This fake website is more evidence that this is an awful political environment to be dealing with when we are faced with such threats as the climate crisis. Never before perhaps has the country needed to pull together to deal with such a threat but how is this possible with right wing extremists having gone so far to the right that they actually deny the evidence produced by science as if this were the Soviet Union? They have elected a president who makes up his own facts on the fly and calls the press the enemy of the people.
13
Unsurprisingly an acquaintance of Donald Trump attempts to destroy the credibility of his rivals. Does Mr Trump consider it as promoting fake news? Possibly not. Trump has a serious problem accepting anyone who challenges him. Destroying them on the other hand appears easy to him. However, that only goes to show that hypocrisy is alive and well in the Trump administration. Yet, how and why so many are in awe remains a mystery. Like every great pretender he will inevitably fall, I just hope he doesn't take too many good people with him.
7
Mr. Mauldin is an opportunist and traitor. I don’t buy that he is a democrat. There should be an investigation on who is the paymaster. A true democrat could never be involved in such a low act. As a nation, we are challenged. Republicans under the morally bankrupt McConnell is cementing every corner to ensure that the Republicans remain in power for ever. The con man child bully has appointed 125 federal judges for life and the selections were not based on merit rather on gross incompetence, loyalty to paymasters. These appointments have huge impact on our future and more impactful than winning Congress or White House. Look at what happened last week with gerrymandering. These judges will make all criminal activities by the crooks legitimate and we will function as Russia or China or Venezuela. Con man will fill all judiciary branches with hundreds if he gets reelected in 2020 and that will be death nail for our great nation. Voting right, justice, equality will be gone because of those corrupt judges. People like Mauldin are the worst political creatures whose only goal is to create division and confusion among us so that the worst corrupt leader in the entire nation get reelected. Shame on him and his alike. Democrats wake up.
12
I dunno ... this particular site seems pretty harmless. It's not difficult to see where it's a joke, and the assertions are not a close call that would trick people. It doesn't seem sinister, as implied -- it's just not for Biden! But, omg, no -- the horror!
10
When will the-democrat learn they may have to play dirty . The GOP has no issue with doing everything that is necessary
5
Look up sleaze in the dictionary, and there is a picture of Donald Trump.
This won’t be the last of his dark arts and malicious manipulation, I venture.
5
This confirms my suspicions about the ONION.
the ONION, Harvard, Crimson, red, communists, KGB, Putin. Always knew it. Keep up the good work!
3
Election information and misinformation are coming from not only from parodies and satirical sites but also from foreign countries.
Trump should begin to worry that China might do to him what Russia did to Hillary Clinton's campaign.
3
I haven’t looked at the site. But is it that much different than The Onion?
It’s often a good thing to lighten up and have at least a little bit of a sense of humor about ourselves. Even if we have to wince a bit sometimes at the truth of something about ourselves.
And I think Warren should have a particularly easy time dealing with the Pocahontas thing. She just believed what her parents or grandparents told her about family history. That’s the normal way of things, it’s generally admirable to believe your parents about past family history, and it’s not the sort of fact you can easily research yourself.
Trump, on the other hand, had an opportunity to compare what his mentors told him about the ways of the world as it is with his own experiences, and decide for himself the extent to which his mentors were right about the way things are in modern America and the best way to approach life.
3
The republicans hugging our flag need a vacation from democracy it seems. Blue states should give it to red states. Let the center of this country build walls around their states with religious guards manning the towers.
A bible in one hand, a gun in the other and Trump as your only leader and messiah, a true anti-Christ in all ways. And only Fox News 24/7 so you can live happily ever after until the rapture.
Though we will allow immigration. You can tariff the rest of us so you can keep jobs in your states.
In fact since you want Trump family so much and enjoy the law for the poor while ignoring it for the powerful just ask your republicans to break away from blue states. You obviously hate the rest of the country. Just leave we don’t want you and you don’t want us.
6
The best defense against fake news is self-defense. We can't stop trolls from distributing disinformation, but we can refuse to participate. Please, please, please, validate before you share these memes. https://madsociologistblog.com/2016/11/26/countering-the-faking-fakers-who-fake-the-news/
2
After watching Trump’s love fests this week with murderers Putin, MBS and Kim Jong-un, even as he called for the elimination of independent journalists, joked about foreign cyberattacks on our democracy, and is preparing for his gross subversion of the Fourth of July and the enlightenment values of our nation’s founders into a celebration of himself a la Hitler in Nuremberg, I no longer think it’s hyperbole to call Trump a traitor. A sick and dangerous one at that.
It’s also no longer crazy to think the 2020 election will be stolen for Trump - thanks in part to Russian and North Korean cyber warriors and Saudi money, as well as cyber savvy operatives here in the U.S. funded by Trump loving billionaires. If it isn’t stolen, it might be blown up with cyber attacks that make any outcome impossible to determine.
So, whatever his/her imperfections and stumbles, any Democratic candidate for the presidency is vastly superior to the corrupt, Constitution-shredding Twitter troll in the WH.
Will this overarching reality be lost in petty fault finding aimed at Democrats, like the fake candidate websites put up by the Trump campaign? Probably.
8
these sites are hilarious parody. they are closer to "daily report" than "russian disinfo".
of course they may influence some voters. is it news that voters are easily influenced? -- i mean, so long as the influence affirms their already held beliefs?
i could quibble, sure. i could quibble that a political system that treats "debates" as beauty contests, sees elections as boxing matches, calculates every government determination in the partisan win/loss columns, is both feckless and pathetic.
but then i'd have to ponder ... hmm, maybe it's not the government, maybe it's the reporting!
naw ... it's the government.
well, laugh now. a decade from now, when your air conditioner is broken on the fourth 115º summer day in a row, and you put grandma in the bathtub to keep her from dying of heat prostration, you'll ask yourself:
why was i laughing, when i should have been speaking out about climate change?
8
The fake Biden websites may be humorous, may state it’s not the real site , etc. but the underlying purpose is to belittle, to confuse, discredit, etc.....misinformation is rampant and low IQ voters ( trump’s favorite) will believe anything they see online.
7
I'm sorry...but...why would "any Bernie Sanders supporter" have their heart warmed my GIF's of Biden touching girls?
What exactly are you saying about Sander's supporters?
I stopped reading the article in the second paragraph.
5
As creative as this guy is supposed to be, it's odd he has never found a productive hobby.
3
Color me shocked (shocked!) that a republican would seek to mislead the public
4
Any chance you could help us with links to Trump parody websites? There must be some.
1
This author seems upset that the truth is being put on display because that truth makes Biden look bad.
Interesting isn't it?
9
“in terms that would warm the heart of any Bernie Sanders supporter”
Note: I am NOT a Bernie Sanders supporter but Mr. Rosenberg I do resent this obnoxious phrasing. Why can’t you just write and report without such unnecessary and decisive (and false) slights?
And this is the New York Times which supposedly has some standards. Oy vey.
4
You guys just can't resist taking a shot at Sanders supporters, can you?
2
Another that article that's trying to claim that people aren't allowed to do satire on Democrats or it's like Russian disinformation. There is zero attempt to make those sites look like the official campaign page. They are all obvious satire.
This is a goofy article that should be removed.
3
Mr. Maudlin: Aggies do not lie, cheat or steal. You should not be proud.
People keep their names off things like this because they are too cowardly to identify themselves.
3
The absolute dishonesty and unethical behavior that goes on seems unavoidable. The slimy people who are drawn to this work are precisely the ones we don't need. Yet there they are, with all of their hateful and non constructive will to do just what they are doing. Do people who have been treated badly or abused in childhood seem drawn to politics so that they can redirect all of their hate to others?
This is appalling and yet unsurprising coming from the campaign of a man who just joked about campaign meddling with the architect of Russian interference in our last election. We are dealing with a president and his staff who are devoid of morals, ethics or standards.
3
You mean there are people out there that actually seek out a presidential candidates web site? How funny!
1
It's not disinformation if it's true.
4
If people get their “trusted” news from social media then, alas, they deserve all they get. It’s truly amazing how naive we have become. THINK people!
1
I just visited the joebiden.info website. It's well-done, and unfortunately for Mr. Biden, truthful. It captures all his worst, or regressive, votes in Congress, some gaffes, and his "handsy-ness", which is kind of creepy.
I could not find the sites produced by Mauldin for Elizabeth Warren or Bernie Sanders, however, did find the site devoted to Kamala Harris. It was fact-based, like Biden's, but lacked punch.
Unfortunately for Biden, Mauldin's fake site for him has many unseemly truths.
Biden's definitely not my candidate, due to his voting record and his bizarre lack of ideas, programs or budgets, should he become President. Dropping Obama's name and saying, "I'm not Trump" is not enough. The handsy-ness is creepy, but not a disqualifier.
Interfering with fair elections by spreading lies about candidates is abhorrent, taking advantage of Americans who choose to receive their information in sound bytes.
Mauldin's selective transmission of factual information gives viewers a skewed and incomplete picture of candidates. He is lying by omission.
3
This is good investigative journalism in tracking down the owner of this site who tried to hide behind anonymity, registering his domain through an anonymous proxy service.
There are far too many of these anonymously registered websites spreading disinformation.There's far too much of this on social media too, where there's an endless supply of memes containing disinformation, lies, misleading and hateful comments spread by untraceable groups.
Regrettably, too many people can't tell the difference between these and reliable news sources, and keep falling for these disingenuous sources over and over again.
Please, NYT, let's expose the owners of more of these anonymous sources of deceit.
4
Every year politics gets more....swampy. I really wish that as a nation we could relearn fair play and compromise.
If it’s not obvious, let’s make it clear: the people who run these and similar sites are hoping for a payday, and know the right wing is ripe and ready for picking (deep pockets).
The word pathetic comes to mind, but, hey, I’m sure they’re on their game.
Nasty.
1
This site is so obviously a parody, and those claiming it to be misleading are themselves being misleading.
5
If the Republicans want to fight dirty, I think it's time the Democrat strategists start fighting dirty with Donald Trump.
Where are these campaign ads?
What's in Trump's income taxes that he's afraid to show the American people?
Let's discuss the federally-confirmed fraud that was the Donald J. Trump Foundation.
Let's go into his buddy-buddying with Putin and Kim Jong Un.
He condemned Obama for taking golfing trips, and he's taken more.
Let's look at his businesses bankruptcies and the drop in bookings in his hotel chain.
He agreed to sever himself from his Trump hotel business once he became president, but did not.
Let's talk about his trade war with China and others that's killing the American farmer and his "printing money in the basement" to pay for it.
Let's go into how good the American economy was in Obama's last term and how Trump inherited that.
He promised to put American coal miners back to work.. those coal miners are still out of work.
Let's go into his pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal without a clear plan to replace it, and how Iran is close to testing nuclear weapons again....
Trump promised to eliminate the federal debt in 8 months, now we're 22 TRILLION dollars in debt, the most it's ever been.
Two words... emoluments clause.
I could go on, but the NYT has a limit on typed characters.
If the Republicans want to play dirty, the Democrats better get in the game.. this "take the high road" stuff ain't gonna work in this election.
Let's get on with it.
4
I truly think it would be best for all of us Democrats to tune everything out - even the debates - until it comes time to vote. Yes, you must have a favorite to vote in a primary or attend a caucus so do enough work to figure that out. And then ignore it all again - including the president's lies and nonsense - until November 2020 and then vote D in every race you can vote for on your ballot. Vote D from president on down to dogcatcher.
You don't even have to think (except for the primary).
I'm ready to turn it all off because the lies and the fakery is just too much to bear. I'm afraid if people pay too much attention then they will just decide to 'drop out' from the 2020 completely. And that would be the end of America.
Republicans can't win so they know they have to cheat and lie and grift. And now that we have a Grifter-in-Chief who does nothing but lie ("Obama begged Kim for a meeting" is the latest one to make me sick to my stomach), it will make us all sick.
Protect yourselves. And vote.
4
I would think you could easily disrupt Patrick Mauldin's campaign by orchestrating a non-criminal distributed-denial-of-service attack or DDoS. Essentially you bombard the fake website with traffic such that it fails. If the website doesn't fail, you've made the task of distributing misinformation much more difficult and expensive. A victory in itself.
It's not a violation of the first amendment if the web publisher's servers can't handle the traffic you throw at the website. It's akin to having a popular store without enough doors for people to enter or exit safely. The digital equivalent of the black Friday mob. Done properly, there's nothing illegal about it. With a distributed attack, the courts won't sort out the problem until the election is over anyway. The plaintiff's arguments are moot.
If conservatives are using bad-faith and possibly illegal tactics to disrupt elections, there's no reason to shy away from retaliating in kind. We didn't ask for a war. However, if the other side is prosecuting a war against us, we have the right to respond proportionately to the violation. Consider a DDoS the castle law of campaign integrity.
1
Impersonation on line is a threat to democracy regardless of citizenship. For example, Buzzfeed reported last December that Facebook has shut down an account that had been registered in the name of Bartolo Fuentes, the Honduran ex-legislator who has been active in supporting Central American refugees. The account was created in October, 2018 and promoted the migrant caravan that ultimately was both the closing argument and get out the vote theme for Trump Republicans in the run-up to the mid-terms.
The account stated that Fuentes and Pueblo sin Fronteras were organizers of the caravan and would be supporting the caravan every inch of the way. They did NOT support the caravan, as it obviously would benefit Donald Trump in the mid-terms; although, although once the reality of the caravan set in, both Fuentes and Pueblo win Fronteras did try to support the migrants as much as they could.
Mid-October, he number of refugees in Honduras with an interest in migrating north jumped from 160 to several thousand. Then, as Trump and FOX began to dominate the news-sphere with references to the caravan being an "invasion," numbers grew to almost 7,000.
And those numbers have not decreased since October. Whoever lit the fire under that caravan either could not or would not put it out. Whoever impersonated Fuentes, I would argue, was the proximate cause of the tsunami of asylum seekers we see today.
Facebook will not divulge any information absent a subpoena.
So why aren't any democrats doing the same? Stop with the class act. It's not winning any elections. Fight disinformation with disinformation. Actually though, spreading disinformation about the GOP would make it sound better than it actually is.
Obviously, we are in a new era with the internet and a worldwide web that offers truths and untruths. Like it or not, it's each one's responsibility to separate the chaff from the grain, and to use our own critical thinking skills and research to determine a candidate's integrity.
It's a given that Russia, and perhaps China, will give an assist to Trump once again, especially since he supports it. I agree with former President Carter, Trump is an illegitimate president who was elected partially by Russian propaganda and disinformation. It will be worse in the 2020 election until a president resides in office that treats cycbersecurity as a danger to the very welfare of our democracy.
2
So in America today, the way to win elections is to make up stuff.
Basically, since the Democrats would not run something equivalent to Fox News, the Republicans decided they would do that work for them right? How generous ...
Actually coming up with ideas to make the country and world better is hard work and apparently it's too hard for some people right Mr. Pascale and Mauldin? It is always easier to destroy than to create.
So why are the democratic leaders not responding in kind? I’m fairly certain that trumps children were actually born out of wedlock and as such don’t deserve security protection. And shouldn’t his wife be investigated for fraud or is trump the perpetrator of the fraud and quite possibly a violation of the Mann act?
This is why is VERY important to teach and educate about digital literacy. Not only how to create a website, deal with data and work with algorhythms, but to be aware of disinformation, where the resources from an article are coming and how to be sure that what you are reading is based on facts and supportive content. There are always small traces on this kind of websites that let you know they are not truth, but you need to know where to look for. Usually, there are no nuances or credible sources, but unless the public knows that, is a lost case against Facebook and Google search in the virtual geography.
1
All this does for me is reaffirm why, for the remainder of my life, I will avoid any kind of relationship, business or otherwise, with a Republican.
3
Aren’t all the “fake” websites and Facebook and Twitter and other Internet-based media really just electronic forms of things previously put into newspaper, radio and television ads which could be just as deceiving. And prior to that mailbox stuffers and town criers and billboards. Like beauty being a function of the eye of the beholder, truth must be a function of the brain of the thinker. I Wonder what Marshall McLuhan would say about this if the medium is really still the message or not.
1
I think this is the perfect example of why internet is a useless way to find any honest information about a political person. It's now a playground of misinformation. Look around you in the street, bus, car, subway. It's almost funny to see how people are glued to their electronic devises, and how easily they gob up all the "breaking news." Coucou, anyone real out there in the USA?
1
I would also like to know if these websites amount to illegal campaign contributions. There's a small cost of hosting them, but they can have a much larger "value" to the campaign they benefit. Since Mr. Mauldin is a paid by the Trump campaign, it seems like his work, on the job or off, is part of his campaign work. If the Trump campaign claims to be not associated, then I think he's making an undisclosed contribution to the campaign, or improperly coordinating with the campaign.
6
@Gary They are his private websites and are self funded. He doesn't accept campaign or PAC money. It would be an issue if he accepted either.
1
@Gary
Rule of thumb; If a republican is doing it you can guarantee it is wrong to be doing it. It is also probably illegal as well. Don't worry though they are still working on making legal those crimes they have not yet gotten too making legal.
1
The website creator said something close to one of the favourite lines of alt-right pundits: "facts don't care about your feelings." But on the contrary, their fact check failure rate is so horrible that the reality seems to have a liberal bias. I find it really amusing.
2
@Janet
Whose fact checking failure?
Every quote attributed to Biden on the site is true. Every video is real, and filmed by respected news outlets and/or CSPAN.
2
I'm noting a massive number of people on this comment thread who are perfectly fine with foreign interference with our politics. That's how far we've devolved as a nation. Dr Galtung was correct. The Republic is just about to fall over.
6
It's so sad that winning by any legal means possible, no matter how destructive, is seen as acceptable behavior. That said, anyone who believes the websites purporting to be those of Warren, Harris, and Sanders pictured in the article are really the candidates' websites, or even that they were necessarily created by Democratic Party opponents, lacks the insight to vote intelligently.
1
@CH, "...It's so sad that winning by any legal means possible, no matter how destructive, is seen as acceptable behavior." That's right and legal means can include extraordinary rendition in the US according to laws passed after 9/11: The Patriot Act, FISA, and Section1021(b)(2), if I read them correctly. See what happens when Nancy and Nadler finally corner the Trumpenstein monster.
1
How cabn it be “Russian style misinformation” if it’s true?
2
It’s not surprising that GOP consultants are engaging in sleazy, dishonest disinformation campaigns already. They collaborated with Russian trolls to do the same thing in the last election, and they will no doubt play the same game this time around. All the more reason to never vote for a Republican again.
11
Hook, line and sinker....
If you cannot figure out the obvious then time to cut your losses...
3
I’m pretty sure this is nothing compared to the truly nasty deceitful nefarious things Trump will do ( russia, are you listening ) to try and get re-elected.
7
@Bill, I know it's hard to believe, but for republicans, trump can never do a wrong, and Democrats can never do a right.
I know, it's weird. Every toddler in every family has to learn that they don't rule the world, but trump's cult followers just ADORE his "ONLY TRUMP IS GOOD" foolishness. You would think they could apply common sense and reality, but evidently not.
I'm hoping republicans stop serving on jury duty. They can't detect when a person is lying, even if the defendant admits it and dares anyone to stop him! In addition, they're prone to suddenly hating that the judge is a Democrat. Suddenly they declare that the prosecutor has no business is this poor man's life of crime! In fact, they donate money to the criminal and praise him as infallible because of his brave insults and boastful lies! And they chant "lock her up!" because the judge dared to question those lies.
When they won't accept America's system of government, it's a Mafia cinch they won't allow a fair election. And we have to be prepared for his followers to insist that the MOST important thing to vote about is the exact shade of Kamala Harris' skin tone.
1
Ha! What was the years long phony Russia collusion accusations from all the media and Democratic Party but a disinformation campaign that should have been labeled as parody?
3
@peter the true trump delusion syndrome is pretending that the numerous indictments, jail terms and statement in the Mueller report that all but state the campaign committed treason if only congress had a spine. Never mind the ignored subpoenas (“we didn’t do anything wrong so we don’t have to testify...” right...). Phony? Wrong again, sir, you are wrong again.
You obviously have not read the Mueller report.
The president lives in a rarefied, criminal world. As a grifter and con artist, he made it clear decades ago that reality is not for him. He is a 'reality show actor'. His base also is entirely removed from reality. The wealthy are thrilled with the tax cuts and the rest are thrilled that they can hate people of color openly. Then we have the people who think it's funny to further encourage the dismantling of our democracy. I see a population that is too lazy to do research and will turn on the brightly colored reality show Fox News and been done with it. Meanwhile, individual one will bankrupt the country cause that's what he does as people spit on his son (funny!) and babies drown in the Rio Grande. Sad.
