Now the spin’s in and Putin denies

President Donald Trump brought up Russian interference in the 2016 campaign with Russian President Vladimir Putin during their much-anticipated meeting on Friday at the G20 meeting in Germany, according to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. After Putin denied that Russia ran a covert operation to subvert the US election, Trump agreed to “move forward” and even to collaborate on cybersecurity, said Tillerson, who had been in the room. But Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who also attended the meeting, claimed that Trump accepted Putin’s assertion that Russia didn’t meddle in the election.

 
[…]
 

US intelligence agencies agree that Putin oversaw a concerted Russian effort to interfere in the 2016 election in order to help Trump defeat Hillary Clinton. Russian-backed hackers broke into email accounts of Democratic National Committee and Clinton campaign officials and then used Wikileaks to release emails designed to damage Clinton, the agencies concluded. Russians also created fake social media accounts to support Trump’s messaging and probed local election systems in at least 21 states, US officials say.

 

Trump has waffled on whether he accepts these conclusions, even as he faults former President Barack Obama for failing to do more to prevent Russian hacking.

 

Trump Raises Russian Interference With Putin
But Says It’s Time to Move On

Mother Jones

 


 

Now the spin’s in and Putin denies
interference… wow, what a surprise!
With the POTUS on board
and in perfect accord,
he rejects his own intel for lies.

© 2017 Susan Eckenrode

It’s apparent there’s now no disputin’

“A Russian government-controlled think tank had outlined plans on how to swing the 2016 U.S. election toward Donald Trump, according to a Reuters report Thursday. New documents reveal a strategy of using social media to bolster Mr. Trump and undermine faith in America’s electoral system. ”

 

Russian think tank planned to influence the U.S. election, new documents reveal
PBS News Hour

 


 

It’s apparent there’s now no disputin’
that a think tank enabled by Putin
launched a devious plan
promoting a man
whose primary interest is lootin’.

© 2017 Susan E. Eckenrode

 


Is the Donald beholden to Putin?

“It is not Putin who is desperate for a deal but Trump. His administration has run up hard against the realities of the US Constitution. No matter how much swagger and bombast you have, you must abide by the law, otherwise the courts block you. And you can’t pass legislation without Congress.”

Trump needs Putin more than Putin needs Trump
Edward Lucas, Opinion, CNN


Is the Donald beholden to Putin?
Well intelligence agents are rootin’
for proof of connection
from before the election
to those Russians that Putin keeps shootin’.

© 2017 Lily Beth Baker


 

The Donald so friendly with Putin

President Trump, and his presidential campaign, have issued at least 20 denials of campaign officials’ communications with and connections with Russian officials. Here’s a listing of their denials beginning over the summer:

Trump team issued at least 20 denials of contacts with Russia
USA Today

 


 

The Donald so friendly with Putin
A connection he keeps on disputin’
Just show us the taxes
Cos hiding these facts is
Convincing the country you lootin’!

© Sandra Melville, 2017

 


 

What’s up with his old pals in Russia?


Democratic Congressman Eric Swalwell has launched a website to document the personal, social and business connections between the Russian government and members of the Trump administration — and the threats of such links to U.S. interests.

In an interview Thursday, the East Bay congressman called it a “living, breathing guide to what is happening” and noted that the site is evolving along with the story.

Swalwell, ranking member of the CIA Subcommittee of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, also is calling for an independent, bipartisan commission to probe the extent and nature of ties between the Trump administration and Russia.

 -The Mercury News


 

Well, Putin is licking his chops,
delighted with all the fine props
trump’s throwing his way…
a full on display
of ignorant, mendacious sops.

© Susan E. Eckenrode, 2017

Yes, ole Putin is locked on his mark,
and for him our fiasco’s a lark.
He’ll call it a win
by creating a din
that could snuff out democracy’s spark.

© Lily Beth Baker, 2017


 

The one thing that gets him to gushin’

“The latest sign of Trump’s infatuation is his refusal to accept the conclusion of the U.S. intelligence community that Russian state-sponsored hackers meddled in our election — a risky and provocative operation that could have been authorized only by Vladimir Putin.”

Why does Trump go googly-eyed for Putin?
The Washington Post

 


The one thing that gets him to gushin’
And turns his fake tan into blushin’
Is across the great blue,
Where Palin can view:
He’s crushin’ on someone who’s Russian.

© Colleen Anderson, 2017

He’s crushin’ on someone who’s Russian
but Putin’s preparing a hushin’.
He knows trump’s a fool
but such a grand tool
to help the bear’s beasties to rush in!

© Susan Elizabeth, 2017