> the scope and impact remain to be determined. That’s the thing with all this. We have abundant evidence that Russia has been running an ongoing destabilizat

> the scope and impact remain to be determined. That’s the thing with all this. We have abundant evidence that Russia has been running an ongoing destabilization campaign trying to create noise and amplify divisive messages and political movements. What we don’t know and perhaps can’t know is how effective it is. Would Trump have won in 2016 without Russia? My sense is probably so because he tapped into a deep well of resentment that was already there, but we can’t do the experiment. This kind of propaganda is most effective when it can find wounds in which to smear salt. They’re not creating our divisions, just trying to use them. I feel like this focus on Russia is a way for a lot of people in power to avoid looking in the mirror and asking themselves why people are disappointed and angry and therefore so susceptible to this stuff.