With unfair elections and ‘barbaric’ militarism, the U.S. reclaims its spot as the Kremlin’s greatest adversary
Russia’s Sunday news audience spent more
than a third of its evening hearing about the United States, with
stories focused mostly on the U.S. presidential election, framed as the
story of sinister and corrupt Hillary Clinton standing in the way of the
modest underdog, billionaire Donald Trump. America’s military presence
in the Middle East didn’t go unnoticed, either; state TV channels
reminded viewers at home that Washington has pursued barbaric, failed
policies in war-torn areas throughout the region.
Corrupt Hillary to Win Unfair U.S. Elections
This
Sunday, Russia’s state television shows once again came down hard on Hillary
Clinton. The country’s flagship news show, Vesti Nedeli
(“Weekly News”), hosted by the Kremlin’s so-called “chief propagandist,”
Dmitry Kiselyov, was generous enough to devote 27 minutes — out of a
total 92 minutes of airtime — to exposing Clinton and America’s
“stinking” democracy.
“First,
it has been the dirtiest election campaign in the history of the United States.
Everything turned out to stink so hideously that what the United States calls ‘democracy’ now prompts nothing but
disgust,” Kiselyov said. “Secondly, the new president of the
United States will be a lame duck from day one. The threat of impeachment
will hang over whomever takes the White House.”
In
the course of the race, Trump “inflicted wounds on Hillary Clinton
that no politician can survive,” the presenter said.
Only
a few minutes of rather muted coverage were devoted to Trump himself.
Kiselyov mentioned that Trump had threatened to sue Clinton after the
election was over, and that one of his campaign promises was not to
interfere in other countries’ affairs or “dethrone regimes,” an
accusation that the Kremlin has repeatedly leveled at U.S authorities.
After that, Kiselyov turned to Clinton.
a few minutes of rather muted coverage were devoted to Trump himself.
Kiselyov mentioned that Trump had threatened to sue Clinton after the
election was over, and that one of his campaign promises was not to
interfere in other countries’ affairs or “dethrone regimes,” an
accusation that the Kremlin has repeatedly leveled at U.S authorities.
After that, Kiselyov turned to Clinton.
Not
only has Clinton had a “paid meeting” with bankers, she promised to
“have their backs,” the presenter claimed. She also told them that
“politics is like making sausages,” the anchor said with outrage. Only
38 percent of Americans trust Clinton, he said, which means “even her
allies understand how two-faced she is,” at least according
to Kiselyov’s logic.
only has Clinton had a “paid meeting” with bankers, she promised to
“have their backs,” the presenter claimed. She also told them that
“politics is like making sausages,” the anchor said with outrage. Only
38 percent of Americans trust Clinton, he said, which means “even her
allies understand how two-faced she is,” at least according
to Kiselyov’s logic.
The
presenter also maintained that Clinton’s leaked emails make her subject
to FBI investigation, meaning that treason charges are not out of the
question, Kiselyov said. This
supposedly makes Hillary “furious.” “It looked like the annoyance of a
pickpocket who was unhappy about the fact that he had been caught,” the anchor said, adding that the Clinton Foundation received donations from Qatar, “and who knows who else.”
presenter also maintained that Clinton’s leaked emails make her subject
to FBI investigation, meaning that treason charges are not out of the
question, Kiselyov said. This
supposedly makes Hillary “furious.” “It looked like the annoyance of a
pickpocket who was unhappy about the fact that he had been caught,” the anchor said, adding that the Clinton Foundation received donations from Qatar, “and who knows who else.”
“Clinton is at the top of a corruption pyramid,” Kiselyov told his audience, also warning that her aide Huma
Abedin has ties to the Muslim Brotherhood extremist organization.
Clinton’s relationship with Abedin, moreover, “might be more than a
professional one,” Kiselyov’s TV show said ambiguously, allowing
viewers’ minds to wander.
Abedin has ties to the Muslim Brotherhood extremist organization.
Clinton’s relationship with Abedin, moreover, “might be more than a
professional one,” Kiselyov’s TV show said ambiguously, allowing
viewers’ minds to wander.
Channel
One’s Voskresnoye Vremya (“The Times on Sunday”) devoted only a little
less time to the elections and Clinton: just 22 out of 108 minutes of
its total air time. It took pretty much the same approach as Vesti Nedeli, painting Clinton as the race’s main villain. The program, too, mentioned a contribution from Qatar, Huma Abedin’s ties to the Muslim Brotherhood (with a quote from Trump, accusing Clinton of contributing to creating the Islamic State terrorist organization), and, obviously, Clinton’s emails.
One’s Voskresnoye Vremya (“The Times on Sunday”) devoted only a little
less time to the elections and Clinton: just 22 out of 108 minutes of
its total air time. It took pretty much the same approach as Vesti Nedeli, painting Clinton as the race’s main villain. The program, too, mentioned a contribution from Qatar, Huma Abedin’s ties to the Muslim Brotherhood (with a quote from Trump, accusing Clinton of contributing to creating the Islamic State terrorist organization), and, obviously, Clinton’s emails.
“It
may become a huge problem for her, if she becomes the president
tomorrow,” host Valery Fadeyev said. “An inauguration that slowly turns
into an impeachment — who’s to say it won’t happen?” a reporter in a
segment devoted to Clinton added. “Congress [could] accuse Clinton of
treason, or — in another option — of accidental treason.”
may become a huge problem for her, if she becomes the president
tomorrow,” host Valery Fadeyev said. “An inauguration that slowly turns
into an impeachment — who’s to say it won’t happen?” a reporter in a
segment devoted to Clinton added. “Congress [could] accuse Clinton of
treason, or — in another option — of accidental treason.”