9
The only way Republicans seem to be able to win anything is to cheat.
10
And have the system setup to favor then. 2 senators in non-populated states and the electoral college for the minority. But it’s still not enough. They won’t be happy until democrats have minimal to no representation. We should simply cut our loses and leave the United States. We don’t need these people. They offer us nothing of value.
Obama and Harris have a lot in common.
Both were abandoned by their non-American black fathers (Kenyan and Jamaican, respectively,) and raised by their non-black mothers and grandparents.
But in their political careers both have embraced their father’s race and totally ignored their mother’s.
6
Politics n America a dirty game. If Dems are going to have a chance then they must get into the gutter along with the GOP. I want to see an advert on Foxnews with a Putin endorsement of Trump and thanking Trump for the gift of Crimea.
5
@Mark Leder Except Crimea voted to return to Russia during Obama's time.
1
Is such a shame that anything and everything is considered fair play in Trump's world.......It is such a shame honesty no longer has a place in today's politics......The America of today has sadly and clearly lost it's innocense ......
1
Trump Jr. comes out as a racist just like his father after the Kamela Harris tweet.
I question the Trump family's background.
I contend that they are not of the human species.
4
it’s the republicans who are the enemy of the people .. they will stoop to anything .. what a mess
4
Instead of Russia spreading lies for them this time, they've decided to cut out the middle man and just do it themselves
1
Well, it's a combo. The #traitor45 campaign is using his boss's playbook. The one Putin gave them.
3
Tit for Tat, yes. The Democrats appear to be clueless when it comes articulating a compelling program and selling it to a winning majority. They also fail to grasp that lacking such ability they might perfect copying the GOP.
This story shows GOP smarts and the failure of the entire Democrat universe to originate something more effective. To a Republican the obvious solution is to then copy one's opponent for the fumbling and blind Democrats. Nope. Tit for Tat is too difficult for losing Democrats to grasp as their best current strategic option.
Democrats prefer to whine, worry, whince, wonder, etc.
Oh for a competitive second party offering a meaningful alternative.
1
Like so many responses to medical info, you shouldn't have to become an expert in researching political candidates (or the costs /benefits of medicines and procedures and health insurance rules). Honesty and clear info is what we need when our WH lies to us daily.
Just as Roberts went thru the dictionary to avoid plainly stating Wilbur Ross flat out lied....to the court, to congress, to us.
4
"Mr. Mauldin insisted he was only trying to deliver hard truths. “I mean, they could do it themselves,” he said with a laugh. “But they’re not. That’s the problem.”
Can't wait to see his "hard truths" website focused on Trump . . .
1
Who needs Russians with this kind of misleading abuse of media specifically intended to alter the outcome of an election? If it truly was meant to be a parody, it should have said so. Unaccountable, unacceptable.
2
It's funny how labels can mean different things in different places. During the English colonial period in India, the English referred to dark-skinned Indians as "blacks." Little Black Sambo was Indian, not African. But here in America, we assume that "black" means exclusively African-Americans, and, I suppose, Africans. In any case, the English looked down on blacks no matter where the were from, and it seems many Americans do, too. Ms. Harris's memories of her cancer-researcher mother being treated with disdain confirms that even though Ms. Harris does not have an American slave ancestor, she has had enough of the black experience growing up to have the right to claim it. Besides, how did Africans get to Jamaica, where her father was from? Certainly not as tourists.
2
Russian disinformation and Right-wing radio/TV/websites work hand in glove. The Russians learned from Right-wing radio like Rush Limbaugh. Joe Lockhart, former press secretary, had the same insight. Essentially, Rush L issues agitprop as practiced by the USSR. It's more than ironical that Limbaugh goes National in the U.S. just as the USSR is breaking up.
2
I just went over to that site and looked through it. There is nothing on it that is not true. Just facts and the reader can decide for themselves.
3
You are advocating for foreign interference in our elections.
@J No....even if this is true then Maudlin should put his name on the site and stand in the bright sunlight. That's the deceit not what's on the site. Coward.
Rosenberg, Until your snark about Bernie Sanders supporters, I had seen few to no disinformation attempts here in the NYT regarding candidates running on the Democratic platform. My suggestion is that you not begin separation tactics between supporters of the various candidates, or you may find yourself one among many who hear themselves calling Trump, President Trump, for a second term.
2
What is the real takeaway from this article is that we don't need to create a fake Trump website to show the bad side of Trump, Trump does his real time, all the time with his horrible words and actions.
1
How sad. A man who supports a human being who has no moral compass seeking to make some passive aggressive points about democratic candidates. He suggests he’s trying to make people see the truth because they don’t want to know the truth. He’s either a total hypocrite or just out for the money.
1
This should be illegal.
Deliberate, manufactured lies designed to sway an election.
Trump doesn't need Russians when he has plenty of Americans willing to crawl in the gutter for him.
Fox News will likely give Mauldin his own show, he's already shown he will do and say anything, the more outrageous the better.
Vote Democratic in 2020.
We need a huge turnout to overcome gerrymandering.
Vote.
2
There is one sure way to counteract the falsehoods on social media platforms. Turn off your phone, tablet, computer and pay attention to media that have a proven track record of truth telling. Like it leaning right? Read the Wall Street Journal. Like it left? Read the New York Times. Visual, "hot" media are seductive and can be deceptive. Indeed much of the screed on line that has to do with politics is not trustworthy.
2
Where did values go? It used to be shameful to get caught lying or deceiving; not any longer. Our President openly lies and deceives, and he’s not held accountable for it. Robo callers are allowed to change their caller ID to a fake number. You can put fake return addresses on the letters you mail. And there are those that brag about lying, deceiving and being immoral. The only defense to all this is a similar offense; the ‘other side’ must do it too. Then you can’t believe anything you see or hear from anybody. Nobody gains and the best liar wins.
The only people required to tell the truth is our commercial news broadcasts that use the airwaves. It’s written into the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rules when a station leases their broadcast frequencies from our government. They can’t even knowingly lie about the weather. Yet FOX lies, in effect, by omission; or allowing a ‘guest’ that lies. We’re losing our morality along with out democracy and nobody seems to care.
2
Deliberate deception—although the philosopher Harry Frankfurt calls it something different. Doing “news” without knowing what “the news” is.
All social media must be held to account. They must be held to at least minimal standards of how and why “news” is created.
Harris' attack on Mr. Biden, was way out of line. Ms. Harris presents the mentality of a Clarence Thomas and the soul of the Russia nonsense of the 2016 election. As a real, genuine American Black, born in 1949, of parents born in Virginia, back woods and Greenville, South Carolina in 1909 and 1915, respectively, people like me coupled with people whose backgrounds required 'bootstraps' have the right to cry about busing.
Ms. Harris has no clue of the impact that the assistance of folks like Joe Biden, LBJ, FDR and the Democrats had on American Black and all American lives. To less the impact of racism it must be recognized on a local level. Kudos to Joe Biden.
American racism is complicated and one can go on and on about Jim Crow laws and Republican obstructionism. Why today, the darker one is the greater the possibility one will be convicted and sentenced more harshly than one who is of lighter skin color, blind to what the evidence may support, still persists as a fact of American Black life. Ms. Harris has no clue about my previously discussed reality of Black life, because she is the cause of much of the injustice pain.
Ms. Harris much like Ms. Gillibrand, and a few other males need to step aside and support an experienced & qualified individual like Joe Biden, who have not lost sight of the prize. . .the defeat of DJT and the ouster of folks like McConnell. Need I say more?
1
Pretty much with any political site I visit, I make a quick perusal of who the founder(s) is, who's on the editorial board, etc. Right-leaning political sites are almost as prolific as our seasonal blackflies here in Vermont. The second you open a new browser on your computer, you are in the jungle.
I am offering to buy Patrick Maudlin a one way ticket to any Russian destination of his choice. He must agree never to return to the United States. He can take his “non-disclosure agreement” with him.
I agree with Mr. Mauldin. Supporters need to examine the truth about their candidate, starting with Trump!
While I enjoy a good parody, when it is delivered anonymously its intent is not to entertain but rather to mislead and confuse. The many comics who traffic in political commentary, on both the left and right, do it in the open and are not shy about being identified. This web site, however, is purposely organized in a way to hide the identity of its creators and sponsor in much the same way dark money donors hide their identifications all in the name of "free speech". Unless you exist in a totalitarian environment where those pilloried have the power and inclination to exact revenge for your speech, hidden speech is not provided with the intent to inform but rather to dis-inform. How Trumpian is this effort!
1
No one should underestimate the potential of these sorts of disinformation schemes on the electorate. Logical, educated individuals who should know better are still being swayed by emotional content and the "look" of things. Biden must really worry Trump. We know Biden is well prepared to be President and will do a great job, so why is he being pummeled by the media? Why do we allow the internet to control our democracy as if it were the wild west? We know Harris (and Warren or Sanders) could also do a great job, but which one would be better, and why? Why is the question always which one "looks" better? Will there ever be a substantive discussion or is it all internet control, all the time? If preparation was key, than virtually any candidate would be better than Trump. If job performance was a metric, Republicans would replace Trump with a better candidate, but that is not how the media works. It is the DT show. Even in New York, how many educated professionals were swayed away from Mrs. Clinton as a result of outright lies on the internet? How have the opinions of Biden, Harris, Warren and Sanders been tainted already? Just how damaging was that phony "debate" to the democratic process?
What's really disturbing concerning this revelation is how Trump's base, according to polls, could care less, in fact, primed to dismiss it as 'fake news'.
This is a clearly a dangerous time right now for what comes across our 'airwaves and e-waves as 'the news'.
And with Trump's supporters being overly incurious, thus vulnerable to ploys like this, what we are witnessing is increasingly successful attempts to exploit people's emotions and not factual evidence.
And with that said, it's frightening how things are starting to play out like they did in 1930's Europe.
2
I notice they don't try to sway people by the validity of their own beliefs -- evidently aware that their platform wouldn't win votes on its own.
Part of the Trump circus--like going into the fun house and looking at the distorting mirrors!
"Sad," as Himself would say.
Why isn't this kind of falsehood illegal? Are there no standards in America for truth and honesty anymore? We deserve what's coming to us. Absolute freedom leads inevitably to its anthesis.
In my mother and father's generation, 'the greatest generation', personal ethics, morality, honor and respect for the law were carefully instructed from kindergarten forward. In todays America, anything goes.
History shows us clearly the stages of the demise of empire.
We are well on our way.
2
If you can't trust the internet, who can you trust? I remember back in the 50's when the internet was the uncontested source of truth from which all decisions could be made. Alas, it is now a bastion of fakery. How sad we've become.
If Mr. Mauldin is only trying to deliver hard truths, why is he hiding his identity? Colbert uses his own name when doing parody, comedy. And if ‘hard truth’ includes an event with no context, no surrounding .....hard facts, explanations, then maybe our Supreme Court should just give us a decision and save the 50-page analysis, explanations, - context.
Somewhere in Citizens United was a defense-esque fantasy that disclosure of where the money came from, the backers, would really aid the election process. Did that include anonymity? And if Mr. Mauldin has been hired by the Trump campaign for 2020 - well, I’m sure there’s a ...context...somewhere in there.
Thanks NYTimes.
1
Well, at least this misinformation won't be rolled up into a dossier and peddled to the FBI as a premise by which to conduct surveillance against Biden's campaign. So I think we're safe here...
1
I can't help but laugh at everyone a few years ago who celebrated the "democratization of the media" and the age of "now ANYONE can be a publisher." Anybody with a brain could have seen it would come to this -- that truth and fairness would be the first two casualties.
1
Democracy depends on laying out facts and debating solutions to problems and voting. Anything that interferes with this process threatens our form of governance. The intentional spreading of misinformation in order to inflame passions and/or discourage voters' participation must be called out for what it is: a betrayal of our America's founding principles, also known as treason.
Thanks for outing Mr. Mauldin as part of campaign dark ops to game the system, the Republican way. How much does Trump pay Mauldin for his abuse of public figures that threaten his re-election? Should all candidates hire staffs of online fakers and liar bots? It's easy to fool, insult, and lie online, especially when images are used. Many of us regardless of educational level can be manipulated by online trickery. Instead of playing the low game we need to check out the candidates websites, listen to them during debates or in person if possible, research their work, histories, and policy proposals. Most of all we need to vote Trump and his robber barons out of office.
3
@ Dr Conde...this is no more dark ops than The Onion. It says so right on the website.
1
Communist plot. Really. The dialectic here is the potential ruination of Democracy and the end of the United Stqtes as we know it.
The Politically Correct so called Liberals are actually the most reactionary conservatives while the Right wing so called conservatives so the seeds of distrust and division through lies that subvert the democratic process.
The media engages in capitalist corporate profiteering while religions entertain patriarchy like its 1492.
I’d love to hear the story behind the story - how did the reporter get Mr. Mauldin to talk? How did all the facts come together on this?
Good work! Keep it up!
2
I am always disgusted by the way the USA is doing their election campaigns. It is all about smearing dirt onto others instead of the candidates visions how they want to improve the situation for most of the US voters. It is like watching wrestling with suit and tie. What was the name of the idiocracy president again?
This "Biden Site" will appeal to Trump supporters and affirm their already-fixed support for him no matter what . That this is a parody, skillfully composed, will escape the "base" upon which Trump relies and which helps keep him in power. It is patently unfair. Our poorly educated society includes too many who will be influenced by a presentation made by an opaque, hidden source. For America the landmark 2010 Citizens United decision which allows large-money donors to hide their names exacerbates this type of trolling. We would have a more responsive government to real needs if political literature were forced to clearly identify its source and financing .
Information that is biased, incomplete, misleading, lacking context and/or outright false has been promulgated as part of political campaigns since the dawn of campaigning. What's changed is the technology that now allows more slick packaging and wider dissemination.
It's up to us, as consumers of information and voters to learn and apply critical thinking. Unfortunately, critical thinking is rarely taught in schools nowadays and is infrequently practiced by all of us.
This is harmless compared to the Benghazi show trial hearings, Clinton Cash, buttery males, Russia are you listening, lock her up, setting up Carlos Danger, and, to top it, the FBI letter a week before the election. It's like a Breitbart spin-off or FoxNews hiding as Biden.info with less traction.
Their side has to cope with what they can barely stomach too, like Alec Baldwin impersonating Trump, maybe she's born with it maybe it's lies, or Devin Nunes' Cow.
There's just one relevant question, the man's free speech rights being protected by the First Amendment: is this website an attempt at perpetrating a fraud or is it clear from the get-go that an anti-Biden American is simply exercising his right to criticize the former VP? Think of it as similar to the question of whether a painting, a postage stamp, a relic of a saint, or anything else of value that can be copied is clearly identified as a copy or is intended to pass as the genuine item and mislead some into thinking it is genuine long enough for the perpetrator to benefit in some way from the deception: in other words, a fake. I happen to own a copy of the 1949 Reader's Dijest, published by Columbia University students. It has the distinctive table of contents cover of the Reader's Digest, and the layout and style of the original magazine on the inside. However, in big letters on the cover it says "Dijest", not "Digest", not just in the small print included on the publication data page. No one with functioning brain cells could have mistaken it for the publication owned by Dewitt and Lila Acheson Wallace. If this website were labeled the "Joe Bye-Bye-den" website, Mr. Rosenberg would have nothing to write about. I trust that it isn't (looking at the photo in the article) and suggest to Mr. Mauldin that he make that change if the goal is to make people laugh rather than to mislead them.
2
Unfortunately, his goal is not to make people laugh. He wants them not to vote, more specifically, not to vote for a Democrat.
1
@Louise Cavanaugh
What was the Rick Santorum search engine campaign? What was any number of sites who kept a tally of George W's verbal fumbles? What was any number of actors who made fun of Sarah Palin's verbal salad?
All of these were designed not to just poke fun at people, but highlight their bad aspects and tacitly tell people not to vote for them.
In a free country where free speech is a constitutional right, that's what people are allowed to do.
If your version of democracy can't handle satire and parody, then it's not a democracy at all.
1
This reminds m of the controversy over the release of the DNC emails. If the publication of factual, truthful information about your candidate harms your campaign, the problem isn't ethics, or law, or morals, or standards. The problem is your candidate.
19
It's only a disadvantage when voters have morals and are willing to live their ethics at the voting booth, like Democrats do. For Trump Republicans, the disgraceful realities of their candidate were a feature, not a bug.
4
It’s not all factual. First if all, since it looks “official,” it is a misrepresentation of Biden the candidate. And the content has been edited and manipulated.
4
The information is not correct. It is fraudulent. If I say you are a killer, I could be sued for libel. But these campaigns are the direct distribution of false information to damage a political opponent. What's the difference?
4
The website is clever and funny!!!
Besides, any democrat who sounds remotely rational has no chance of being nominated. That's a WONDERFUL revelation for all American Patriots who, like me, understand the democrat party (not Russia, China, N. Korea or Iran) poses the greatest threat to our prosperity and security.
10
You get your news and ideas from an Australian muckraker.
11
Please drop the fox "news" terminology. It's the Democratic party. Not the"Democrat" party. There's no Democrat party just like there's no Republic party. Under Clinton and Obama we were secure and prosperous. As those on the right conveniently forget, the policies of the Obama administration got us out of a major recession. By the way, who are these "American Patriots"? Republicans and right-wingers have absolutely no right stealing the word patriot for themselves. Democrats are just as patriotic as Republicans.
23
It’s called the Democratic Party. Never clear to me why so many wingers think calling it the “democrat party” is some kind of clever insult.
16
How is this news? The Democrats did this in the Alabama Senate Race to win. They will do it again in 2020. Republicans will do it as well. So what. Its not as if you can trust the candidates to tell the truth no matter who they are. Just look at Kamal Harris and her most recent yes I would take away private health care the next day, oh sorry I misunderstood the question. Really counselor? Do you think we're really that stupid? You have been outed. You have shown your true colors.
Its up to the press and the people to understand the issues and decide where they stand and make a judgement of each candidate: will they do what they say they will do? Will they keep their word to the American people or will they change their mind based on a poll?
Do they believe in Capitalism, Free Speech, Freedom of Religion, Globalization? What is their view of taxation? Should the government be involved in every aspect of human life or should the government stay out of people's lives?
Get used to the propaganda and get used to candidates being called out for their pandering and lies.
6
What's really funny is that the people who support Donald Trump want you to focus on Joe's hair sniffing and Kamala's history as a prosecutor, etc. You could take the worst bits of ever Democratic candidate, roll them up into one person, and that person would be far superior to Trump in every way.
1870
@Sidney Rumsfeld It is not funny and never will be funny. It is a serious blow to our "old" system of democracy.
38
@Sidney Rumsfeld "...that person would be far superior to Trump in every way."
Except for one thing Mr. Rumsfeld, Trump is your President.
3
"Funny" or "Sad" in Trump-speak, he is the living insult he tries to pin on others. Over and again we witness criminal actions by Trump, the Criminal. He has picked his brand, the Criminal, don't mention his name without including his nick name. Let's get behind Biden and Warren. He can restore Our Democracy for 4 years, and she can realign our economy, now , and take over as President for 8 more years, OK!
45
I think it’s a funny ad and a funny site. You all take yourselves far too seriously.
Why don’t you insist we take down Saturday Night Live or late night TV since they are obsessed with destroying Trump?
Do you think that everyone in FB is so stupid they can’t tell satire when they see it?
It’s a simple answer - You only care when it affects you negatively.
8
@Kev
SNL and late night tv are NOT paid by any US president, contrary to this website, AND they don't invent lies about political opponents.
Remember, cynicism never helped us move forward ...
9
@Kev great comment
1
@Ana Luisa— This kind of stuff, in some form, has always been a part of American politics. It’s up to us to become more informed (and intelligent) voters and not fall for it. Typically, these kinds of attempts are much more sophisticated than this site.
If the Trump people want to throw away their money on this drivel, then that’s on them.
4
It pales in comparison to the constant parody directed toward and poking fun at Donald Trump, and all of the evil and nasty lies democrats spew concerning the President, and the violence that is ongoing on campuses and elsewhere by Democrats against people who support the President. Is this all the left has?
MAGA
5
@Jay Bunda
"...evil and nasty lies democrats spew concerning the President..."
