Teri Kanefield

8/ The Mueller report, pp. 67-173 documented numerous instances of “links and or coordination” between Russians close to Putin and the Trump campaign. Trump Tower Moscow was in the works (67-80)

9/ Papadopolous (pp. 80-95) met the prof. & two Russian nationals. He pursued relations with Russians and kept the campaign informed about his outreach. Carter Page (95-103) touted his “high level contacts in Russia,” traveled to Russia and cultivated those (and more) contacts.

17/ Sept. 27, 2019: Giuliani had been planning to appear at a Kremlin-backed conference when the Ukraine scandal broke. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/giuliani-set-to-make-paid-appearance-next-week-at-kremlin-backed-conference/2019/09/27/a15ab242-e133-11e9-8dc8-498eabc129a0_story.html … That $1 million Lev Parnas lied about indicates that the Russians actually funded Operation Ukraine Shakedown.

18/ Now for the real meat: A GOP defense of Trump in the Impeachment debates that isn’t getting enough attention. Trump’s GOP defenders threw out lots of garbage but buried in all that yelling was an important strand that was easy to miss.

19/ On multiple occasions, Trump's GOP defenders said Trump was justified in launching Operation Ukraine because there was solid evidence that Ukraine interfered in our election and that the Russian investigation was a hoax, so (to use Jim Jordan’s word, Trump was "ticked."

21/ The diplomats made clear that America was (and should be) on Ukraine’s side against Russia, which was the right thing to do for Ukraine and in America’s foreign policy best interests. Then, on day 2 of the impeachment debate, Matt Gaetz made the comment that stuck with me.

22/ A word about the theory that the entire GOP is compromised and that's why they defend Russia. The problem in that sentence is causation Of course they're compromised: The Kompromat is the evidence Russia has that they take Russian help and do Russia's bidding.

23/ In other words, there may be a mistake in thinking that they defend Russia BECAUSE they are compromised. This gives them too much credit. It assumes that if they were not compromised, the wouldn't be siding with Russia.

24/ I suggest that a significant portion of the GOP is "looking to Russia with hopeful eyes" as the savior of the "white Christian race", and a way to fight what they see as the "myth of multiculturalism and deranged diversity" gripping America and the West.

25/ https://twitter.com/MandyTyler76/status/1205965887611850752 … A few people asked me. I won't know until next week. The person is someone I know professionally and isn't a Trump supporter. @TimothyDSnyder commented that for a lot of people, it's hard to pull it all together. We've been so bombarded with news.

26/ Repetition allowed "her emails," —a made-up scanda—to sink so deeply into the public consciousness that even people who knew there was no crime felt a nagging doubt. On the other hand, when real scandals come rapid-fire, it's hard to integrate them and see the big picture.

Yes, exactly. The GOP democraphics are shrinking. That's why they're desperate. https://twitter.com/4AnimalLife/status/1205969699210743808 … That's also why my volunteer work this year is for voter protection groups.

Yes to this, too https://twitter.com/TheOddPantry/status/1205977739603271680 … The "base" is willing to allow Trump and pals to cheat, and monopolize the hydrocarbon industry because there is something the base wants more than economic advancement: They want a hierarchy with white (Christians) at the top.

The "again" in MAGA signifies a return to the time when America was ruled by white (Christian) males. This whole diversity thing and "equality for all" didn't really get started until after 1954 (Brown v Board) which is when the backlash started. We're riding that backlash.