Unlike Vesti Nedeli, Voskresnoye Vremya said almost nothing about about the U.S. electoral system and how it contributes to the overall unfairness of the 2016 elections. The
show only quoted Trump’s statements about potential rigging and
concluded that elections in the U.S., together with its famous concept
of democracy, are a sham.
show only quoted Trump’s statements about potential rigging and
concluded that elections in the U.S., together with its famous concept
of democracy, are a sham.
The show bashed Clinton, saying
she was put forward as a candidate by “the American establishment,”
referring to the “billionaires and multi-billionaires who continue to
pump money” into the foundations and organizations connected to the
Clinton family.
she was put forward as a candidate by “the American establishment,”
referring to the “billionaires and multi-billionaires who continue to
pump money” into the foundations and organizations connected to the
Clinton family.
Both Vesti Nedeli and Voskresnoye Vremya cited Julian Assange, the notorious founder of Wikileaks who is rumored to have ties to the Kremlin, as a trustworthy expert on Clinton’s email leaks.
U.S. Hackers: Cyber-Terrorism or Hysteria?
Unsurprisingly,
both shows devoted several minutes to the recent NBC report claiming
the U.S. government hackers are prepared to attack the targets in
Russia. Both shows quoted Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova, who responded to the report by accusing Washington of “cyberterrorism.”
both shows devoted several minutes to the recent NBC report claiming
the U.S. government hackers are prepared to attack the targets in
Russia. Both shows quoted Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova, who responded to the report by accusing Washington of “cyberterrorism.”
Kiselyov agreed with her definition, but argued that Moscow couldn’t
care less. “Naturally, the Kremlin decided not to get involved in this
nonsense,” he said. Fadeyev from Voskresnoye Vremya used a different
term: “cyber-hysteria.”
care less. “Naturally, the Kremlin decided not to get involved in this
nonsense,” he said. Fadeyev from Voskresnoye Vremya used a different
term: “cyber-hysteria.”
“[In
the course of the U.S. election campaign] everyone has actively
speculated about Russian hackers that were hacking everything and
staging hoaxes about Clinton. Here’s a final touch to this
cyber-hysteria: an anonymous law enforcement official told a TV channel
that the U.S. now has a secret cyber-weapon,” Fadeyev said. “This is how
a PR campaign could lead to actual aggressive moves.”
the course of the U.S. election campaign] everyone has actively
speculated about Russian hackers that were hacking everything and
staging hoaxes about Clinton. Here’s a final touch to this
cyber-hysteria: an anonymous law enforcement official told a TV channel
that the U.S. now has a secret cyber-weapon,” Fadeyev said. “This is how
a PR campaign could lead to actual aggressive moves.”
Russia as Good Cop in the Middle East
Neither
show missed the opportunity to remind viewers how much better Russia is
at helping out war-torn countries, and both programs featured in-depth
reports about Moscow’s humanitarian efforts in Aleppo.
show missed the opportunity to remind viewers how much better Russia is
at helping out war-torn countries, and both programs featured in-depth
reports about Moscow’s humanitarian efforts in Aleppo.
Vesti
Nedeli pointed out that cooperation with the U.S. in Syria has proved
ineffective. “Until recently, [Russia’s Defense Minister Sergei] Shoigu
believed that constructive cooperation with the West was possible in
Syria. Now, he is deeply disappointed. […] He is becoming more
confident that the West is fighting Russia in Syria, and not the
terrorists,” Kiselyov said.
Nedeli pointed out that cooperation with the U.S. in Syria has proved
ineffective. “Until recently, [Russia’s Defense Minister Sergei] Shoigu
believed that constructive cooperation with the West was possible in
Syria. Now, he is deeply disappointed. […] He is becoming more
confident that the West is fighting Russia in Syria, and not the
terrorists,” Kiselyov said.
Voskresnoye
Vremya echoed the sentiment, with Fadeyev saying, “Russia tried to
create a coalition [with Washington]. We tried to talk the Americans
into it, and it would have avoided so many casualties. But the Americans
are not up for cooperation.”
Vremya echoed the sentiment, with Fadeyev saying, “Russia tried to
create a coalition [with Washington]. We tried to talk the Americans
into it, and it would have avoided so many casualties. But the Americans
are not up for cooperation.”
Both
channels aired lots of footage from Syrian hospitals, showing injured
children, bloody wounds, and even dead bodies, emphasizing the
seriousness of the situation on the ground. Voskresnoye Vremya included a
long segment about the American-led operation in the Iraqi city of
Mosul, pointing at barbaric – and allegedly ineffective – methods the
U.S. military is reportedly using in the region.
channels aired lots of footage from Syrian hospitals, showing injured
children, bloody wounds, and even dead bodies, emphasizing the
seriousness of the situation on the ground. Voskresnoye Vremya included a
long segment about the American-led operation in the Iraqi city of
Mosul, pointing at barbaric – and allegedly ineffective – methods the
U.S. military is reportedly using in the region.
American
political interests are more important than human lives, Fadeyev
concluded, more or less summarizing the evening’s main message: the
United States is evil, and it will remain the Kremlin’s adversary for
the foreseeable future.
political interests are more important than human lives, Fadeyev
concluded, more or less summarizing the evening’s main message: the
United States is evil, and it will remain the Kremlin’s adversary for
the foreseeable future.