The problem with that statement is that what is said about the "President" are not lies. They are truths.
1
@jacreilly
//The problem with that statement is that what is said about the "President" are not lies. They are truths.//
And so are the statements on Biden's spoof site. They aren't lies, they are truths.
1
Here's hoping the the Democrats get the message and start playing Psy-war hardball.
Hey. . . Democracy lovers in Poland, The Ukraine, Hong Kong, etc, etc, are you listening?
How about starting with Denial-of-Service attacks on all Trump re-election websites, 24/7. Shut em' down!
7
Great sites! Who doesn't like a good parody? They prove that humor is still alive.
93
Disinformation isn’t funny in this instance. It’s a threat to our elections.
197
Unfortunately most people can't tell from parody to reality.
160
Not the least gawdaful thing about the current right wing is their infantile, “sense of humor,” if that’s even really the right term.
Seriously, any political arm where the funniest guy they got is probably Dennis Miller is seriously funny-impaired. Far as I can see, they just call their dim, ugly little attacks “humor,” to deflect criticism aimed at the fact that they’re dim, ugly little attacks.
And before you start up, I actually find Larry the Cable Guy funny. Usually.
71
No fake campaign is needed here. Biden is destroying himself.
2
Someone should make a trolling website for this guy and everyone in his family, and send links to them to their employers and community groups. Don't play with fire if you don't want to be burned.
14
And you forgot what Trump had done was even more disgusting and outrageous? Yeah, right. How morally unbiased of you.
1
Why doesn’t the website sponsor shut this phony site.
9
@Dr. B What is the problem with it? It is factual and true. Are we afraid people will learn the truth? If not let it be and people can decide for themselves.
1
Is it true Mr. Patrick Mauldin, "a rising star" in the Trump campaign effort, created this and other similar websites that troll Democratic candidates as a purely volunteer effort, on his own time?
Seems as if it would take a lot of time and money. How much did it cost?
Why would Mr. Mauldin-- whose work is for a Republican political consultancy-- not want the world to know this fake website is his project?
Disseminating false information in support of the Trump campaign?
Joe Biden: a real American with real American values. And a real website: https://joebiden.com/
6
So who would think this a Biden web site? Slick NYTs effort to use Russian bugaboo once again. Of course this is a Trump friend's doing. If the Russians are so clever how is it that the NYTs and its pals always catch them? Trump won in 2016 and the NYTs swears the Russians did it. The CIA said Russia is a never sleeping implacable enemy. This is the CIA go to play to sell its credibility. The Steele Dossier is Russian disinformation. Boy the US intelligence agencies sure are smart. Trump is a Russian spy. A US assistant Attorney Gen wants to wear a wire. This stuff cannot be made up.
If you have evidence the Steele dossier was Russian disinformation, the FBI would surely like to see it. If you don’t, you’re substituting your opinion for fact.
It’s not that the Russians are so clever or that it’s so difficult to ferret out who’s doing what online. But we live in a world where millions believe the earth is 4000 years old, doubt climate change and evolution, think China pays tariffs and immigrants take jobs, and convince themselves through their own “research” that vaccines are unsafe.
That world elected Donald Trump despite his self-evident fraudulence, from Trump steaks to Trump University to his claim to success as a businessman to his obvious lies about revitalizing America’s industrial base and “better and cheaper” healthcare for “everyone”.
It’s fine if people want to vote for Trump for their own mistaken reasons. What I don’t understand is the right’s penchant for deception instead of making its case.
What’s made up is almost everything Trump says. But this doesn’t bother you?
1
let's fight fire with fire...and take these traitor's down, America!
4
American voters are now subjected to what the American right wing foreign policy has been doing abroad for decades..
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_electoral_intervention
.. thats .. wiki electoral intervention.. and it's a looong list..
.. what goes around, comes around..
so sorry..
And, it doesn't feel so smart and clever,
when you're on the receiving end,
does it.
2
I just looked at the site and anyone who thinks it’s “real” needs their head examined. It’s clearly a parody and a bad, childish one at that. Also not sure why you’re calling the site a “disinformation” campaign. There’s nothing there but GIFs and quotes pulled out of context. The NYTimes must really think that Democrats are dumb that they would waste so much ink warning them about this guy and his ridiculous site. And not to link to the site is patronizing. We’re big girls and boys, we can handle it.
3
So we need a Democrat funded group to search for and expose these sites and newspapers to write about them over and over again
1
This article fails to mention that when you type in petebuttigieg.org, it goes straight to Trump's website. What a disgusting group of people surrounding this president. They can't do anything honestly. When Pete really emphasizes values in his 2020 message, it is so important. Trump and his cronies have sunk so low. #Pete2020
12
The modern day "disinformation" strategy will be seen as a bit of joke, an unimportant sideshow by Trump supporters.......unless it targets their man. Then it will be decried and reviled as a Universe-wide conspiracy against a decent successful American by liberal leftie latte-sipping elites from all galaxies.
8
This site is so awesome it is 100% true.
2
“From top to bottom, the website, JoeBiden.info, breezily mocks the candidate in terms that would warm the heart of any Bernie Sanders supporter:”
Why Bernie- why not Kamala Harris supporter or anyone else?
NY Times and its writers’ respective drifts, insinuations, & commentary is becoming too common.
5
I would relentlessly harp on two things about Trump to which the average person can relate and which will take a toll repeated often enough.
Simple common things.
1) Wife Cheater Trump.
Over and over.
Repeat, repeat.
He has cheated on all of his wives.
Wife Cheater. Repugnant to normal people.
Cheated on the first Lady with a Playboy bunny just A FEW MONTHS after she birthed their son!
Would you do that?
Would you associate with someone who did that?
2) Trump University.
This is the lowest thing.
Started and promoted a PHONY UNIVERSITY designed to do one thing:
Rip off Americans who thought they could trust Donald Trump.
A deliberately concocted, fraudulent business that cheated thousands of people out of thousands of dollars each.
Repeat:
A human being, a billionaire, set up a PHONY UNIVERSITY for the sole purpose of defrauding Americans and stealing their money.
(He had to pay $25 million dollar settlement to 6000 people he cheated - a class action law suit)
Would you start a phony university?
Would you associate with someone who did that?
Would you use an auto mechanic or hair dresser or dentist who did that?
- Wife Cheater Trump.
- Phony University fraud criminal Trump.
Mentioned by every Democrat every day.
A habit like morning coffee
Over and over and over and over.
Till he can't ignore it.
Till he has to respond and validate it.
Till he can't stand it anymore.
Till people choke on his slimy self.
16
I, personally, weeks ago, decided that if only one word could be used to define Trump it is CHEATER.
1
The Republican party has become the party made up of “fake news”.
It’s the new low in an even lower bar set by liars, cheaters, grifters and those beholden to double standards.
Keep on gerrymandering, disenfranchising and asking Russia to interfere— we see you.
9
"There is indeed an American behind the website — that much is unambiguously true." What happened to the days when the NYT did actual investigative reporting? Do you KNOW he is not backed/advised by the Russians? Did you even look into it?
Congressman Jerry Nadler (D) has a primary coming up for his seat, the NY 10th. Holly Lynch is challenging.
Guess what happens when you type her name .org?
I'll save you the keystrokes. It goes to Jerry Nadler's site.
(btw her Real website is holly lynch ny.org)
This is an incumbent that won his last primary with like, 97% of the vote. Jerry. Dude. Really?
5
This article seems to attack an individual who dishonestly got involved in politics, but the baseline is yet another fight between the established media and rapidly booming websites. Calm down, NYT.
2
Some people have no sense of humor. Others, no sense at all.
Why is this a story? Because it's about a liberal.
5
Wow, surprise - much of the internet is fake! Come on people
5
Cheat to win - the commenters below who think this is OK are as immoral as Trump
3
The headline of the story is re a Trump campaign disinformation effort on Biden.
The story soon pivots to editorialize that Sanders supporters would be 'warmed' by Trump's disinformation attack on Biden.
That comment by you, New York Times, is disinformation.
4
How could they not have edited out that part before publication? This isn’t an op-ed, right?
1
The New York Times calling this a "disinformation campaign" is factually false as all of the quotes/video clips on JoeBiden.info are verifiably correct. Where is the disinformation?
4
Taking those quotes out of context and inserting another is what’s fake.
Darn those Russians for inventing parody anyway! Look at all the trouble it's caused!
2
"The New York Times is not linking to Mr. Mauldin’s websites to avoid further boosting them in search rankings."
Thank you for that.
2
This article is FAR more important than Trump's attention-grabbing move of stepping into North Korea. NY TImes should give this far more attention than the shiny-object moves. Please!
1
NYT Saying “the website ... breezily mocks the candidate in terms that would warm the heart of any Bernie Sanders supporter”
Um, I don’t think so NYT.
Get a clue. What is the point of that line in this article? To make Bernie’s supporters look like bad Democrats, or bad people?
Are you saying Bernie’s supporters are morally vacuous? Win at all cost people?
You are NOT helping NYT, you are doing exactly what this website was designed to do, divide and demoralize Democratic voters.
5
Sure these people lie, cheat and cajole the dimwitted among us, but we can achieve the same result by telling the truth. Donald J. Trump is a liar, a conman, a misogynist, a golf cheat, a consummate loser in business. He is so grotesque to look at, the only way a woman would go near him is for pay. Now will the media just repeat the above 24/7 until it sinks in.
5
@Middle of the Pacific Golf cheat, that sticks out the most. As an avid golfer I have no time for anyone who cheats. It's a true test of character. Something our president lacks.
These people should be prosecuted. This is NOT politics as normal, this is third world dictator stuff.
If tar and feathers is still a thing - I would like to see him run out of town on a rail. I used to be a Republican. I have never been a Democrat. What passes for Republicans now disgusts me.
3
It is quite apparent from this comment forum that many people don’t read, and they are too caught up in their own emotions and desire to be “right”. This article is a wake up call, people! And this comment thread is PROOF POSITIVE that Americans (and human beings, in general) do NOT read or make even the slightest attempt to get their facts straight.
Fact Check:
1) It IS noted in The NY Times article that the faux Biden site declares itself to be a parody site.
Fr. the article:
“The site, it says, is a political parody built and paid for ‘BY AN American citizen FOR American citizens,’ and not the work of any campaign or political action committee.”
2) Silicon Valley and (more specifically) search engines HAVE tried to reduce the faux Biden site in search rankings. (but, admittedly, they probably have not done enough to flag it as parody)
Fr. the article:
“In recent weeks, as search companies became aware that Mr. Mauldin’s website was fake, it has fallen below the real Biden page.”
3) Republicans AND Democrats have resorted to this sort of manipulative digital “marketing”.
Fr. the article:
“In 2017, a group of Democrats took a page out of the Russian playbook and posed as conservatives to try to divide Republicans in Alabama’s special Senate election. And as the 2020 campaign gets underway, election experts say they see signs that Americans from both sides of the political divide are getting ready to do the same.”
It’s time to do your homework and stop bickering.
8
Why hasn't the Biden campaign shut this site down yet?! It is important to be proactive in opposing fake propaganda.
Funny, on glancing at the article I misread Vici Media Group as Vice Media Group. That would be a more apt name for such a slimy group.
2
The best way to fight off trolls like Patrick Mauldin is to expose their malfeasance to the sunlight of truth, as this article does.
3
Seriously, this is an issue? I think not. And why shouldn't the Trump campaign be allowed to acknowledge it? All above board, actually.
It would seem, shoe in the other foot, that a comparable effort from the left would have perhaps an even greater effect, at least if the left's beliefs as to the average intellect of your typical Trump supporter hold water.
To be continued ... (no doubt!)
1
Put up a fake website for Trump.
1
Seems to me that Fox News has been doing the same thing for decades now.
3
Rather than facing the fact that Joe Biden has a background of totally disregarding minorities until its politically suitable for him, the democrats have once again deferred the blame to “Russian disinformation.”
If he was in power when MLK was shot and did and said nothing, we the people should not listen to his lies now.
Democratic party—not everything is about “boo hoo the boogeyman did this.”
2
@Adriaan --" we the people should not listen to his lies now"
How come " we the people" fall for the thousands of Trump lies? Well, as Trump told Billy Bush when Bush poined out his false claims about the Apprntice ratings- "Just tell them ( people) and the'll believe it. I don't know why they just do".
"We the people" should listen to Trump's lies-- sure.
From paragraph 6: "officials say Americans can expect to be bombarded with.........anonymous and hard-to-trace digital messaging spread by sophisticated political operatives"
In an ironic shift...the piece then names the man who set up the website and details who he is.
I am still waiting for who is behind all the anonymity and political sophistication as described below:
From October 2018: "With $30 Million, Obscure Democratic Group Floods the Zone in House Races"
"and 13 other groups around the country are funded and coordinated out of a single office in Washington, with the goal of battering Republicans"
"The great bulk of its funding has come from so-called dark money — funds from donors who are not legally required to reveal their names."
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/31/us/politics/democrats-dark-money-midterms.html
But what do I know? I guess a satirical website is more dangerous than $30 million of undisclosed funding.
1
So, back to trolling to interfere with the election already? That didn't take long. It was good to see the Russian bots disappear from Trump's Twitter, at least for a while. If this isn't illegal, it should be. Especially for a candidate's consultant.
1
"Meddling by foreigners is illegal. But trolling or disinformation spread by American citizens is protected by the First Amendment, and if Mr. Mauldin’s work is any guide, Americans may well do a far better job deceiving one another than any Russian troll could hope for."
But that's (just one of many a) reason why I distinguish between Americans and Republicans. "Facts are not partisan," perhaps, but lies, conspiracies, hypocrisy, and obstruction of justice are sacred for the vile GOP.
The Oregon Senate climate-attack fugitives are but the latest worst example. Funny that the vile GOP don't mind open borders and migrant asylum in the migrants' target state, when THEY are the migrants and the target is Idaho.
Why the comment in the article that it “would warm the heart of any Bernie Sanders supporter”? Why the unnecessary slight?
3
Deep fakes as websites. Fascinating.
Please stay united! Don't tear each other apart. May the best candidate win.
Keep digging America, the bottom is down there somewhere.
Knock it off, Times.
The country does not need this again.
1
Is this illegal? If so, how and why? What sort of reporting consists of referring to the website creator as a Trump “worker” and also a Trump “consultant?” Employee or contractor? Which? What kind of causation argument posits that “the campaign knows about the websites”, therefore is condoning “a disinformation operation run by one of its own.” The Times knows about the website too. Therefore the Times condones it too? If this presages 2020 coverage, it’s going to be wackier than 2016 was.
1
Funny how the Dems seem to be the party of values and morals now when compared to today's Republican Party and their dictator, er, I mean president
Decent people do not behave like this. Clearly these people didn't learn all they were supposed to in kindergarten...
2
How about if people begin trolling Patrick Mauldin to let him see how it feels? After all, turn-about is fair play!!
PT Barnum was right!
2
The Dems need to get mean. Turn the tables on the right wingers.
A recent article described the numerous euphemisms that Chief Justice John Roberts used to describe lies that Secretary Ross gave in his attempted justification for the citizenship question that he wanted to have added to the 2020 census questionnaire.
HEADLINE
John Roberts pulls out the thesaurus for one of Trump’s nearly 11,000 lies
Link
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-supreme-court-throws-the-thesaurus-at-trumps-lies/2019/06/28/0103906e-99b4-11e9-830a-21b9b36b64ad_story.html?utm_term=.1ba47caf9c6b
Quote:
“The evidence tells a story that does not match the . . . explanation.”
“The sole stated reason — seems to have been contrived.”
There was “a significant mismatch between the decision . . . and the rationale.”
The “explanation . . . is incongruent with what the record reveals.”
Furthermore, it was a “distraction” from the truth, “based on a pretextual rationale” and lacked “a rational connection between the facts found and the choice made.”
End Quote
Hopefully, the media will not make the same mistake they made in 2016, namely repeating uncritically many lies that passed the lips of one Donald John Trump.
My sense is that the media are already stating that his lies are "untruths," "factually unsupported assertions," or describing in other ways that they are lies.
How about dropping the false sophistication and just calling them what they are - LIES.
Black on white - LIES.
Vote a straight Democratic ticket on November 3, 2020.
1
It's a cute website. Nothing difficult or special about it. The owner of the website runs websites for other politicians.
Are the Russians going to be the go_to boogyman for this decades?
1
maybe not illegal but certainly immoral!
2
Are you so uninformed that something like this would influence your thinking. That being said are there those that could be influenced by this sort of propaganda? The short answer is yes. We are going to be ruled by the least informed.
3
Having Kamala Harris attack Biden by playing a race card is destructive for the democratic effort to replace Trump.
Fighting with each other is not a good recipe for victory.
Trying to show how a democratic president is preferable for the country is the best formula for victory!
2
Our country is being held hostage by a defacto Mafia boss, Donald Trump. This nightmare will end but not before every facet of our democracy has been corrupted, like leaving iron outdoors to rust. This is worse than the start of the AIDS epidemic that Reagan neglected to address for years. Mitch McConnell, by refusing to allow the Senate to pass anti-corruption measures prior to the 2020 election, is even worse than Trump. It's a stomach churner. The best antidote I can think of is to make sure you a vote a straight Democratic ticket and avoid sharing online information that you cannot corroborate.
3
He doesn’t want to be outed after all he has a private life.....and he prefers not to be noticed. Just like the gerrymandering expert who’s computer backup got out.
1
Well it's coming down to they want you to think everything can't be trusted. Not the press, not the campaigns themselves, not the internet, nothing. Trump's 10,000 lies aren't really lies at all. Not because they are untrue, but because you can't trust the interpretation that they are lies. Imagine if this was pain in your abdomen that is getting worse. The doctor tells you you're pregnant. The internet says it is likely gas pains and to never listen to doctors. You get a second medical opinion who says the first doctor is a quack and you have cancer. What is it exactly when you live in a world where no one and nothing can be trusted and all people do is try to smear everyone else? Pretty scary if you think about it. Will you die or deliver a bouncing baby girl? You can't trust anyone so you decide to just stay home, not go to the doctor, and see what happens. Who to trust, who to trust? My advice...go with the one who says I think I am right....but let's look into the evidence, the history, and research to see if I am right. Rather than the one who says I am right, everyone else is 100% wrong and you should not listen to any evidence that says I am wrong. Taking the chemotherapy for that cancer will definitely kill the baby inside you. And the doctor who steered you wrong..... has an assistant to blame for misleading you. Not his fault.
Mauldin claims to be a libertarian... so how can he support Trump, the trade taxer in chief?
2
Why on earth did the Biden team not purchase every possible iteration of Joe Biden URL. Painfully lame and woefully not prepared to run against the Trump re-election machine.
2
Big surprise. Trump and his lackeys will do anything crooked to smear and sabotage his opponents, all the way to treason. Make America Hate Again.
3
The citizenry has been requested to lie to all pollsters
Maybe it's about time to return the favor;
Trump has been begging on bended knees for a target on his back.
1
"Mr. Mauldin insisted he was only trying to deliver hard truths. “I mean, they could do it themselves,” he said with a laugh. “But they’re not. That’s the problem.”"
No, because no parody site could be more ludicrous than the reality dished up by Kim Jung Un-hand-holding Donald Trump on an hourly basis, without the help of any creative comedic talents to remind us.
That's what the other side has to do, because it's all they've got, no policies, no fair play. But don't think that the people behind this "parody" put up this lame right-wing catnip to tickle your funny bones.
One day after the second Democratic debate, a tweet by purported African American activist, who turned out to be Trump right-wing activist, tweeted that Kamala Harris wasn't African-American and African Americans deserved someone who represented their past suffering. You'd think it was a parody like this one here, but in fact, Donald Junior and Senior re-tweeted it, without any humorous intent, but because they're scared, scared of Kamala Harris' chances to unseat trump. And this is the only way they know how to win, lie and manipulate.
2
Mauldin is
Crop-Dusting The First Amendment
It’s open enrollment
for chemical warfare
On free speech
using words as pesticide
the terracotta troll army
dressed in email incognito
try hard to make life an
impenetrable
raucous
nest
bombarding and
censoring with cluster bombs
of words
to drown out speech
they don’t want you to hear
their words don’t leave fingerprints
or footprints
only chemical trails
like mustard gas
in the trenches of World War I
or half lives
at Nagasaki
or Hiroshima
or the high octane
drinking water
of Flint, Michigan
or the unleaded tweets
from a nitwit
1
This all from the playbook of Lee Atwater a man who was abandoned by his “friends” in his hour of need. He died alone.
