribe buy-in went.

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20 users have voted.

The current working assumption appears to be that our Shroedinger's Cat system is still alive. But what if we all suspect it's not, and the real problem is we just can't bring ourselves to open the box?

Centaurea's picture

@Not Henry Kissinger

That thing's pretty pricey, I guess.

Seriously, it sounds like something out of a 1950s horror movie. Like the Tingler, or maybe one where flying saucers land on Earth. "Watch space aliens use their evil Trendolizer on innocent Americans and take over the world!"

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15 users have voted.

"Don't go back to sleep ... Don't go back to sleep ... Don't go back to sleep."
~Rumi

"If you want revolution, be it."
~Caitlin Johnstone

Not Henry Kissinger's picture

@Centaurea

With Neera leading the parade.

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13 users have voted.

The current working assumption appears to be that our Shroedinger's Cat system is still alive. But what if we all suspect it's not, and the real problem is we just can't bring ourselves to open the box?

Not Henry Kissinger's picture

@Centaurea @Centaurea

Hillary tries her hand at morale building.

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18 users have voted.

The current working assumption appears to be that our Shroedinger's Cat system is still alive. But what if we all suspect it's not, and the real problem is we just can't bring ourselves to open the box?

edg's picture

@Not Henry Kissinger

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8 users have voted.
Not Henry Kissinger's picture

@edg

It's also the DNC platform!

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16 users have voted.

The current working assumption appears to be that our Shroedinger's Cat system is still alive. But what if we all suspect it's not, and the real problem is we just can't bring ourselves to open the box?

Wally's picture

This article is the height of unmitigated gall given the cheap tricks typically played by Democratic Party hacks during primaries. Written by a Politico reporter assigned to the Biden campaign (she sure sounds like a surrogate though) claims that Berners have a scheme in place to essentially rig the Iowa Caucus.

Here are some snippets:

Sanders and his team have made clear their intention to tout the results of the first round of caucus voting Monday, even though the Iowa Democratic Party stresses that the only number that matters is the final delegate count.

And the evidence for this claim is what? And even if so, so what? Of course, there are a bunch of incendiary quotes from party hacks like this one:

“Everybody is playing by one set of rules except for Bernie,” said an aide with one of the competing campaigns. “They don’t really care if they disrupt it. They hate the Democratic Party. They hated them from four years ago, and they hate them now.”

. . . and:

Aides with two top-tier campaigns told POLITICO they worry the Sanders campaign or other pro-Sanders forces — which will be receiving unofficial precinct results from allies in real time — will disseminate that information through social media or publicly claim victory after the first vote, an act that could distort the eventual results in a variety of ways.

At least the article is somewhat informative in letting us know:

The party will, for the first time, disclose the results from the first two rounds of voting and the allotment of what are known as ‘state delegate equivalents.’ Major news organizations, including the Associated Press, have said they would declare the winner based on that final delegate count.

In previous caucus years, the Iowa Democratic Party has only provided the delegate counts. But this year, the party plans to release results of the first preference vote, a second realignment vote and the final delegate count, all at the same time.

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Centaurea's picture

@Wally
Bernie is on the Dem establishment's playing field, but he's turning it into his own playing field. And they know it.

They don’t really care if they disrupt it. 

No kidding. The purpose is to disrupt it. That's what happens in a political revolution.

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18 users have voted.

"Don't go back to sleep ... Don't go back to sleep ... Don't go back to sleep."
~Rumi

"If you want revolution, be it."
~Caitlin Johnstone

@Centaurea . We can win without disrupting. Disrupting just feeds into the "Bernie Bro" smear -- that is, it hurts Bernie's chances down the pike. It's self-sabotage.

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3 users have voted.

Lurking in the wings is Hillary, like some terrifying bat hanging by her feet in a cavern below the DNC. A bat with theropod instincts. -- Fred Reed https://tinyurl.com/vgvuhcl

Centaurea's picture

@laurel
doesn't have to involve violence. What Bernie's movement is about is disrupting the oligarchy's hold on the US. In order to do that, he has to disrupt the establishment's hold on the Dem party. We are disrupting the status quo.

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4 users have voted.

"Don't go back to sleep ... Don't go back to sleep ... Don't go back to sleep."
~Rumi

"If you want revolution, be it."
~Caitlin Johnstone

@Centaurea if you put it that way. Smile

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1 user has voted.

Lurking in the wings is Hillary, like some terrifying bat hanging by her feet in a cavern below the DNC. A bat with theropod instincts. -- Fred Reed https://tinyurl.com/vgvuhcl

WaterLily's picture

@Wally

publicly claim victory after the first vote, an act that could distort the eventual results in a variety of ways.

'Cause this is way worse than publicly claiming victory EVEN BEFORE an official count was made without ever actually counting the results.

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Anja Geitz's picture

@WaterLily

Of rigging the primary process? There are penalties for that you know? The Trendolizer sees all.

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13 users have voted.