1
Trump campaign has childish dishonesty
2
The saddest thing about this kind of disinformation is the sneering contempt the creators have for Americans. Contempt that has been front and center in the current administration.
3
Trump doesn't need the Russians anymore he has become the russians. and the demo are too clueless to impeach. we are truly doomed.
1
The new sleaze in politics, brought to you by Donald Trump. One only wishes he was also a parody, but unfortunately for our country he is much too real..
2
With so many sources of solid information on the Internet, it really doesn’t take a whole lot of intelligence to figure out what’s fake news and what’s real. The fact that so many Americans are taken in by this garbage and too lazy to verify information is an indictment of a gullible national electorate and an education system that apparently isn’t what it’s cracked up to be.
1
I think the greater question is whether the videos on the site (of Biden touching women and girls, and of them pulling away) are accurate. If so, would VP Biden apologize?
1
The site is not disinformation. It just highlights Biden's inappropriate touching of woman and kids. And it highlights his past awful policies that he supported.
Biden is a gaffe machine and a man who cannot control his impulse to touch woman when they are close to him.
And the insanity is that most Democrats want this 78 year old man to be the next president.
It won't happen. Trump will defeat Biden by more than last election.
2
This is on the Dems as much as on Trump. United we stand, divided we fall; but the seduction of power is way too strong. So, when Trump's fall is up for grab, people like Kamila have decided to jeb Biden first. Why worry about division when knocking out the front runner is the way to establish yourself.
Fake site or not, it reveals a lot about the makeup of each candidate. Biden thought he could be the elder statesman. Hey, Jeb Bush tried that! Kamila was and still is a persecutor at heart. Of all the talks about her circumstance, how many people of color she put away to make her mark as the persecutor with a high kill rate? But of course, she was going after the women's vote.
Sadly, the Dems are still showing their soft underside for the post Russian Republicans to exploit. Every man or woman for oneself means the party of popular votes may lose again by the divide and conquer tactics, Russian or not Russian
Ironically, the Democrats don’t need a fake website to publicize Trump’s weaknesses, corruption, scandals and traitorous behavior.
He boasts about it himself on the world’s stages and Twitter.
4
Republican voters like to vote for guys like the Uncle Joe Biden portrayed on that website! Based on Donald Trump's success, sexual assault and racism are clearly plusses for GOP candidates.
This might backfire against them if Biden gets the Democratic nomination!
2
Uh, for material to be “disinformation” it has to be untrue. From this article it appears the parodies only deal in factual information. If Biden and his colleagues don’t like the truth being highlighted, they should change their behavior, not try to suppress the truth.
2
@james The reason I would argue it’s disinformation is because the framing of facts is as important as the facts themselves. By posing as a Democratic political website and framing facts with callous and corrupt intent, they undermine the candidates in the minds of potential supporters gullible enough not to realize. The sexual assault accusations against Donald Trump have been significantly worse than those against Joe Biden, and yet among different groups, the perception of the situation is very different: Joe is considered the inappropriate one.
Still not voting for Joe Biden and never was. We have plenty of great candidates.
These guys are imitating, working with and often for, the Russians. Who knows why they hate America so much. But it raises a basic question. Given their level of integrity, one has to ask, would you hire a republican? Take a republican as a client?
1
Trump is ultimately his own best parody.
1
Will the nightmare ever cease? Tonight before I read Mr. Rosenberg critical news article, I made very small contributions to my current (IMHO) democratic front runners. Rather than respond to email donation appeals, I visited the candidates' web sites---out of caution. Fear lingered, "Will my donation reach the correct person? Surely, the emails and web sites must be legitimate?" Now is a scary reality TV episode in American history.
As I submitted my donations and later trembled through this article, one plea arose: could the NYT run a daily news banner listing the candidates true web addresses? Please.
Trump said he would still love help from Putin and the republicans would still like help too. Imagine that...the United States lol. I’m not so sure New York is United with Kentucky or that California is United with North Dakota. No democracy dies overnight.
1
Republicans know they can’t win an honest, up-front election. This phony website is more evidence of that utter lack of confidence in their own politics.
Reagan; “It’s morning in America.”
Trump;”We lie, we cheat, we steal.”
2
Republicans can't win elections on the issues and can't govern so they do cheat. What a surprise.
2
Very Nixonian.
Like the games his campaign played.
2
The Democrats have become a joyless gang of scolds and the media promote this gray corpse of a future. Who ever would have thought it would be the Republicans, of all parties, who just want us all to have a good time?
3
Why Google & multimedia policing is not working when they know it is fake web/media site? IS it not our democratic duty to protect democracy, only communist & dictatorships used those tactics to misinform public. If this is not done we all fail in our duty to protect & nurture honesty & socio-political responsibility? When the candidates whole life is on the anvil, the Axe of misinformation and targeted & deliberate fake news becomes sharper as those who judge don’t care.
1
And the problem is a guy is lampooning dems... really? SNL, the likes of Vanity Fair, (I’m a fan) late night hosts, pretty much all of the entertainment industry, MSNBC etc has been doing this very same thing to conservatives for a long time and lately in a very nasty and dishonest way. Cry me a river.
2
It's just more proof that Trump can't win honestly, and that some people (deplorables) can be fooled all the time.
1
Gosh, the ironic part of this is that if a similar parody site for Trump were launched and filled with lies, no one would recognize the difference.
1
This disinformation effort is a thing of value. If he's not billing the campaign for it, that's election fraud. If he is, that's campaigning without all the necessary candidate's approvals and identifications.
Republicans are dishonest, that's been true since Richard Nixon's plumbers got caught at the Watergate. We shouldn't expect any better of them, maybe that they start wearing hats to conceal their horns.
But we should expect that the FEC be as good as ferreting out a campaign operative operating without disclosure as the New York Times is, and the fact that we can't is what's wrong with the elections in this country. The FEC is just as much a fraud if they don't even try as the internet companies who only take political weapons down after, not before, they cause genocidal killing.
How are we supposed to believe that this is only out now, and not the week before the debate because it wasn't ready to go, and not because of the NYTimes' and other outlets' extremely visible anti-Biden biases?
1
So why isn't this illegal??? How can putting total lies and misdirecting disinformation about a candidate, especially using stuff that actually belongs to that candidate (photos, etc.) be allowed in a country that supposedly cares about democracy?
These people are essentially committing fraud against the American people. They deserve consequences appropriate to that crime.
Is this really legal, or can anybody stop him and the folks behind him footing the bill?
1
Parody OK, Intentional misinformation, not so much.
2
If Biden's campaign was smart they would turn this and other parody/false propaganda into an advantage. Free coverage - good or bad - works for Trump. They should spin it, and joke about so that's the first thought that comes to the minds of people who happen to visit this site. Democrats should not be so morose about this type of dirty politics - figure out how to use it to your advantage!
1
https://www.politico.com/story/2019/02/12/kamala-harris-2020-black-race-1167030
Go to para 9 and read down about what Kamala said about herself.
I only hope that when the day arrives that enough people have intermarried (generations from now) this will no longer be a matter of discussion, if we survive that long.
This dude didn’t want to be identified? Too ashamed of his work to own it? Lolz.
No more anonymous campaign ads. Clarity in who is paying for what and in who is producing what. A well-informed electorate. Are these things too much to ask for in a democracy?
1
If you're proud of your work and believe you're doing the right thing you should be proud to put your name on it in big, bold letters and not hidden in the fine print where you know few people will ever look. Otherwise it's all one big con job on behalf of the biggest con artist.
2
GOP always plays dirty and breaks rule..it's no more gentlemen's game. It's a game of who has the more money and means; and the meanest heart or should I say darkest soul ?
1
I saw the Biden faux website some time ago and it was obviously a parody.
Anyone who thought otherwise shouldn't be voting in the first place.
2
It's not very surprising that the Trump campaign finds sophomoric stuff like this “an indispensable part of our digital operation.”
1
"Mr. Mauldin’s website hews far closer to the disinformation spread by Russian trolls in 2016 than typical political messaging."
Let's dig a bit deeper here, and be suspicious of something beyond modeling and copying. Let's look into the crevices of funding...
3
Mr. Patrick Mauldin,
Thank you for your dis-service to your country, these dis-uniting states.
Your rationale fits perfectly with Dictators' dictums everywhere, "divide and conquer."
Your clever digital skills help feed the haters, spread disinformation, paralyze honest policy debate, and worst of all, keep fear, cynicism, exploitation and hypocrisy the real platform of your employers.
2
Trump can't win with anything that could come out of his own lying mouth. He has to use schemes and tricks to feel good about himself and believe that he is ahead or in the lead-- like the con-artist New Yorkers have always known him to be and the loser he otherwise knows that he is. That is why the wealthy class who at least have some values ignored him with his lies of being a self-made millionaire. It is why everything he has tried has failed. It is why he stiffs people all of the time. An incredible failure, he has to constantly fake it. So having fakes websites created by some of his campaign staff for the purpose of denigrating true public servants-- of which Trump knows absolutely nothing-- and just being a fake president day-in and day-out with incompetence all around him, in general is about all he will be remembered for when one of these democrats he gets a kick out of trolling himself, kicks his out of the White House. Truth is, something else Trump knows nothing about-- is that he will have done himself in and earned what he deserved. He did not want to be president; he is unfit to be president and "he and everybody else knows it." He is the walking and talking parody of a president this nation does not have presently. He can't even fake it.
1
Who needs Russia? Anyone who has spent just a little time with online forms or comment sections like this should have seen this coming. This is just the maturing of the immaturity of what internet anonymity has given us: full blown deceit.
1
"National security officials, known liars, are also warning that Russia will again try to disrupt the election by spreading disinformation."
Fixed!
When actors appear in TV ads representing doctors or patients, the companies are required to add a statement that they are representing real people.
These websites misrepresent themselves, and they should be required to note who is backing them.
Of course, they will all flee to off-shore accounts to continue the farce.
6
Even though the fake site has a disclaimer, I would not be surprised that many people visiting the site don't read it carefully or pay attention to it at all.
It is sad that many American voters don't take their votes seriously. Many people from other part of the world don't have the right to vote (e.g., China is one example) and many people have been jailed because of their fight for the voting right. Here in America, about 50% eligible voters don't vote and among those who do vote, what is the percentage of voters actually paying attention to the candidates and issues? They probably pay more interest to baseball and football than presidential candidates. That is why this type of fake site and/or misinformation works.
2
If the democrats nominate Biden they will lose in 2020 because he is a has been; they made a mistake in 2016 by nominating Hilary Clinton - many voters were prepared to vote for anyone but her or decided not to vote, and that's how we got stuck with trump.
1
Let's not forget that even with all of these slick and malicious facsimiles out there the number one purveyor of disinformation about his opposition and the main political issues in this campaign is none other than Donald J. Trump, himself. And he is peddling his disinformation in plain view, from the White House and for free through the mainstream and other media outlets.
2
The situation is dire. The electorate is a sitting duck! It’s so clear what’s happening in plain sight! trump is ignoring the raw evidence of russian meddling, and more than that ... when pressed he denies it. He is recklessly and deliberately doing absolutely nothing to stop the Russian cyber attacks, and more than that ... he eliminated the key role of a cyber-security director while real evidence mounts that russian cyber meddling is proceeding apace at this very moment. And the GOP (ie McConnell) keeps blocking legislation to fund the bolstering of Cyber-attack defenses. WHY? Essentially the GOP is counting on a repeat Russian disruption in the 2020 elections that put them in power in 2016. That’s why. A shift to a truly authoritative regime in the WH is in the making, no question.
2
It used to be more prominent, but you can still report specific search results to Google as inappropriate or web spam. There’s even a Chrome extension made by Google to make reporting easier.
The Joe Biden site shows up just after official sites, news stories and Wikipedia, it’s on the first page of search results, something that I bet most internet users think of as a sign of trust. The scary part of this article to me is more that some of these pages have high search rank more so than that they exist.
2
I am grateful for this article. Please keep the spotlight on this subject and of any other dirty tricks that the Trump campaign, his buddy Putin, the North Koreans or the Chinese Cyberwarfare operations are using to undermine our democracy.
The U.S. republic has never suffered such depth of corruption as it does today and that is from the White House to the Justice Department to the radical hyper-partisan so-called "Supreme" court.
3
Perhaps Mr. Maudlin could use his talents to tell the American people that the Ryan / McConnell / Trump tax cuts are increasing the deficit from $600 Billion to $1 Trillion.
The projected ten year increase in debt is $12 Trillion which is $80,000 per tax payer.
All to be paid for by us and our children and grandchildren.
Job creation in 2018 was 2.6 Million.
Job creation in 2015 was 2.7 Million.
Job creation in 2014 was 3.0 Million.
Every Republican senator voted for it. Not one Democratic senator voted for it.
Mr. Mauldin, by helping Republicans this is what you are helping to do to our country.
4
Here's my vow between now and November 2020: I will not read anything on social media. Zip, nope, no-no-no. I will not believe one paragraph or advertisement or promotion proclaiming to be "from" or "about" one of the candidates. The only time I will listen and learn about a candidate's position on a particular topic will be when I hear the candidate actually talking, probably in a debate forum. Good thing I don't follow the news from feeds like fb, twitter, yahoo, or reddit anyway.
1
Disinformation is the point of social media, from tweaked selfies to anonymous bravado to puffery about one's not so wonderful life to nonsense masquerading as news. Be skeptical of it all. With an obvious parody of a well known figure, though, assuming some skill in the execution, the response should be laughter not frozen-faced outrage or a call to law enforcement.
2
It is crystal clear that Republicans despise democracy and will do anything to retain power. Our country is going to have a big job for itself after the Republicans lose so many elections that they no longer are in control. They will react by defying the will of the people; they will not accept the truth.
1
Just one more example of the Republicans being unable to win in a fair fight.
2
If Republicans want to play this game it can cut both ways. Same with gerrymandering, help from a foreign power, demonization, all down the line. They have degraded our political discourse, and Democrats should have no qualms about fighting back on their terms.
1
Trump's communication director: "Facts are not partisan." That's precious, given Trump's aversion to facts reported by the media.
2
How would innuendo, false or true, of a little inappropriate touching and a few erratic policy ideas discourage Americans from voting for Biden or anyone else who might be running against mr “she’s not my type” Trump? Face it, Republicans have set a pretty low bar lately for acceptance of lying, cheating, tax fraud, money laundering, incompetence, misogyny and generally disgusting behavior of every stripe from their leaders. Slandering democratic candidates just doesn’t mean much when you consider the alternative.
2
In Mueller’s only public appearance regarding his final report (his “testament”) , he started and ended with with one message ... that the investigation’s mission and focus concerned russian intervention in the 2016 election, that such intervention was confirmed to have happened, that it was estensive and deep, and its purpose was to |support trump’s election victory over Clinton.
He emphasized that it is still on-going and warned that the 2020 election was vulnerable
1
The Republicans stop at nothing. The Democrats stop nothing. I seriously doubt that’s the path to defeating Trump.
1
Can Joe Biden sue Mauldin and the GOP for deliberate misinformation? Probably not, since political speech is pretty much exempt from the rules that apply to ordinary speech. So is corporate or "commercial" speech, for that matter. Oh, and we must not forget the "fine print" described in the article. The GOP operative admits his handiwork is not an official Biden webpage, but, in the style of many commercial ads, he admits it in print so small that we may assume he really doesn't want anyone to read it.
1
What Mr. Mauldin is doing may be legal, but it also sounds seriously sleazy.
But since he works for Donald Trump, should we expect anything else?
The older I get the more I realize that life is about character and doing the right thing. Hopefully (for him) young Mr. Mauldin will learn that before it's too late.
2
Perhaps I'm too academic, but I tell my students not to use information from websites that have no author because without an author, you cannot determine the reliability of the source.
An author who hides his identity cannot be considered reliable.
2
Has anyone seen these sites? They have countless images and videos of Biden touching people in an inappropriate manner. I doubt anyone would think Biden put those up willingly.
2
Public financing for campaigns and a law that campaigns can run no longer than 3 months.
1
Honestly, much like what was cited as Russian interference in the election, this amounts to exploitation of the ignorance to fact of the common American. I wonder how one could legitimately believe some of the things they read online. I cannot believe how blindly some will take content as fact, this must change sooner rather than later.
1
"All the site says about its creator is buried in the fine print at the bottom of the page. The site, it says, is a political parody built and paid for “BY AN American citizen FOR American citizens,” and not the work of any campaign or political action committee."
The 'fine print.' What a laugh and a scream, its the same deceptive technique on many web sites, in other words it is deliberately intended as to be difficult to read. Clear deceit.
Criminal acts deserve criminal lock-ups. Voters should be able to choose among positions; not untruths.
If you get information from a "web site" or fakebook or any other site in the world wide web, you have taken the bait and ought not to be surprised when you discover the information you get is all poisoned and twisted out of true.
Our elections were never wonders of honesty and fairness but the internet has allowed for a dichotomy of data_ those who use the web are usually ill informed, often very young or extrmely partisan.
Information on the web is closer to the sort of nonsense and insult once presented by so called Underground Comics in the 1970's. The major difference is that the scurrilous and often wildly insulting material from underground comics reached a miniscule audience and never affected the outcome of elections. Now, the mass audinces of the Web ought not to feel cheated if the disinformation and propaganda they read leads to the undoing of their candidates. What is needed is a an effort to inoculate Americans against the kind of garabage and disinformation propagandists push, just as US soldiers during WWII were aware that printed material and broadcasts from German and Japanese radio were not to be trusted-even when msny soldiers used the stations to listen to US music.
Too many Americans have become easily led and ignorant of the numerous ways political foes have learned to manipulate readers and voters. Rather than be exasperated-voters need to learn that almost all online media have several , often unspoken agendas.
I had just turned voting age when the Watergate trial began and considered myself an independent. Having read every word of the transcript in the NY Times while living in New York, I was shocked that a President would try to undermine the American democracy. Watching both parties over the decades since then, I have come to realize that the Republican party takes every opportunity to undermine the law in order to win. While I don't always agree with every nuance of particular Democrats, I have become what they call in the south, a Yellow Dog Democrat (I'd vote for a yellow dog before I'd vote for a Republican) as a result of the low moral character of the Republican party. I am not surprised at this article.
1
It’s sad that the Trump campaign has so little faith in their candidate, they go to great lengths to discredit others.
In case you've missed it. FOX News stated recently, just four days ago, that Google is "rigging" the 2020 election after Trump stated it on twitter. YouTube is now full of "Google rigs 2020" proof and theories.
This and those fake campaign websites indicate not only a shift in campaigning, but is a glimpse to what is about to come in 2020 (and then, because Trump will surely win, simply because he has the smarter and more ruthless campaigners and messages, the following years).
Maybe somebody should put up a website that is a compilation of all the nasty information about Donald John Trump, except that one can state factually that the salacious information is all 100% true.
That is also a complete defense against a defamation suit.
Republicans can only win by cheating, again and again. Here is another example of despicable and unethical campaign tactics by the Trump campaign. They must really be afraid of Vice-President Biden to be pulling this disgusting trick. Americans should not stand for this. i wouldn't be surprised if the Russians were involved as well.
2
Russian interference is not the biggest issue for US democracy, The real problem is any American can create fake disinformation that fools a gullible electorate.
You call it a disinformation operation, but political satire is allowed under the first amendment.
I am part German, part Polish, part native American, a British citizen, and an American citizen plus I have lived in the UK for more than 30 years. How would you like to classify me?
It is difficult to take this story seriously, for three reasons. One, it's an assertion of impropriety merely because it is cited on a web site. Apparently, for decades of US election history, running "smear" or critical TV and radio ads, and highly doctored, edited, spliced or fabricated ones, was perfectly acceptable if not expected as good sporting entertainment, but like all things now on-line, on the Web or Internet, suddenly it has, ipso facto, overtones of nefarious motive, spying, hacking, faking and a host of other mass hysteria accusations merely because it's a "web site" (there are fascinating cognitive bases for this phenomenon but that is another subject). If it was on HBO, Saturday Night, CNN, or various Late Show formats moreover, nothing is objectionably fake or asserted so. Two, there was no "Russian interference," even if someone is unfortunate to enough to accept such a narrative, confirmed after a multi-year, multi-million dollar investigation (which if you read it closely, is not even in conformity with model and other rules and standards). And three, it is impossible to know the difference between a real Joe Biden and a fake one. They are an identity. Besides, Biden will never even be nominated by his party (Obama even, refuses to endorse him), let alone elected. He is fulfilling his true destiny: a DNC foil and jester to differentiate the other candidates, such that they are, and challenging though that is to do. Regards.
When US imposes high tariffs on imported Chinese products, companies producing those products move into the US to protect their markets and maintain their sales.
When US national security agencies have several Russian organizations - that interfered in the 2016 election on behalf of Mr. Trump - in the cross hair of their advanced cyber weapons, those organization move their operations into the US to dodge potential "cyber bullets".
And to make it appear a genuine US operation, they hire a "Trump consultant" to head it. Later on they could even use such arrangements to claim that the 2016 election meddling was also done similarly by people attached to the Trump campaign.
15
This alone would have been enough to have most politicians removed from office - having someone like this on their campaign.
61
@Diane you have got to be kidding me. It’s a website that is merely highlighting what Joe Biden votes in and showing videos of him being awkward. It’s not funded by a campaign. It’s a parody.
1
1) According to some, Russian placed ads were very effective in getting Trump elected in 2016. They were so effective that the FBI and other law enforcement agencies declared that such ads constituted intereference in a US election.
2) The US Justice Department declared that had those ads been placed by a US citizen they would have been perfectly legal.
3) US citizens begin placing ads to get Trump elected in 2020.
Hardly a news item.
22
@Mike Edwards
Your 3 points are crystal clear, but your last statement "Hardly a news item" is wrong.
This is BIG news. Voters MUST be informed about the information/disinformation being spread by honest and dishonest actors.
If by 'ads' you mean disinformation designed to sway gullible and easily duped intellectually lazy folk, then yes.
@Mike Edwards
"According to some". Yeah, like who? Mueller, in his two-plus year extensive investigation found just the opposite, no effect on the outcome of the election. Please, give it a rest. Hillary lost because she was seen (correctly) as corrupt, out of touch and just basically despised by Democrats which is why she lost to Obama, and she ran a horrible inept campaign outspending Trump by over a billion dollars.
1
We need a new law called “The Fine Print Law”.
If a site is a parody, it should have to say parody at the top in big letters! That law should also apply to corporations and people who use deception to hide the fact that they will charge you money or take over your data in exchange for this or that service. The goal should not be to take away First Amendment rights, rather to remind people they have them and must take care with the truth.
31
Agree. Let’s have Saturday Night Live announce this at the top and Steven Colbert read it before he starts his monologue. Same for Jon Stewart and all other political comedians.
@William Perrigo... yeah. Just what we need. More laws.
1
Methinks that you folks east of the Hudson River need to lighten up a bit. Parodies are fun! If anyone even read the first paragraph on the website, hopefully s/he would be intelligent enough to realize that it is a parody. The disclaimer at the bottom is certainly in a font large enough that it is not what you describe as "buried in fine print". My elderly eyes were able to read it. Mahalo for introducing this website to me and to the many friends to whom I forwarded it!
22
Amen. At least you don’t live in NY!! I have to deal with this all of the time.
It’s humor to them when it’s Colbert or SNL.
@H.H.
Unfortunately, the US citizenry is not as astute as you would hope.
Mr. Mauldin, thank you for your service!
9
@Robbo: Yup, it will be returned by some young Democrats soon!
I'm thinking that the 2020 election has one thing that 2016 lacked, namely, a majority public awareness of being pervasively attacked with false information about the threats, issues and candidates.
Just like identity theft, its early success relied upon just enough people ignorant of the realities posed by the internet age to allow a minority of highly incented and well funded fakers to manipulate the election. So we got an illegitimate President.
I'm hopeful that there will be a whole lot more skepticism and will to ignore the coming mis-information tsunami which has already started. And dumb as a stump newbies are even getting into stuff like the birther conspiracy racket. We know the conservative campaign war chests are bulging (it made the donor class and our geopolitical enemies the greatest return on investment that has ever been documented, so over course they are all in now).
Ignore them...they are in most cases the actual "Fake News".
9
So what else is new. Once a tyrant always a tyrant. In the words of Gilbert and Sullivan let the punishment fit the crime.
10
Interesting article, and thanks for publishing it. I don't think that the President's own re-election campaign needs such parodies. What the heck would they say beyond what we've seen to date?
Simply don't wish to imagine that content.
10
But you will be presented with it.
It is about time to punish people who create mis-information about politicians and our elections. The use of social media to disseminate false information should be met with heavy fines.
30
@FreedomRocks76... absolutely, @FreedomRocks76, we should definitely curtail the freedom of speech.
Go to the website, chief. There is no misinformation. It’s all just videos of Biden being awkward and summaries of positions he actually took.
1
GOP will never pass any regulation to control fake news, since it is their main political weapon. And . . .McConnell has not passed one piece of legislation benefiting the truth or consumers.
Please let’s take this opportunity to stay focused on what we need to work to accomplish.
Can we agree we need to get money out of politics?
Can we agree we need to return to representative democracy?
Can we agree we need to inspire people to vote with effective policies that will finish the work of FDR, (not blue-no-matter-who, but inspiring .policies.)?
Can we agree that old ways of thinking won’t solve the myriad crises we are facing domestically and globally?
#NotMeUs
23
@Lilly. Actually, no, we can't agree on that. It should be clear to you by now that there are people who crave power so much they will do anything to get it. Get the money out of politics? No way, it helps me. Representative democracy? For losers. FDR - a socialist! Old ways of thinking - why get rid of them when they are working so well at getting me what I want? You need to remember that we DON'T agree on things like this, and that there are many, many people who will do whatever they want to shove themselves and their way of thinking down your throat.
I can only hope that more than 50% of the voting population is intelligent enough not to buy into this nonsense. Then we have a majority that will unseat DJT.
I think instead of term limits, we ought to have age limits. If people are not sensible enough to retire and enjoy life and the Grand kids in the family, get rid of them in politics. Nancy and Mitch at the top of the list, Bernie and Joe also. We raise our young to be self sufficient and carry on, let them do it. I personally am enjoying watching the young in our family grow up and be responsible. I am thoroughly enjoying retirement and watching them.
7
I’m not suggesting that Democrats sink to this level, but there it makes me think about how there is a lot of room for improvement in the tech savvy of the resistance. For one, why isn’t there a website that serves as the online hub for those who oppose Trump?
4
There are plenty of people doing this work -- here are two of my favorites: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSPOlzTs_bkFjKQTDG4xLZg
https://www.trumphotels.org/ -- but I think the distinguishing point is there are private.citizens, not campaign personnel.
Are you joking? Go to the website. There aren’t any lies. It’s just videos of Biden being awkward and summaries of his positions.
This is satire and SNL, Colbert and Stewart do it nightly. Stop whining because your candidate lost and go out and vote if you want Trump out.
1
@Jay Fox
There is. It’s found under the heading “Mainstream Media.”
This county is made up of approximately half Republicans and half Democrats. When did this become such an issue? The party not in power was always called "The loyal opposition"....with the emphasis on loyal. We are all Americans and if this country is to move forward, we need to stop bashing each other.
4
@Steven B: Nope, there are more Democrats than Republicans in this country, but gerrymandering and the outdated Electoral College gives Republicans an outsized influence.
@Steven B. Grow up. There is one corrupt political party that has not be loyal to anything but itself for years. The GOP has one goal - a permanent GOP takeover that amounts to dictatorship. If you want anything like the old system of "the loyal opposition," you have to make the miscreants pay and pay big at the ballot box, so long as we are lucky enough to still have the right to vote and a real choice to vote between. Kiss that good-bye too if the GOP has its way.
1
The website seems pretty obviously to be a parody and suggesting it is dangerous and nefarious misinformation on par with Russian disruption campaigns is alarmist. After all, The Onion's articles get mistaken for fact with some regularity too. That doesn't mean we should all panic about the inability of a few people to recognize a joke.
Also want to point out how hilarious the OfficialMikePence.com parody website is. So long as most people can recognize a joke, we don't need to panic about these sites.
14
@Charlotte S. Fine. Identify these websites as parody right up front, top of the home page, big letters, not buried down deep. Otherwise it's just wink-wink, "I was only kidding" as they twist you to their way of really thinking.
@Charlotte S.
Thanks for the tip. OfficialMikePence.com is awesome!
This consultant should be arrested, and if Trump has any involvement in it, the consultant should be barred from any campaign involvement in the future.
This cannot be allowed to continue or else our campaigns will be subject to false choices and invalid winners, like Trump.
I personally think that with Russian involvement in the campaign of 2016 it should disqualify Trump's victory and should have been declared the Hillary Clinton the winner on the popular vote.
There is absolutely no doubt in my mind, just as in golf that Trump cheats, he knows that he didn't win this last election and is an illegitimate President and will always be viewed that way in history.
14
Arrested for what?! For posting videos of Biden being awkward or summarizing his voting record?
Are you going to arrest Colbert or Jon Stewart? How about the cast of Saturday Night Live?
1
Lies sell. I have a relative so engrossed with Fox News that he was telephone swindled out of $400. I told him that perhaps if he watched other channels and news agencies where seniors are constantly warned about scams he might still have the $400. It’s not just Trump who knows the “art of the steal”.
10
@Edgar. Of course, there were no lies here, just inconvenient facts.
2
Exactly how is that legal? And why can't a lawsuit shut the site down?
4
Please cite the relevant statutes.
5
it's legal because nothing on the website is untrue
1
You want to make it illegal for people to post videos of someone being awkward or summarizing their voting stance?
Or do you want to make it illegal to parody someone?
1
So SAD. It is already over because the Dems are clueless in the Info age. The Donald is just toying with them like a cat and a mouse. The winner is.......SAD indeed.
1
@piet hein Its sad that this propaganda is just a weal grueil of projection - accusing someone else of stuff you are doing in spades. No one neeeds clever memes to say how awful Trump is - he is awful every day in clear sight. Anyone who would be really convinced by this dreck has probab;y lived in a cave for severl years. Yah - he's playing with us in ways that every day more people think he's a dangerous looney.
1
Dems are clueless in the info Age? Have you ever seen the blatantly obvious Fox-Russian lies the Republican base believes?
Politics has always been a dirty game. The Trump organization has reached new heights, I mean lows.
11
Oh please. Spare me. You obviously don’t watch the Colbert Report or SNL or Jon Stewart or read the Onion.
We don’t need to debate these GOP corrupt people who are so evil they have to run a negative nasty campaign already to win. Trump has lied over 10,000 times since day I one as the GOP president so why even be apart of a fake debate. I am very saddened the Catholics and the evangelicals are supporting this behavior it show volume about their religions.
19
Republicans are a minority party and they know it. That is why they do everything they can to corrupt the electoral process..gerrymandering, systematic voter suppression, deals with foreign powers to alter the election environment that go back to Nixon with Vietnam and Reagan with Iran and Trump with Russia. Using digital media to spread lies and hatred helped the Republicans win in 2016 and they are back at it. We are not dealing with a conservative/liberal discord, we are dealing with Republican abandonment of common decency. They are destroying the two-party system with every passing day. Trump in the White House is the most obvious symptom of the sickness that pervades the Republican Party. Shame on them all.
26
@Jefflz hate to bring you the bad news but you’re in for a shock in 2020. I voted for Obama in 2008, Johnson in 2016 and am for Trump in 2020.
Brings to mind the story of an actress who was receiving credible death threats based on her character in a television series. (She published an editorial in the nytimes a few years ago) Apparently an uncertain amount of citizens have a great deal of difficulty separating facts, satire and fiction.
9
What could we expect? Trump can hardly run 'on his record'... he's got so few really 'electable' achievements, and so many cruel, vicious, or incompetent policies and people that there is nothing to run positively on. So of course Trump and his proxies turn to attacks, and deception.
Cheating got Trump into office the first time (cheating and lying has boosted Trump his entire life, really) so of course Trump will repeat and increase his efforts to lie, deceive, and cheat his way to re-election. I'm sure one of the subjects Trump and Putin discussed this week is just this - Russian 2020 election interference. And I'm sure Trump's "wink-wink" little public performance will not put Putin off a bit.
Besides, Putin's got his Russian agent in the White House now, of course he wants to keep him. Another four years of Trump, and America's international reputation, prestige, soft influence, and strategic alliances will all be weakened, degraded, or destroyed, so of course Putin will be working hard for Trump's re-election. This kind of deceitful chicanery is just one little tool in the Republican's 'steal the elections' keep power toolbox.
8
Perhaps someone should create a website that is all about Patrick Maudlin and his brother -- oh, just a parody, of course.
16
Maybe an obvious point, but if the American public had a few more citizens with critical reading skills and the discipline to turn off their internet machine, then democracy as we know it could not be so easily subverted.
27
This kind of political trash should be illegal.
Unfortunately it is not. Until it is and until people are prosecuted for publishing it...it will seriously undermine our electoral system and prove to those already biased against the system that all politicians are equally guilty of these tactics. Either this needs to be made an illegal act (good luck with that: there is no chance that Republicans will embrace this) or better yet...a bipartisan good government group needs to create a “seal of approval” which appears on all legitimate political publicity and does not on anything that is bogus. Either we find a way to fight this or most of the American public will simply stop paying attention and assume that ALL political advertising and publicity is bogus. Act now or suffer the consequences later. People of good conscience need to get BUSY.
4
Agree. Let’s go arrest Steven Colbert and Jon Stewart now. Then we can get the whole cast at Saturday Night Live — they have been parodying people for decades! From there we can go to the Onion next but let’s not stop there and can take on all of Hollywood next.
Plenty of Trump parodies and comedic commentary--but the difference is they aren't created and promoted by people who are part of Democratic campaigns and who want to dodge being identified. If you got a great, funny parody site, I think you'd be happy to claim ownership.
2
Oh please. Colbert is a part of the Democrat campaign as much as anyone on staff.
Everything on this website is true. There is no misinformation as the NYT claims. Go to the website and see for yourself: www.JoeBiden.info
Here is a scary thought.
What if that mob gets back into complete power (Executive, legislative and judicial branches)? Do you expect mercy?
It's this posse that has no problem making new law with it's Executive pen, abandoning enforcement of existing laws they dislike, and using its agencies to oppress, spy on, and subvert the will of the people at the next election - as a warped act of patriotism, why?
Because they truly believe we aren't just people with bad ideas. We are bad people hence, constitutional protections do not apply.
And just how mad are they at us now? Real mad. So mad they no longer listen to reason. Makes you wonder precisely what they are capable of in order to never again allow the vermin to fluke back into power through this pesky election process. In fact, they have already clearly demonstrated what they are capable of, and that was back when they were merely smirking at us while in control.
6
Is Mauldin really sure he wants to go the "touchy-feely" route with Biden? After all, their candidate is an actual serial sexual predator whose accusers include one girl who was on 13 at the time of the alleged assault. Do they REALLY think that Trump beats Biden on this issue?
20
@Luke. Yes, they do, so long as they control the flow of information and our idiotic fellow Americans keep believing only what they want to believe. Everyone knows Trump is the worst of predators, but his followers just suppress that and tell themselves everyone is lying about Trump. People are really good at lying to themselves when they want to and now they have a president who is happy to help them do it.
I truly hope that Democrats don’t sink to this level.
2
The Republican Party no longer is a supporter of a true Democracy or a serious political party.
The childishness and embracing of dirty tricks with a win at all costs mentality.
Trump represents these people perfectly.
15
The Dems better realize that they need to fight fire with fire. Unfortunately, this is the age we live in.
4
If his motive for putting this site together is the noble and "important" one of disclosing "hard truths" to partisans, why doesn't he put together a similar site about Trump?
Not to mention the truth that "facts" can easily be misrepresented and cherry picked. Something that many Republicans since Lee Atwater and gang working on Reagan's campaigns have found all too easy to do. One hard truth is that they are liars.
6
Snake oil sellers find stupid snake oil buyers.
Information literacy 101 litmus test.
3
This is disgusting.
14
American voters are interested in being spoon fed 20 second sound bites and that's how they make their decisions on voting.
They get what they deserve as is witnessed by the current masterful media king residing in the White House.
The Dems are reactors and Trump is constantly pushing himself into the spotlight no matter how repulsive & dangerous he may be.
It's basically Cliff Notes for Voters that'll win in 2020.
5
Sickening - There is no bottom to the Trump campaign....
16
Republicans can’t lead, govern or gain the automatic support of anything but an embittered 40 percent, so they troll. It’s not complicated.
9
Just another example of "dirty politics" and the value of telling lies. Roger Stone would be proud. These people are doing their best to drag America down in the sewers with them and Trump.
3
The Trump campaign is only pinch hitting till Russia is fully engaged.
7
What does this say about Trump and associates and repubs in general to tolerate or even consider, much less allow this kind of thing?. Truly abhorrent ugly and shows the level they have sunk to. Now if you still vote for trump and condone this you are just as low as they are.
3
And the Democratic party still believes the GOP are their counterparts in government.
The GOP and its voters collectively appear to have the emotional mindset and maturity of a 13 year old 8th grader sticking pencils up the nostrils.
Will it take generations for these people to vanish before any semblance of intelligence manifests itself among Republicans?
13
Another con. Is anyone surprised at Trump consultant tactics?
16
If the right wing media keeps it up on all fronts, Trump and company won't even need Russia this time.
5
@JCam
Read thevMueller report. Twice. Whatever the Rusiians did or didn’t do, hasn’t impacted the outcome one iota.
It was all American.
Gee, what a surprise.
Who could have ever predicted that the Trump Campaign, would have a Soviet Style Disinformation Attack Plan for the internet.
Putin taught them well.
9
i am disinclined to follow anyone's campaign stories until perhaps 6 weeks out from next year's elections. how much nothing can 1 person absorb?
1
Thought the site was great. Hilarious!
4
Hooray for Patrick Mauldin.
The entire tinseltown throng is working for the twenty dwarfs of the Democratic Party. Stars like Michael Francis Moore has done this for ages with impunity. The Press loves him and showers him with accolades and his admiring peers recognizes him with Academy Awards.
Late night talkshow hosts and mainstream media peddle misinformation about the President night and day. It is news when the man, fed up with such assaults from the left, bites the dog.
I get it.
11
Michael Moore wasn’t working for a sitting president’s campaign. That you don’t see a difference is alarming.
And of course you’d have been so sanguine had Obama—the target of relentless, groundless smears—had bitten back, right?
10
Late-night talk shows are hosted by comedians. Is that really what you want to compare these deceptive websites to?
In any case, I can find the late-night talk shows mainly expose the incompetence, lying, and hypocrisy of Trump and the GOP. Is there something specific you can point to that you feel is misinformation from the comedians?
The lesson is, no matter how dishonest Trump and his accomplices’ behavior, his groupies will always peddle the idiotic excuse that the left made him do it.
Using online reputation management to manipulate truth--in this case, a fake website--is nothing new. So, being mindful and vigilant of all things we read online is ever-more important.
3
So...the modern versions of the Political Cartoons of old.
As long as they stay parody sites, more power to them
When they turn into actual disinformation sites, then that is different.
Parody/satire is a first amendment right.
Propaganda and disinformation is totally different.
Time to thicken our skins a little more.
10
Anyone who votes for Trump in 2020 is part of the problem. How could anyone support this kind of behavior, not to mention everything else?
18
Why aren't there a lot of websites and Facebook pages just showcasing the various crimes and misdemeanors Trump and his little shop of horrors (AKA his family, cabinet and political allies) have actually been implicated in? Those would include the latest revelations on Trump sexually assaulting Ms. Carroll, whose version of events was now corroborated by two women she told at the time, the"special" connection of Mitch McConnell to his wife's family business, which made him a very rich man, to the Kushner family connection with autocratic potentates in the Middle East, and so on. And, best of all, no creativity required - they're all true. As the saying goes, you can't make that stuff up. But, it still needs to be told, again and again.
12
WE should check his morals and see if he is for sale ??
How much money will it take for him to make and publidcize anti Trump ads ?
1
At Last! We've found the 400lb. guy on a bed!!
11
IMO, the right can troll all they want. The tribes are in their corners already, and our tribe is larger than their tribe.
4
Perhaps, but your tribe (aka the Democratic Party) needs to vote like the country depends on it. Numbers or “popular votes” in all the wrong or needless states won’t deliver the White House.
I say this living in Nancy Pelosi’s district for the past 25 years, and of no political tribe.
Of course people associated with the trump, always on campaign, would post fake sites....They have learned from the best trump supporters....Putin and Russia! The old Soviet Union way....Backed up by Fox fake news...and other disinformation sites....This confuses many of trump's senior supporters who cannot tell truth from fiction....