There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier

Wally's picture

@WaterLily

My guess is that the Bernie caucus captains' result reports will differ from the official results.

I won't be surprised if some gooney guy is hired to put on a Bernie t-shirt and throw a chair at a stuntwoman Warren supporter in full view of reporters and cameras at a caucus site.

In any event, it's bound to be a circus at most caucus sites. A lot will depend on if Warren gets 15% on the first round. If not, where are her supporters going to be steered by her caucus captains? Where are the other candidates supporters going to to for the second round? I imagine most Tulsi and Yang supports will ally with Bernie. Maybe Steyer supporters too. But Butt's? Klobuchar's? And the rest?

That's why they are so afraid of the first round results getting publicity. Bernie will lead by a landslide on the first round.

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Wally's picture

@Wally

Straight up false allegations, heh?

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snoopydawg's picture

@Wally

Listen to some of Joe's old speeches and it's obvious that he is not the same person now. This isn't a dig about his mental state, but just an honest observation that Trump will take advantage of if he's the nominee. We all know it.

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3 users have voted.

Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.

allies in real time — will disseminate that information through social media..."

That's not at all what concerns them about Bernie's team getting data in real time. They are worried that they won't be able to cheat with impunity because there will be hard data in circulation to expose their fudged totals.
@Wally

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Raggedy Ann's picture

Small ones today. After today - DUCK!
Pleasantry

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14 users have voted.

"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11

@Raggedy Ann this is the kitchen sink!

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Raggedy Ann's picture

@Le Frog
I fear. Pleasantry

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8 users have voted.

"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11

Fionnsboy's picture

I wonder if one of those 'top tier' campaigns we heards from is Kopmala's? lol lol lol I simply CANNOT resist!

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13 users have voted.

Semper ubi sub ubi

@Fionnsboy Tulsi's, and possibly Andrew Yang's.

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dystopian's picture

Get the all new Trendolizer2020. Did your Hamilton68 Dashboard crash and burn? You need the all new Trendolizer2020. Was Prop or Not not enough BS for you? Did Correct the Record and Share Blue not correct or share anything? Try the Trendolizer2020. Does Bellingcat and the Institute of Statecraft sound too intimidating for you? Just watch the Trendolizer and it will tell you what to believe. You are getting very sleepy. Now a ministry of mysterious people will decide what is truth, you won't even have to think! Operators are standing by, order now! Get your Trendolizer2020.

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19 users have voted.

We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
both - Albert Einstein

@dystopian I couldn't believe that someone thought up "trendolizer" and other people approved it.

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lotlizard's picture

@Le Frog  
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ThingOMatic

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Hawkfish's picture

@dystopian

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3 users have voted.

We can’t save the world by playing by the rules, because the rules have to be changed.
- Greta Thunberg

snoopydawg's picture

@dystopian

Hamilton68 Dashboard crash and burn?
Was Prop or Not not enough BS for you?
Did Correct the Record and Share Blue not correct or share anything?
Does Bellingcat and the Institute of Statecraft sound too intimidating for you?

People put a lot of effort into creating them and I doubt that they just folded and went away. How many of them are still working behind the scenes? Did Brock sell his CtR trolls to Warren? I am betting that he did. Or created a new one since lots of the old crew are still bloviating on DK.

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7 users have voted.

Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.

@dystopian Would Trendolizer have found out Hillary's misinformation about Tulsi?

As for Russian trolls. Russiangaters have claimed that the Russians will post equally pro and con tweets on such subjects as BLM. How exactly is Trendolizer going to distinguish between the two.

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Anja Geitz's picture

Is it better to use a trendolizer on beef or pork?

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12 users have voted.

There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier

edg's picture

@Anja Geitz

Will you be serving red or white wine with that trenderized meat?

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WaterLily's picture

@edg Clearly.

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Not Henry Kissinger's picture

Basically a clipping service for trending news items.

There is also a Trendolizer PRO paid service that allows better filtering, but despite its Jetsons sounding name, it's not like the Trendolizer is any new Dr. Strangelove type infotech.

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8 users have voted.

The current working assumption appears to be that our Shroedinger's Cat system is still alive. But what if we all suspect it's not, and the real problem is we just can't bring ourselves to open the box?

Hawkfish's picture

@Not Henry Kissinger

To hook something up to the Twitter API to flag a few terms/tags. Even basic sentiment analysis is out of the box these days. I bet Team Bernie could throw one of these together in a few days of serious hacking. I’m heading off the grid for a few weeks (bad timing I know) but if this is still a thing when I get back I’ll see if I can shake the tree a bit.

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We can’t save the world by playing by the rules, because the rules have to be changed.
- Greta Thunberg

earthling1's picture

But "counter disinformation update" has sent me to the bar for a good stiff drink.

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5 users have voted.

Neither Russia nor China is our enemy.
Neither Iran nor Venezuela are threatening America.
Cuba is a dead horse, stop beating it.