3
It's an extremely informative website... Whoever runs it.
5
Not illegal but not ethical
4
Why does the Times repeat that this website is a “parody”? A parody is a literary or musical work in which the style of an author or work is closely imitated for comic effect or in ridicule. This website is not a parody. It is a deliberate attempt to mislead.
24
misleading people with actual footage of Biden saying and doing things he actually said and did?
1
“breezily mocks the candidate in terms that would warm the heart of any Bernie Sanders supporter.” Dude. Come on. Do you honestly think most people on the far-left are in favor of disinformation campaigns, and casually enjoy jokes about sexual misconduct & misogyny? This consistent narrative of Bernie supporters as conniving, at times insensitive people seems to linger in the background of moderates’ columns. Hello? The whole resurgence of the left started with him (more so than backlash to Trump), a momentum which still drives the agenda, and stems from empathy and basic respect as the rule of thumb for all government procedures. Get with the program and do the entire center-left media a favor — quit knocking Bernie, his constituency, and most importantly the ideas he stands for with this senselessness.
9
@Jasmine Hear hear! These unnecessary opinion phrases to bash Bernie in news articles are so frustrating. Still remember NYT's stealth editing a piece in -16 on Bernies legislative accomplishments. https://publiceditor.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/03/17/new-york-times-bernie-sanders-coverage-public-editor/
There is no doubt that he has the vastly powerful enemies, such as the entire mainstream media, in his fight for ordinary ppl.
Mad magazine is parody. Mr. Maudlin‘s site is not. It’s not humorous or exaggerated, and apparently needs a disclaimer, buried of course, to identify itself. It is meant to be deceptive, and is not entertainment. But most people just back off when jerks like him - or Trump - say “lighten up, can’t you take a joke?” Trolling, fake news, red pilling... the word we have been avoiding is propaganda.
14
@John k
"Mad magazine is parody. Mr. Maudlin‘s site is not. It’s not humorous or exaggerated"
If you claim it isn't a parody and it isn't exaggerated....well then....that doesn't bode well for Mr. Biden.
8
@John k . We avoid that word because if we used it there would be no one with clean hands . . .
I would add that humor is fundamentally a point of view applied to some semblance of "reality" and reasonable minds can disagree on what that might be.
Love this!
1
If Trump is so popular and is such a great president and is doing do much to make the country great, I’m curious why his campaign has to pay to spread disinformation about an opponent. Kind of proves Trump is a giant fraud, don’t you think?
23
disinformation is false. everything on the website is true
1
Apparently the GOP fears Biden the most.
Now why do you suppose that is, Democrats?
5
Muckrakers are back!!!!
What was the line from the movie "All That Jazz"?
Everything old is new again?
1
Lee Atwater redux. Who gets the money from the t shirt sales
Just left Citizen Kane at the AFI - these poor empty men starving for love is at bottom is their tragedy. If I step back from the conflagrations of sheer manipulative evil that is his and criminal cronies’ calling cards what we find are small boys consumed by the world’s biggest inferiority complexes which at bottom is a desperate bid for love.
Trump is no different than Charles Kane. A pathetic, lonely child, deserving of ultimate pity whatever his material bonanzas.
I know a millionaire one hundred times over, who like him can never fill that ultimate vacuum. At bottom they can love no one, as they have never had love conferred upon them, so they buy and sell and betray and dump people on their destructive paths toward an impossible dream and desire...to be loved.
And that desperation will never fill the empty hole within them, whatever monstrous vengeful, spiteful damage they sow upon anyone in their unquenchable thirst for admiration and...love.
They become obese and lard-laden, feeding like hogs before an interminable cornucopia of food, money, jewels, yachts, houses (for their palaces can never be called homes, bereft as their palaces are of any real soul-nourishing affections) starving in their poor calculus that they might find respect, intimacy, compassion with their obscene powers, but it will forever be out of their reaches for at bottom they cannot truly love themselves, or anyone, knowing at bottom that no one truly loves them at all. Trump is but one.
9
@René Pedraza Del Prado What you say may be correct but that doesn't mean he has the right to dissemble and cheat the country while he's "looking for love".
1
Two can play at this game.
3
Trump cannot win re-election on merit. He MUST have stooges who will lie, deceive and use every unethical means they can think of to promote Donald Trump. Really, just following in his footsteps.
19
It’s absurdly disingenuous to pretend to care about the truth while supporting Trump.
25
Unclear how he can claim the websites are purely his private personal activity when he is a paid operative of the Trump campaign.
24
Wow, this country is throwing its First Amendment rights down the toilet with all the Democrat demands for clamping down and eliminating the First Amendment.
Educating our citizenry on how to be savvy consumers would, frankly, tear apart the entire American way of life which relies on fools taking the word of other fools.
The government is even trying to use private businesses to clamp down on free speech as defined by the "government" rather than allowing private business to make its own decisions about what speech and expression it wishes to have or not have based on its interpretation of the First Amendment.
Please do some reading about the First Amendment and educate yourself about what the chipping away at it means in the big picture. Liberties lost in this era of citizens all agreeing they want a huge Nanny State will never ever be reinstated.
Understand what limits on speech look like in other countries and the impacts the various restrictions on speech have on their citizenry.
We cannot chase down every single person who speaks an "untruth" or go after, endlessly with these dog and pony hearings, every single business that allows anything the Democrats do not consider "Truth" to be aired.
There should be a MASSIVE federal government initiative going on to educate every single citizen about knowing who they are listening to. But, to be frank, the Democrats want to be able to sling their own brand of reality as much as the Republicans.
9
Stop claiming this is a first amendment issue. It is not. The Republican Party has no connection with freedom of the press unless one considers lies and disinformation a part of the press. This is out and out FRAUD and needs to be labeled as such.
6
@Robin Bugbee You make my point! People know nothing about the First Amendment
You are disseminating misinformation, the close cousin of disinformation, and you are lying if lying is not telling the truth --which you may be ignorant of. I argue that your speech is irresponsible because thousands of people will read your comment and assume there must be some truth to it or you wouldn't put it on the internet. However I fervently defend your right to say whatever you want. This website is not "fraud", Republicans do not try to curtail the First Amendment like Democrats do -- noble as their aims may be, and a website about Joe Biden is not "the press" and mixing up "the press" with the dissemination of fact is also erroneous.
The First Amendment is about protecting freedom of expression in ll it's myriad forms.
We need a massive public education program like the ones for tobacco and AIDS which alerts the public to be discerning in what they consume and responsible for it, not shielding their eyes from whatever "we" don't want others to see. The internet will never be controllable; it's folly to even try. Instead we must educate our citizenry to the timeless premise "Caveat emptor!" And elect Liz Warren, if it must come to that -- she's in favor of the Nanny State in extremis.
1
I'm less concerned about Trojan websites than a "contender" who puts self-promotion and raw, grasping opportunism ahead of ending Trump's reign of petty tyranny, and grave corruption.
Kamala Harris has nothing to lose and seems to care less if we have everything to lose by injecting ugly currents of racial resentment that for her are as faux as Fox News.
The staged emotion of Kamala Harris' attack on Biden is a page right out of Trump's playbook, "Dirty Tactics for Dummies."
1) Harris' racial identity is contrived and utterly in bad faith: her public persona is Asian Indian, which is how she presented herself before she ran for DA. She was raised by her mom, a medical researcher at UC Berkeley, from Tamil Nadu. Her name Kamala in Hindu/Hindi means "goddess" or "Woman of perfection."
2) her father, a Stanford Economics Professor, left his wife when Harris was 3 and was absent from her childhood in an integrated, mixed income neighborhood in liberal Berkeley, before her mom moved to Montreal as a medical researcher at McGill University and where Harris graduated from high school.
To suggest her childhood bore any similarity to a black child in Chicago or Boston is specious and offensive.
The "little girl on the bus" traveled 2 miles from home to Thousand Oaks Elementary School, one of the best in the state.
Voluntarily.
Like Trump, she attacks to divert attention from her own record, which evinces contempt of principle over political expediency.
31
Um... Indians are also considered minorities. And, yes, even minorities who come from middle class households have had to deal with bigotry. Especially women.
28
@Martini
I'm Chinese. I attended high school in Oklahoma and Alabama during desegregation. In Oklahoma everyone thought I was American Indian and was treated accordingly. In Alabama I was classified "colored" and became one of eight students -- all others were Black -- to integrate Enterprise Senior High School, bused from Coffee County School for the Colored, which was all Black.
I graduated from Galileo High School in SF, which was 80% Chinese, half bananas and half FOB. I was selected to deliver the valedictory address because staff thought I was the only one with adequate English.
I know bigotry up close and personal. I resent poseurs who weaponize their experience and claim victimhood growing up in the People's Republic of Berkeley in a integrated, mixed income neighbor-hood, raised by a highly educated and high income medical researcher working at UC Berkeley, with an absent father who was a Stanford Economics professor.
I was in numerous community meetings with her when she was DA. She spoke perfect, professional English absent any accent. Now she affects a Southern accent.
BTW, her husband is among the most prominent corporate litigators in California, representing mostly tech clients.
Bigotry is real and cuts deep. It's not a prop to use as a cheap political "gotcha." Not with what's at stake.
20
No.
Harris is not African American.
But neither are Jamaicans, people from India, Arabs from Pakistan and anyone of mixed race or without white skin. Stop trying to discredit people of color by dismissing them as being “not black”. We do not go into the racial identity of white people (like me) do we? We are just accepted as White. That is part of the unfair privilege we are born with. Until people of color are judged on the basis of WHO they are instead of discriminated against for the color of their skin and accident of birth (as we ALL are) no one has the right to judge anyone’s legitimacy on the basis of the color of their skin.
Nobody.
199
This has become a typical, and darker side of Republican political campaigning and it has been in force since Lee Atwater, ushered in the the era with his "WIllie Horton" commercial.
Since the Russians broke through with their 2016 election influence, including face-to-face meeting with Trump campaign officials, hacking into Hillary's email server, and producing slanderous conspiracy theories through official Russian military resources, Mr. Mauldin has crawled out from the primordial ooze of conservatism to start the process again.
It is one thing for opposing candidates to to disagree on the issues. It is quite another create these fake web sites and what will be a flood of social media ads.
When will Republicans ever come to grips with the fact that their former party of Lincoln as lost all semblance of decency. They coupled themselves with Donald Trump, the man without a moral compass, devoid of compassion and empathy for anyone. He and his Party of Trump have taken the Constitution and run it through a paper shredder hoping no one will notice the autocratic takeover of a crime family and the street thugs in Congress doing the family's bidding.
Mr. Mauldin is a mere symbol of the rot within the Republican Party. But it is moral depravity to its core. Reagan put a Hollywood smile on it. Gingrich used his snarl and accusations of treason and lack of patiotism to relaunch we the Republican Party has become.
America needs another blue wave to save our democracy.
7
Making America great again,
In the same old way.
1
Do it right back to them. They call everything fake news anyway, even if it’s real, so might as well.
5
Yes, this is sleazy. But The Onion also parodied Biden. We survived.
6
Parody is fine. Deception isn’t.
4
The Onion is parody. Mauldin’s websites are propaganda.
3
We continue to learn more about how complex the disinformation campaign was in 2016, and will likely be in 2020. Does that scare me? Yes.
A parody website by some half-bright Trump flunky? Not so much.
4
Mauldin’s low life approach to political communication, favoring disinformation and deceit, is a symptom of the new Trump GOP’s willingness to do absolutely anything to gain power.
Mauldin is a parasite on a once great American Democracy, which the Mitch McConnell GOP and its operatives are working relentlessly to destroy by any disgusting means possible.
Party over country is the new GOP.
19
Follow the money. Who is paying for this "news"
And maybe we need more of this nonsense so
the likes of this "news" is set aside where it belongs.
2
Let the pearl-clutching by Democrats begin.
10
@M — For this Democrat, it’s more like eye-rolling.
3
They can say, post, whatever they want. Unlike the past, I will not be financially contributing to the candidate I support, won't be phone banking or volunteering, or caucusing in my state. That enthusiasm born out of the Obama years was snuffed out during Hillary v. Bernie. I will wait, and I will vote for whatever warm body is put up against Trump. If the right side wins, not holding my breath, great. If not, wake me up when the clown show is over.
15
It would be one thing if the guy really were doing this on his own. "But the campaign knows about the websites, raising the prospect that the president’s re-election effort condoned what is, in essence, a disinformation operation run by one of its own."
When asked, will Trump ignore, disavow, or merely justify such tactics?
He's already sold us out to Russia and China. He's told the former that it can go ahead and interfere with the election, which could even mean for Russia to attack the voting machines. For Trump, if he wins it is good for him. If he loses he can claim the election was hacked or rigged, declare it invalid under martial law or executive action and let the court battles begin. As for China he has dropped threats of tariffs and action against Huawei because he knows they would negatively affect the stock market, which is his claim to a booming economy.
Simple suggestion: believe nothing Trump or his people say.
19
Like any tool, the internet is subject to the reality that it can be used for evil as well as for good. People need to stop pretending that the bad guys (who are often more motivated) are not as smart as the good guys. So, no surprise here. And don't think a supporter of one Democratic candidate might not do this to another.
The real problem is not the phony "news", the deception, and the outright lies. It is that most people still continue to believe what they see on the internet. No amount of regulation can control that. People strongly gravitate to sources that reinforce what they already believe. Whether or not the sources are what they pretend to be or even accurate is, for all practical purposes, functionally irrelevant.
All one can hope for is that people will stop using the internet, especially anti-social media and twitter-following as credible sources of news. While it costs nothing to produce phony stuff online, newspapers and magazines have a distinct cost, and though they also are subject to gossip, marketing hype, and lies targeting an echo chamber-addicted niche audience, their potential for destructiveness is orders of magnitude less than that of the internet.
Of course I do understand that I am essentially doing you-know-what into the wind with my plea for people to think for themselves, to regard anything that reinforces what they already believe with suspicion, and to understand the internet is inherently flawed due to its alleged "democratization."
4
Like any tool, the internet is subject to the reality that it can be used for evil as well as for good. People need to stop pretending that the bad guys (who are often more motivated) are not as smart as the good guys. So, no surprise here. And don't think a supporter of one Democratic candidate might not do this to another.
The basic problem is not the phony "news", the deception, and the outright lies. It is that most people still continue to believe what they see on the internet. No amount of regulation can control that. People strongly gravitate to sources that reinforce what they already believe. Whether or not the sources are what they pretend to be or even accurate is, for all practical purposes, functionally irrelevant.
All one can hope for is that people will stop using the internet, especially anti-social media and twitter-following, as credible sources of news. While it costs nothing to produce phony stuff online, newspapers and magazines have a distinct cost, and though they also are subject to gossip, marketing hype, and lies targeting an echo chamber-addicted niche audience, their potential for destructiveness is orders of magnitude less than that of the internet.
Of course I do understand that I am essentially doing you-know-what into the wind with my plea for people to think for themselves, to regard anything that reinforces what they already believe with suspicion, and to understand the internet is inherently flawed due to its alleged "democratization."
1
It is amazing how quickly a democracy can be corrupted by a President like Trump. Not being held account by his Party or core voters leads him to become more and more brazen in the way he conducts this upcoming campaign.
He will continue to push the envelope unless voters pull the exit lever in 2020. If they don't God only knows what our country will look like after another four years of this demagogue.
8
Here's an idea. If the Trump campaign or Trump-related entities pay Mauldin even if not for making the Biden website, then he may be using their money (laundering) to make the parodies.
6
What makes this Joe Biden site so effective is there is almost no commentary, just photos and quotes from the candidate. In an age when we are constantly being told how to think by media outlets and political spin masters, it's very effective for not following that template.
7
Some days it is very difficult to maintain hope.
These are dark days in America.
9
Bad behavior from Trump and his supporters is not a surprise. It is amusing when they reveal their stupidity so plainly. Now we know who they fear most and that is useful information indeed.
2
This is truly disgusting. A troll is a troll is a troll, whether Russian or American. Sadly, many who believe whatever they see in print or online will believe this garbage. A disclaimer that does specify that the owner of the site works for the Trump campaign is insufficient.
3
trump and his people are despicable and would stoop to any level.
They cannot be trusted in any way, shape or form.
9
If the video clips were faked, like the fake zuckerberg video where he admits to all the flaws of Facebook, that would be disinformation. But embarrassing actual information is not disinformation.
With respect to looking a lot like an official Biden site (at least on brief initial glance), only a total dolt would review the web page and go away thinking it was actually a Joe Biden sponsored site. The web site in question falls within the broad category of parody, long part of the American political tradition.
14
Thank you, RM. Exactly right. The left lost any residual sense of humor with the advent of President Trump.
6
Couldn’t agree more. The irony is most of stuff on this website is based on very same criticisms Dems are making against Biden. I am not a Trump supporter, but must say Dems have gone off the deep end. No one could ever mistake this video for an official Biden website!!
8
Since when is fraud protected by the First Amendment? Deceit is a form of fraud. If this isn't illegal, it should be. Gimme a break.
9
fraud involves lies or deception. Everything on the website is factual. what's the problem?
1
I often wonder as I read these things, why or what
has driven us to consider this type of political hatchet
job as necessary for your/our candidate to win...Isn't it
more important to try and present our candidates as
important to preserving American democracy and
highlight their accomplishments so that we can actually make an informed decision to choose the
leader of our country...Do these people care about there country or just "winning"...?
3
How sad that this adult chose to do this with his time. Just sad.
4
Just another con-man move by the Lord of the Lies.
Hopefully when Trump’s removed from office by a convincing vote, he can be tried for his crimes as he’ll no longer be above the law.
8
This needs to be made illegal now!!!! Prior to the “inter web”, political ads were monitored in print, TV, radio, etc. for fraud. These laws need to now be applied to the online world, quickly!!!
3
Democrats are, to a person, intelligent, educated, computer savvy, literate, clever, and beautiful as all get-out.
On the other hand, 45’s base has shown itself to be ignorant, uneducated, unattractive, and naive.
After all, look at their leader, their idol, their messiah. They are sycophants and mirror immages of the smallest, most willfully ignorant, immoral, unattractive man on Earth.
Bless their hearts!
VOTE BLUE, NO MATTER WHO! 2020
6
I don’t suppose it occurs to folks like Bluebeliever that characterizing all Democrats with superlatives and ascribing negative characteristics to all Trump voters (many of whom were actually Democrats) sounds not only childish but scarily lacking in intellectual heft. So sad that for decades our educational system has failed to instill in citizens a sense of nuance and the ability to think critically.
9
Americans are getting uglier and uglier everyday. You guys can only be awaken by a great tragedy, like what had happened to the Germans. I pray this ugliness will end soon as I’m concerned for my daughter.
6
Putin is a good teacher. Some of Trump's clown actually listen. Hey they have nothing to brag about, Trump is an American Made disaster, so Fake News is their logical go to.
3
Endorsed by the Trump campaign.
I wonder... if gangs of thugs roam the streets beating Democrats and smashing their store windows, will the Trump campaign endorse that as well?
3
Mr. Mauldin, you and your brother are just another pack of paid for and sold out losers hiding behind digital charade! Have you no shame?
3
Worse than the Russians!
3
His political views are more "closest to libelterian "; face facts ??? Maulden (so aptly named ) is amazingly and positively one of Trump's nasty minions ; not that Trump needs them , he exceeds them in nastiness . Does he not have an inkling of all the blatant lies and unfacts Trump has fed the public or is it merely a mean spirit in common that drives him and his brother ? Malice definitely dwells in an unhappy heart .
4
Trump's political arm has just relocated Russian Propaganda help to the USA.
3
Typically Republican. As with Kamala Harris, never discuss issues or debate ideas, because they have none. They are as bankrupt as a Trump business when it comes to policy. Instead they name call, make up lies, suppress votes, spread misinformation, carry water for oligarchs, and coordinate with Russian trolls. I am hoping America deserves better than this. We’ll see come 2020!
5
Why don't you go to the website and then come back here and post a list of all the false information that you think is on the website? we'll wait
1
The Dems should fight fire with fire and create “Trump is Pro-Woman” websites with all of the sex accusations. I don’t want another four years of that foul man in the oval office.
4
This is the dawning of the new politics of hatred to the point of pretending to be a party member of the party you're demeaning. And, if you're not in the hatred game you're a fool. To think that this will stop after Trump is out of politics would be foolish as well. It will take decades to wash clean what Trump has done to destroy American politics based on actual facts.
9
@Dan O
The "hatred game" has been around for a long time. Are you forgetting the Santorum Google campaign? Or literally every incisive satire?
4
@Dan O
Instead of every person's life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness, the anti-American quest of Machiavellians is the use of money and power to hold others in subjection.
With friends like this who needs Russians?
4
We are a pretty pathetic lot.
4
The site in question is clearly a satirical website. The following is copied directly from the front page of the website:
"This site is political commentary and parody of Joe Biden's Presidential campaign website. This is not Joe Biden's actual website."
Anyone complaining this is the end of democracy needs their head examined. Satire and parody in politics have been around forever.
Is the following website also deploying "Russian tactics" in an effort to "sow discord" within the Trump base?
https://www.newyorker.com/humor/borowitz-report
Should The NewYorker be banned for publishing such "disinformation"?
I can only hope that most Americans are not as Orwellian as the majority of NYTimes commenters.
16
Touche
3
@John
That url clearly states that it is the New Yorker, that it is humor, and what article it is.
Where is that in the joebiden.info url?
Truth be told... that old news... trust yourself. Believe & vote as you see fit after sifting thru it all.
1
Well the republic may survive but it is unlikely to remain democratic. How can it when citizens are not engaged in debating the facts but instead are drowning in lies and deception.
8
It's funny and effective and the some can't stand it. It's easy to see the sites are complete parody. So weird to see all the gifs of Biden touching which the author states were put up without explanation or context. I'd love to see the author, Matthew Rosenberg, explain the context of all those touchy gifs, His explanation would be funny in and of itself. SNL and late night hosts bash Trump constantly, and I often find myself laughing at the parodies. It seems those who want a Democrat to win in 2020 have no tolerance for anti-Democrat parodies and the author calls a Trump campaign ad specialist an "operative". Hmmmm....
9
@Dr Arthur Trotzky The guy was boasting on Reddit about how people were fooled by his website. Do you know anyone who has mistaken Alec Baldwin for Trump?
3
"Biden website was intended to help Democrats “face facts,” Mr. Mauldin said in an interview. He kept his name off it because “people tend to dismiss things that they don’t like, especially if it comes from the opposite side,”"
This is the work of a coward - if Maulding feels this strongly about his work, then he should proudly put his name on the website for everybody to see. The criminal enterprise Trump is running and the corruption he allows in this administration are the facts he should be highlighting.
8
One of the reasons the republicans are successful in this country—in spite of voting against anything good for the common people—is that the democrats are always worried about fair play. Sorry, but if your opponent is willing to fight dirty and you aren’t, they are likely going to win. One of the things I liked about Obama was that if someone flamed him, he always had a snappy comeback. That what the dems need now.
6
This should be easy for Democrats; the terrible things they can say about most Republican candidates will have the added bonus of actually being true. The real problem with the American electorate is they are woefully under-informed or misinformed. I think this is an okay tactic. I can just imagine what wonderful stuff a fake Mitch McConnell website could come up with to help Kentucky voters understand just who he really is and whose interests he really represents.
5
There is no substitute for canvassing one's own neighborhood. People would be wise to discount any Facebook, Reddit, Twitter, or other information and turn to their local party operations to find out the truth, and it's up to the local party operations to keep in touch with the voters in their districts so they know where to turn. Besides, don't Republicans like men who touch up women? Who knows? They might vote for Biden. Romney outspent, McCain, at least for a while, outspent, now Trumps going to outspend, and that doesn't win elections.
1
All we have to do is categorize the sites. If it is comedy and parody...that would be be where you would find it. If it is truly political you;d find it listed there.
Mauldin makes a mockery of our election process. Republican excuses that this sort of anonymous on line theater is acceptable just shows how desperate they are and harkens back to the days of Nixon and Stone. Acts like this, gerrymandering and voter suppression are clear signs the GOP sees that demographic asteroid bearing down their way. Like dinosaurs they too will be extinct. Let us hope they disappear before causing the same fate for the rest of us.
5
Why would anyone be surprised by this faux website and its role within the Trump campaign. It's lies for liars, 24-7.
Which prompts me to mention Supreme Court Justice Sam Alito, who cast a losing vote in the case involving the census citizenship issue. In his minority opinion, Alito said it was perfectly acceptable for individuals to lie (that is, not state the truth) in contesting a legal challenge. Yes, he did. His reasoning so to speak is that it's not in the purview of the Supreme Court to take into account of the veracity of claims made before it. Instead, he opined, jurists must analyze the facts of the case only, not suspected motivations of the plaintiffs or defendants.
Lying, in other words, before the highest court, is no problem.
What's happened to us?
8
I’m surrounded by a group of hardcore Trump fans at work.
And it’s amazing what these guys believe. I hear it all the time. One of them reads some of the craziest lies about Democrats, repeats it to the group, and it takes legs from there as the truth.
Then they post a lot of this junk on Facebook, never bothering to check if it’s true. They believe it, now it’s the truth in their minds.
8
@John Adams
Think how Dem party has failed the Trump fans. no better alternative is the problem
Wish some hacker would have a go at Mauldin’s financial and personal accounts.
6
I’ve always said, “who needs Russians, when you have Republicans and Democrats”. We are our own worst enemy.
1
@Steve
Except that Democrats didn't do things like this, and won't.
The worst enemy of a more perfect union is cynicism, remember?
3
The intent is to be amusing in a mildly malicious manner. I understand that the President is routinely lampooned on SNL and the late night chat shows by the former comedians who preside over those programs, the lowest-rated of which must easily trump this silly website's views.
2
If he’s so proud of his work-websites-why doesn’t he reveal himself for creating these sites. Yes like Steven Colbert who is man enough. No Maulden knows what he is doing is wrong and it sounds illegal to be accepting donations and selling t-shirts from people who believe the websites are created by the candidates for president.
6
It makes one wonder how many more trolling “parody” sites are supported by the Republicans.
4
Isn't this a HATCH act violation ??
@Alan
Not unless it’s an employee in the executive branch of the government.
I am so glad we live in the (dis) information age. Now we can get more "stuff" from more "sources" faster, better, and more more directed than ever before. Saves so much time that had been wasted reading a newspaper, current to the nanosecond, and environmentally friendly. What else could a troll want.
1
So much for MAGA.
4
A little something they learned from the Russians....
4
Trump cut out the middle man Russia and made fake news right here in the good old USA.
3
It beats getting a real job, eh Mr. Maudlin?
5
Tech savvy people, if you are listening, I hope you can shut this site down.
8
Every blasted thing is funny, until it’s not funny anymore.
I’m waiting. I’m not laughing.
3
As this reporting makes clear, it is not just foreign interference and manipulation that we need to be vigilant against. Domestic agents are just as capable of affecting elections, using the same techniques the Russians used in 2016.
There is no doubt that a key part of the Republicans’ campaign strategy in 2020 will be to fraudulently manipulate social media to discourage Democratic turnout, divide Democrats from each other, and inflame their own base through lying and mischaracterizing any Democratic candidate as a socialist who wants to kill babies, take away your guns, open the borders for terrorists and murderers to freely bring in drugs, and make the U.S. weak again. And they can and will try these things even without direct help from Russia.
So our concern for electoral interference should not be limited only to the issue of foreign involvement. It needs to also focus on eliminating all kinds of dishonest manipulation of social media, no matter the source.
7
People using phones for their news source is the bigger problem. I can't even think of a real world analogy... wait yes I can! It's like reading only the visible portion of the magazine and tabloid covers as you pass by in the supermarket checkout.
Imagine that being considered acceptable and you have today's "smart" phone culture. Smart... very smart.
5
People like Trump because he is so out-there. Plus there is no there there . Totally unpredictable . His followers like that.
Question: would you rather be trapped in a cave with Trump or Biden/Sanders/Warren?
Answer : Trump would be more entertaining and more fun than a cell phone. Trapped in a cave , pick Trump, want a sane government , pick any of the Dems contenders.
1
Outrageous. Let's consider:
"There are GIFs of Mr. Biden touching women and girls,"
OK, he often does that.
"and blurbs about his less-than-liberal policy positions, including his opposition to court-ordered busing in the 1970s and his support for the Iraq war."
Have they no decency? Wait, yes, those were his positions, but...
"Pull quotes highlight some of his more famous verbal gaffes, like his description of his future boss, Barack Obama, as “articulate and bright and clean.”
Slander, no wait, he did say that.
7
Ever heard the term “dirty politics”? We have always had dirty tricks at election time. One of the slimiest uses of them was during the election of 1840.
3
The disclaimer at the bottom is hardly " buried in fine print".
5
Consider that the site was likely scrubbed once it was exposed by this story. It likely had quite different content before you saw it.
3
Trump does not need Putin this election cycle.... his own campaign people are doing the job!
4
If the website is obviously designed to mock Biden, than it's not fake. It is just political commentary.
Knowing about there site in no ways make the Trump campaign responsible for it.
3
It took me all of two seconds to see this site as the joke — literally and figuratively — that it is. It hardly reaches the true, sinister motives of a disinformation campaign.
Political parody — if done well — is great. This one is trying just a little too hard for the clicks.
Our sense of humor — another casualty of this paranoid age.
2
Playground rules, folks. Get used to it.
4
Jimmy Carter for president in 2020.
6
Time for Dem operatives to mimic republican garbage purveyors methods and fight dumpster fire with fire. How difficult can it be to hatch endless numerous Trump-centric disinformation campaigns?
The truth itself is shocking enough. Be creative, embellish Trump's manifest sins. Spin the incumbent's depravity like a top. There must be many progressive sources available to fund such a worthy project. Example: Does the Donald prefer his migrant children served medium-well or well done?
6
Did anyone else notice that on the fake Biden site the author has made his hands very small?
Subtle things like this, because Trump indeed does have very small hands but Biden does not, are another thing to look out for.
6
Can you 'share' with your readers the photographs of these people? Their invisibility is their refuge. Perhaps a strong piece of sunshine with eradicate the germs.
15
@Lee
Would you like their home address and where their children go to school, too?
1
@Viv. In fact I would. Actions have consequences; time for the likes of Mr. Mauldin to reap what he sows.
Where do the Trump people find all these people like Mauldin and the rest? In the sewer, of course just like where they came from. Everything that Trump has done to mimic the days of Nixon is to top that criminality and lack of ethics. How low will he go? We ain't seen nothin' yet.
8
This Country is facing an existential risk to what is the United States of America from those that will utilize the internet for the spreading of false stories, lies, and propaganda.
There is a battle being led by a minority to control the majority at any cost.
When will the majority begin to act in some form of unity to save truth and rule of law?
7
I doubt Mr. Maulden will be too happy when this is applied to Trump and his criminal cronies.
8
Leave it to the GOP to gaslight the American voter.
The entire party has become a cancer on humanity.
31
Republican “integrity”. Evangelicals should be ashamed for trying to make a deal with the devil.
12
We should thank Special Counsel Mueller and his investigators for bringing this type of activity initially to light. Because of what Mueller, his team and the press has uncovered in the past 3 years, the tactics used by the Russians and others will not catch us unaware as they did in 2016.
The only question is will it still be as effective as it was in 2016. For the sake of the Republic and democracy, I hope not.
5
@Paul R
I think you're conveniently forgetting Colbert's old show, and how some conservatives insisted he was a real conservative.
The simple and obvious question is who is subsidizing Mr. Mauldin and his website? Obviously he is not doing this for free. Clearly there is a wink and a nod for this type of activity from the Trump campaign.
Some intermediary is getting money and resources to Mr. Mauldin and others like him to promote their social media efforts on Trump's behalf.
And as we saw in 2016, this is asymmetrical warfare. There is no equivalent Democratic social media trolling effort that involves dark money and Russian and foreign influence.
And Trump and his allies are clearly welcoming this kind of influence. The malefactors know that there will be no governmental monitoring of such efforts as long as they are supportive of Trump.
As Putin so well put it, liberal democracy is now past its prime. Let the strongmen prevail.
7
It's not just the disinformation sites, under the guise of parody, that are the problem. It's the amplification possible by Russian trolls or other offshore mischief makers.
Links fed to lightly informed or late deciding voters can shave or even erase victory margins in swing districts. Frequently repeated lies become hard to tell from the truth. And an avalanche of every rumor and failing, real or contrived, can turn susceptible voters off. It's a form of industrial scale gaslighting.
Paul Manafort used polling data for a living, at least until he went to jail for tax and financial fraud. Highly refined polling in swing states can be pure gold in the right hands. Unfortunately, Manafort has refused to explain his sharing of Trump polling data with Konstantin Kilimnick, a GRU trained linguist, just ahead of the 2016 election. That issue remains under FBI investigation.
7
I'm a Sanders supporter, and I don't condone this sort of thing. I wish the author wasn't antagonistic to other members of the Democratic base.
6
United we stand, divided we fall..Trump is ensuring America stays divided. It's the only way he was elected once, it's the only way he'll get elected twice..
8
Disinformation is dishonest and should be illegal. We need to wake up to the fact that it is dangerous to our democracy. New laws need to be crafted to stop this dishonesty.
6
Underhanded. The hallmark of the Trump-Republican Party.
I for one, watched the debates this week and was so pleased to hear serious discussion of aspirational ideas and people speaking in full sentences.
I've not heard one Congressional Republican (maybe Amash) have a serious encounter with a real issue, even one real issue that regular Americans deal with or really worry about it--yes, job; healthcare and it's ever rising cost (I don't know anybody with private insurance via employer who doesn't complain about the high cost of deductibles and co pays); education; climate change; rotten roads; etc.)
And Republicans are busy with nonsense and tax cuts for their donors and the crony cabinets. So know, we have this middle school humor/parody website and a president who has the trust of non one with any sense at all.
8
Trolling, or educating?
As a Democrat, I am disgusted that Biden's campaign is continuing as we speak. He should not have gotten into the race, and his refusal to drop out scandal after scandal (and his full-fledged support from the DNC) is reprehensible. As far as the other candidates: Kamala's policy history is dangerous and I WILL NOT vote for her. Warren's support of people-friendly policy is erratic and what she says today will be quietly walked back tomorrow. Honestly not one of the Dems make me want to vote nor do they inspire me with trust, other then Sanders. Gabbard is very interesting and will get a second look from me.
3
Look at Trump. Why didn’t he back off after those scandals, even more horrendous ones than Biden’s? I think you’re just posing as a Democrat just so that people would think you’re “genuine.”
4
@gmontag451 being a sanders devotee worked out so well last time that you are planning on the same strategy now.
4
Thanks for helping re-elect Trump and probably helping elect him the first time, Bernie Bot
4
Once again “Catch-22. Catch-22 says they have a right to do anything we can’t stop them from doing.” And people are worried about the Russians. This is all part of the Citizens United era. Just accept reality and fight fire with fire.
4
This makes complete sense. A President that lie daily/hourly about all topics that is running for re-election in 2020 should have websites that also lie about most everything. This is completely in character for Trump. Voters who read lies on fictitious websites, believe these lies, and vote for candidates that support these lies deserve the government that they get. Nothing fertilizes political polarization more effectively than propaganda spread via phony websites. The founding fathers believed that democracy could only survive if the electorate were educated and well-informed. Trump and his supporter are about to prove them right.
5
It is so tempting to suggest that “volunteer” D’s should out troll the trolls, but we already know what DJT and the R’s are.
2
That's the trump GOP in a nutshell, keepin' it classy.........
4
Time for Democrats to play dirty?
4
@M
No, time for Democrats to MAGA!
Anonymous my eye...more likely Putin's minions themselves.
6
How tiresome. More trumpsters behaving like junior highers heading toward a mediocre life. Not clever. This nonsense has about run its course.
4
Liars and cheats, the lot of them.
7
All Republicans know how to do is lie. If you have problems being honest, Republicans are glad to welcome you.
8
Stop it with the petty attempts at trying to sow division within the party! The New York Times, especially in a news section article, has no right to say this would "warm the heart of any Bernie Sanders supporter." I'd be willing to bet that almost any Democrat would be disgusted by this gross right wing misinformation campaign. We all know Trump's misdeeds are far worse than any of Biden's.
19
One of the greatest comments here:
Kind of like the Steele dossier. Right?
10
@areader
Except that Steele was a British spy who has contacted the FBI because after the GOP had asked him to find dirt about Hillary, he happened to have found not lies but REAL dangerous stuff about Trump ... whereas here we have a sitting president paying people to deliberately spread horrible lies about his opponent, rather than having the guts to engage in real, respectful debates.
So no, there is NO equivalency here AT ALL, you see?
Strange how so many people are losing their moral compass today.
5
@Ana Luisa,
"horrible lies about his opponent" - everything on that site is a fact.
Republicans asked Fusion GPS to find dirt on TRUMP, not Hillary. And THEN Steele was hired by Hillary campaign to find more dirt on Trump.
What REAL dangerous stuff about Trump was in the Steele dossier? Would you be kind to cite it?
1
Nothing surprise here - disgraceful but not surprising. It's standard republic party fare. And the Democrats, per their wont, roll over and take it like chumps.
3
He ought to take the donations and then forward them to Biden's campaign. Then when(if) Biden's campaign picks up more steam, reveal themselves as the conduit of those donations. That would be really funny.
Shoot, I dint know that Kamala Harris threatened to lock up parents for their kid's truancy. Forget her!
So the greatest president in history has to resort to cheating? Great. Well, that's all he knows.
8
Slime is as slime does.
The swamp has no bottom, and apparently no drain.
I think there needs to a PSA campaign for voters of all ages and parties, but especially, let's say, more 'seasoned' Dems.
Let's call it: "Careful Where You Click" or something -- and get the word out.
Candidates need to be very, very explicit about what their verified sites are.
As a nation, we can't afford to be fooled again.
9
Welcome to a preview of the 2020 election.
5
This is what Trump does and the GOP endorses. Social media should eliminate all campaign messages because nothing on there can be trusted. How can anyone believe videos released by the Pentagon on Iran? The US no longer stands for truth and trust. Amazing how Trump has destroyed truth so quickly.
9
Oh look. A republican underageb& newest of the new summerfriend. What an absolute shock!
1
From the party that brought you Watergate...
7
It’s way past time to impeach him Pelosi! Grow a spine!!!!
8
If all you show are the warts, what else do you know about the candidate? That's why it's called propaganda. These people don't understand the nature of democracy. They think it's about 'winning' when it should be about the process and the public. Our education system has failed people like this, who grow up not knowing the difference.
11
In our search for the enemy found we them...it was us all along. I am not surprised.
3
We're nuts. As a country, as people, we're totally nuts. We're destroying each other, and, in the process, ourselves ... for the sake of winning. By destroying any sense that's there anything to being an American that's bigger and more important than one group of Americans winning an election. While making plain that there's no low so low we won't sink to it, for the sake of winning, by making it pain that lying to each other is what we do (and gleefully), we reveal that there's nothing to the idea of being Americans that calls us to behave even halfway decently (never mind to each other). We're cleverly--oh, so cleverly--outsmarting ourselves ... for the sake of winning. One day, maybe, we'll realize the damage we've done. One day we'll wake up, maybe, and say "Oh my Gawd, we were way over-determine! In our relentlessness, in our quest to win at any cost, we ran over everything that was dear to us, including our own kids, reducing all we loved to wreckage, the wreckage of a society that, for all its many faults, was neither totally dog-eat-dog nor chaotic. Now all we have, all we are, is dog-eat-dog; and it's too late to repair."
29
@ David, dog-eat-dog, that’s what crony capitalism is. That’s what the ruling class in America is.
Well, that's about all they have, isn't it?
No record to run on, so TERRIFIED of ANY real, respectful debate on substance, more than ever they'll need the help of fake news and foreign US foes to still have a chance to cling onto power.
24
We need to bring back doctrines like that, speech is free, people are free to lie about anything they want, but it shouldn’t be given a platform. If the guy that is promoting sites like this, he isn’t really too concerned about the things he wants you to believe he is. Because if he truly believes in his “It’s important for everyone to realize aspects of their own side or candidate that maybe they don’t know about or don’t want to look at,” statement then he should be more than willing to point those same attributes or lack of, in the same way.
But these web hosting sites, along with the high tech companies don’t care about that, they only care about being valued at a trillion dollars, and pay zero in taxes, They aren’t concerned about what websites like this have the potential to destabilize is we vote, the information that people need to make a decision is being manipulated by some 30 year old (in this case) who has MAYBE a decade of adult life experience. Let’s face it, when you’re in your 20s, your life experiences are limited, because your decision making capabilities haven’t developed, in your childhood you don’t make life altering decisions. Many times we do things that seem like a good idea at the time, but when we look back 25 years, we can see the real results, and sometimes it’s not a good result, I think we call those regrets.
5
No surprise here. And don't think a supporter of one Democratic candidate might not do this to another.
The real problem is not the phony "news", the deception, and the outright lies. It is that most people still continue to believe what they see on the internet. No amount of regulation can control that. People strongly gravitate to sources that reinforce what they already believe. Whether or not the sources are what they pretend to be or even accurate is, for all practical purposes, functionally irrelevant.
All one can hope for is that people will stop using the internet, especially anti-social media and twitter following as credible sources of news. It costs almost nothing to produce phony stuff online. Newspapers and magazines have a distinct cost, and though they also are subject to gossip, marketing hype, and lies targeting an echo chamber-addicted niche audience, their potential for destructiveness is orders of magnitude less than that of the internet.
Like any tool, the internet is subject to the reality that it can be used for evil as well as for good. People need to stop pretending that the bad guys (who are often more motivated) are not as smart as the good guys.
Of course I do understand that I am essentially doing you-know-what into the wind with my plea for people to think for themselves, to regard anything that reinforces what they already believe with suspicion, and to understand the internet is inherently flawed due to its alleged "democratization."
4
@Steve Fankuchen
Except that NO Democratic president EVER did this to his political opponent - let alone to opponents from his own party, as you're suggesting here.
The advantage with the internet is that IF you know how to fact-check, you can KNOW that there is no moral equivalency AT ALL between the two political parties today. The GOP has become utterly corrupt.
2
The most chilling part of the article is that research has shown that a voter who likes a particular candidate and becomes disillusioned with that candidate does not choose another candidate, they just get turned off on politics and will likely not vote.
There must be some way for the social media and other sites to police what is being uploaded. Because there is no way for the public to tell where anything is coming from, we need a way to disclose who the authors of these posts are and link to the authors’ history.
5
One simple change to these types of deceptive propaganda would eliminate any questions. A requirement to post in big bold letters at the top of the page as parody or authentic. Don't allow these messengers of fake facts and news to avoid accountability.
10
Waiting a couple years for my husband’s retirement, then we are out of here. Sure many countries are corrupt, but they are not MY country. As long as the food is good, culture abounds, countryside is pretty and healthcare is free...we will be happy. I cannot feel shame in someone else’s homeland. Please don’t tell me to stay and try to make it better.....it will not get better. Too many fellow citizens happy with it just the way it is (going).
25
It’s never going to go back to the way it was. That America will never return. And with every day of the Trump presidency, democracy declines.
8
France, Spain, Italy.
2
@Paul
We were in Palermo a couple years ago, with friends. He had a heart attack. Hospitalized for 2 weeks.......NO CHARGE.
1
Something else to put into the open counterintelligence investigation of Russian election meddling and Trump’s active role in welcoming it, exploiting it, and normalizing it.
7
In the olden days we were told not to believe everything you read in the newspaper, by the way that is still true.
But I am absolutely astounded how many people in the electronic public square cannot discern truth from fiction or to discern the motive behind the message.
The comments in the NYT are often a good example of this. A commenter will spout a clearly false notion as if it is a fact and then receive many recommendations from their fellow commenters.
The lack of critical thinking skills is truly amazing.
I used to enjoy reading the comments section to understand what the human race was thinking. Now that I can see that it is minority that can actually think, I read it for the rather sad comic effect. Laughing and crying are not mutually exclusive.
5
I think that we all expected this or something like it, after all Trump and the people that support him have no morals or integrity.
This is the last thing that makes America great.
31
Proof yet again - as if we needed more, following this week’s SCOTUS gerrymandering ruling - that the Republican Party knows it cannot win unless it cheats.
60
This is hilarious. Well done!
11
Nothing new here. I recall reading about The Coffin Handbills from one of my American history classes. These propaganda pamphlets accused presidential candidate Andrew Jackson of everything from murder to cannabalism. Ironically, Jackson did participate in wartime atrocities, so no hyperbolic accusations were necessary. My advice to Democrats is to stay the course and stick to the facts. President Trump’s long list of lies and immoral policies speak for themselves. Yes, the Dems should go on the attack where possible but don’t resort to lies.
9
In that era, what did whites do that wasn’t an atrocity. Jackson is solely responsible for the Trail of Tears, where they forcibly marched thousands of Indians off their native lands onto reservations in current day Oklahoma. Whites really don’t have a stellar history when it comes to race. We believed that we had some godly authority to commit genocide agains the only true Americans to this day. We called it Manifest Destiny, whites wanted to subjugate the Indians to make them totally dependent on the government for everything. And that is still happening too this day. However, in South Dakota, no one can vote without a physical address, Indians live on Pine Ridge reservation, there are no streets, they have no addresses. Our government wants to build pipelines over their lands, they own that land by treaty. Yet, they can’t vote, not because they aren’t a citizen, but because they don’t have a street address, because the government didn’t build their reservation with schools, infrastructure, roads, in fact, some Indians have no running water, they can’t say what gets built across their lands. Sometimes as an educated white male, I’m ashamed of the sins of our fathers....
2
What a mess...The internet allowing fake sites to create chaos, the President allowing our elections to be manipulated by the Russians. The perfect ingredients to dismantle our democracy.
13
Our presidential election have now come to this, a mockery and a sham of the process, what’s next, Trump’s team will send out robo calls and fake Facebook websites? Trump learned well from Russia and that’s why he made a a farce of telling Putin don’t meddle in the 2020 elections in the G20 summit because he’ll handle that himself.
8
It isn’t disinformation if the information presented actually happened. I believe the correct word for events that happened in the past is “history” regardless of whether or not people like seeing it.
8
Wrong. It's not history if you provide no context. Showing all the warts doesn't tell you anything but about the warts.
3
@Citixen
Pretty sure nobody asks for "context" when discussing the Southern support for slavery or the subjugation of other groups.
Ya see, they were slave-owning racists but they had some good reasons for it, which I will not enumerate....
@Viv
Pretty sure they do, if they're serious historians. Just because 'reasons' had a logic then doesn't mean that logic is valid today. Like I said, 'context'. It's everything. And it's not something to be feared, but understood.
1
Should we be surprised that the Trump campaign is now doing what the Russians once did on its behalf? Russia, please do it again.
This fake site is using the conventional tools of textbook demagogues and generic fascism: gaslighting, disinformation, misinformation, propaganda, sowing discord through deceit, anonymity, etc.
(The merger of state, party, nation, race, church, and demagogue is also a standard feature of fascism. Sounds like the Republican party, no?)
The largest lie is when the site claims it was put together "by an American citizen for American citizens" and is "not the work of any campaign or political action committee."
Trump's own campaign chairman calls the maker of the deceptive site "an indispensable part of our digital operation in the president’s first campaign."
The Trump campaign spokesman is simply lying when he says: "Imagine our surprise that a site full of obvious disinformation is the handiwork of an operative tied to the Trump campaign."
One general play here continues to be cynicism, which is just another kind of dishonesty. Cynicism favors corruption, fascism, etc.
If all candidates are dishonest, corrupt, inept. If all elections rigged. Then is Trump really any worse? Who cares if the Russians sabotaged the election on Trump's behalf? Who cares if they do it again?
3
lock him or her up!
2
I can’t imagine going to a website like the one mentioned to acquire information about the worthiness or credentials of a candidate running for office, particularly a leading candidate (due to his/ her being a primary target of the opposition). To the extent that this is, like gossip, the case, it says quite a lot about the superficiality and naïveté of those who do. Democracy is threatened by those constituted by it who are unwilling to do the hard and thoughtful work of responsible citizens. How clear can this get? It’s basically wanting something for nothing, which people like Trump and Trump enthusiasts fully understand and take advantage of for the sake of themselves.
1
Mauldin and associates have learned well from their Russian friends and fellow travelers in the Trumpish fake News camp. Can't wait until the Zimmerman note of WWI fame is again unearthed warning of Mexico's planned invasion of the U.S. with Russian or was it German help! The Billionaire oligarchs backing such propogandist efforts do get their money's worth in Tax Cuts with this Mis-Administration..
4
When Donald Segretti did the same sort of thing during Watergate, albeit before the Internet, he called it "ratfucking." He was paid for his exploits by Herbert Kalmbach, Nixon's lawyer out of campaign funds. Segretti was convicted (he plead guilty) of three counts of distributing illegal campaign literature (some of it forged) and was sentenced to six months (he served four). Nothing, except the technology, ever changes. Trolls, cretins and other forms of despicable trash make dirty politics their game, all blessed by the current occupant of the WH, and his minions. I can hardly wait for the sequel to "All The President's Men." Is anyone surprised...?
7
@Will Schmidt perlboy
Ummmm, no. What Segretti & his colleagues did was to spread false information. I just went to this website, and everything there, while certainly unflattering to Biden, is true. Nothing there but videos showing things he actually said and did.
9
Why can’t this man be thrown in prison?
5
@WJ Joe Biden is creepy but sniffing hair is not illegal.
1
But I thought Donald Trump sought and attracted only the brightest and best. What a shock 😱
2
Maybe I am just being a grumpy old man but this kind of garbage permeates our communication channels constantly these days. It has come to the point that nothing can be trusted at face value to be real. I won't even entertain any sort of request over the phone or the internet. Not to mention even our mail demands close scrutiny. What a pain in the rear!
I find it particularly disgusting that any political campaign would endorse it, legal or not. How telling is its that those who scream fake news the loudest are also the biggest purveyors of it? Don't let these clowns get the best of you, always look closely before taking anything at face value. I certainly do.
8
Re your reference to the Google analytics tags, do you really want to reveal sources and methods? Just a thought...
1
A apprentice learns from the master. Lately the truth is what power says it is and nothing more. Time to wake from the nightmare. Impeach the president now and vote in 2020!
3
The best part is it’s all true, look at the reactions to some of the girls he fondled, they’re grossed out. It’s good to hear and read his racist statements,
4
@Jimd: Oh, wait...you’re talking about trump here...right?
2
I see someone just bought the domain name PatrickMaudlin.info.
Let’s see what they do with it....
6
This behavior from the Trump campaign is straight out of the Russian propaganda playbook.
From Wikipedia:
"In the post-Soviet era, disinformation evolved to become a key tactic in the military doctrine of Russia."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disinformation#Post_Soviet-era_Russian_disinformation
2
@L
Disinformation is false.
Everything on this website is true, and taken from major media videos.
4
@GMooG
Ironically, this article is a piece of disinformation.
If you look through the site creator's comments on Reddit that was screencapped, you can read his past comments. https://www.reddit.com/user/NPC_12345/comments/.
He put up the disclaimer from the beginning of the site's creation. He's making fun of people, and according to him, the only people who think the site is Biden's official site is his supporters.
He claims to have spent no advertising dollars on it, and it's grown organically from publicizing it on Reddit. It's reporters who always ask him if he's working for a foreign government.
This is the epitome of pillorying the "disinformation" hysteria.
2
GMooG,
But if it's presented as Biden's official site, that's not transparent.
You could easily piece together actual clips of Trump in a disparaging way. It would be dishonest though to imply that it was Trump's website doing so.
1
Did the author really have to turn this article into a Bernie Sanders hit piece? What's up with that? This is an article about Biden and a Trump consultant. Leave Bernie out of it.
7
@William That's right, leave Bernie out of it. He has enough troubles with his plagiarism. Yes, his plan is plagiarized, in many places word for word, taken directly from the 1936 USSR constitution, written by Josef Stalin. When I was told this, I didn't believe it, so I looked it up, and sure enough, Bernie is plagiarizing the 1936 Soviet constitution. If you think what I am saying isn't true, look it up, and you will find it is absolutely true. Bernie has gone from democrat socialist to Captain Communism. So keep attacking Joe Biden instead.
1
@William
Yes, it's necessary. That's how you know what the real disinformation piece is.
"breezily mocks the candidate in terms that would warm the heart of any Bernie Sanders supporter."
How is this cheap-shot comment any different from the trolling your author claims to condemn?
5
You could call it disinformation or misinformation.
But just clicked and honestly never have seen such a disturbing compilation of Biden's creepy touchy feely thing with younger women and girls.
Actually the site might have worked to inform me of Biden's issue with that--I thought he was just a gladhander with an aggressive handshake.
4
I mean, Kamala Harris too was on and on about Biden's records, particularly about busing.
1
Sorry, only digital-illiterate boomers would think a .info site is real.
3
@Tim R
Sorry, not only digital-literate millennials vote.
Freedom of speech of an sarcastic individual, nothing to do with the Russia hoax. Fight memes with memes.
5
Seems as thoughJimmy Carter got it right yesterday! The illegitimate "president" girds for another season of lies and election-rigging.
8
No doubt Trump will reward him with a fat contract--probably a government one.
3
Just low and underhanded and the stuff of a bully and an insecure man whose underlings seek to placate him by cheating and lying as often and outrageously as he does. A sad state for America.
2
Still another Trump-Putin link.
3
Thank you, NY Times, for outing Patrick Mauldin. I would have asked him if he is the one who altered that video of Nancy Pelosi that made it appear she was slurring her words. If not, does he know who did? Or it is honor among nasty little jumped-up frauds?
4
Who has most to gain from this made-up nonsense?
Clearly Mossad that wants to start a war with Iran and Russia and everybody else.
3
This is simply infotainment. Just as Fox News.
3
It’s interesting when this guy says “It’s important for everyone to realize aspects of their own side or candidate that maybe they don’t know about or don’t want to look at.” He seems to be like most Trump supporters to totally ignore his own advice about the very party he’s supporting.
The democrats need to start fighting fire with fire, and start using the same tactics, the only difference is, the democrats don’t need to lie, cheat, or steal, to get plenty of “aspects of the Republican side or candidate, that maybe they don’t want to know about or look at”. Because that’s one thing the Republican Party has become adept at, lying, cheating, and stealing, to try and keep their minority party in power. Lindsey Graham, Mitch McConnell, and the tea bag party all provide plenty of fodder and facts to blast it all over the network.
2
None of these efforts should matter. Vote for the Democrat who is nominated. A vote for Trump is a vote for fascism. Quite simple.
6
@Eric Weisblatt Please continue to remind Democratic voters of your spot-on comment, as often and on as many platforms as you possibly can. It's critically important that we focus on the advice you give and resist getting tangled in the weeds of Republican disinformation and propaganda.
1
The coastal elites are the true cultural and economic forces behind urban gentrification.
5
bravo!!! now please tell us the truth, which is that Republicans can't win without lying and cheating.
2
Where are the complaints from Republicans? Looks like Don fans applaud this.
More proof that everyone associated with or supporting Trump is either morally bankrupt or fine with people who are.
18
Meanwhile, if I want to send ten bucks to a candidate, I have to disclose my address, occupation, email address, etc., etc.
Just to make sure I'm for real and not trying to illegally influence an election.
22
There should be a minimum 5 year sentence and 5 million dollar fine for anyone engaging in false political ads. This aids the whole Russian disinformation campaign and corrupts our democracy.
23
This week Democrats held debates focused on issues and substance. If Republicans leaders were to debate, is there any doubt it would only focus on pwning libs? There's nothing else left.
4
Parody and mocking the political opponent: The only things that keeps SNL on the air and the New York Times publishing thanks to liberal subscribers. It’s such a small world.
6
Not comparable. SNL does not try to hide that they are the source!
7
@John Doe False equivalence. SNL doesn’t hide what it is.
6
@John Doe:
Subscribers, regardless of political affiliation, value the truth; they're obviously in the minority. Do you like to be fed propaganda from the likes of FOX because they understand what you want to hear?
Ironically, FOX viewers are unable to discriminate between false reality and parody.
8
This bears no resemblance to democracy. This is nothing but fraud and trickery. We are not losing our democracy bit by bit, we have lost it wholesale because of fraudsters like this. It is time to take on every aspect of the corruption. The gerrymandered districts, the unlimited dark money, the massive, fraudulent disinformation. It is time to limit freedom of speech when it is just out and out fraud. Elections should be short, publicly financed, and issue based.
17
"We have met the enemy, and he is us."
–Walt Kelly, "Pogo"
6
How anyone would think this was an official Biden web site is beyond me. I'm glad it is up, however. Biden's groping should be known by more people.
It was always there but only blew up in the media a few months ago because the media is biased and only brought it up when they were kind of forced to.
3
Oh and I suppose the Democrats operatives would never dream of doing such an underhanded thing. Spare me!
6
@Jared Byrne:
Please provide examples; up to you to do so.
5
So, you agree it is wrong? I’m a Democrat and I fight my open party when actions are wrong. Country first.
3
@JC
Exhibit 1: This article.
1
it mocks Biden, by showing Biden doing things, and saying things.
Democrats should take a good look, that's your leading candidate talking and feeling up women.
It's not fake, it's just Joe being Joe.
8
Agreed, but source should be clear and easily identified.
This is a very interesting template for what an enterprising fact-based techie could put together for a Donald Trump site, if there's no legal way to shut the GOP 'fake news' sites down.
Trump definitely has lots that can be exposed, to his detriment and general hilarity.
4
This stuff from Mr. Mauldin--
--gosh!
It reminds me (a sometime Republican) how FAR--how despicably FAR--the right wing has fallen.
Gibes and lies seem to be their daily fare. Gibes and lies.
I am remembering (of course) the infamous "Swift Boat" attacks upon Mr. Kerry--a decent and honorable man, a valiant soldier, a distinguished public servant.
I am remembering the GOP convention of '04--persons going around clutching at non-existent wounds and clamoring for their own little Bronze Stars.
Thus making merry over the real wounds suffered by real veterans in real combat.
Despicable! Utterly despicable. Beneath contempt.
I am remembering the GOP's own "Language as a Control Mechanism" (or whatever), bearing the imprimatur of Mr. Newt Gingrich.
Assuring its readers that no! many years would be required before those starry-eyed acolytes learned to "talk like Newt"--
--but here, at any rate, they could make a decent start.
Applying words like "sick" or "bureaucratic" to their foes (there were actually sixty some choice adjectives presented for their perusal)--
--applying words like "patriotic" or "family" to themselves and their followers (ditto--upwards of sixty choice adjectives).
And now--surprise surprise!
Mr. Slick Mauldin.
Mr. Mauldin, sir. You listening?
As an American, sir--and as a human being--
--you don't quite cut it.
Dear me, no.
Not at all.
I'd give it a rest--
--if I were you.
4
Since when were facts ‘disinformation’?
9
@JES Since people learned to separate information from context and represent it as the truth.
1
Re: Democrats “face facts,”
"Facing facts" is something that only works with Democrats. You couldn't expect the same form Republican who are immune from facts. Well, they do like to make them up.
Funny though, with a President who confessed to groping women and walking in on young beauty contestants why anything done by Biden would be a negative to them.
15
An informative article that minimized it's effectiveness by trying to link a satirical website to a Russian disinformation campaign. That is a bridge too far and only feeds the "fake news" mantra.
5
" Mr. Mauldin’s website hews far closer to the disinformation spread by Russian trolls in 2016 than typical political messaging..." Does anyone still believe that Republican political operatives [Bannon, Kushner, Trump, et al] were not the initial instigators of the "disinformation spread by Russian trolls in 2016?"
And, by the way, where are the tech savvy Democratic trolls with their disinformation, "fake News," election interfering viral websites? If you post something false, misleading, derogatory, inflammatory, and moderately believable, I suspect that millions would spread it across the virtual world: it's called pugnare ignibus ignes...
3
This is a testament to the fact that Republicans can’t win on ideas, on policies, on votes. And they know it. They need to play dirty, and as a result we have the dirtiest president of all. With a Supreme Court which condones, one could say encourages, gerrymandering and voter suppression. This is how democracy dies.
12
"...he argued that he should not be identified because he had not sought the spotlight, and because he feared threats and harassment." Well too bad. These bad players should be outed, on both sides. You wanna play dirty? You might get dirty.
8
Raise your hand if this information surprises you!? We even know what President Trump will say if asked about this. He will give a quizzical look and say; “I don’t know anything about that”.
2
I suppose we could have a fake Trump web site but, being a fake president is enough.
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How can we accept that this guy is not being paid to make these websites by the Trump campaign when at least part of his income is coming from the Trump campaign and the Trump campaign approves of what he is doing?
I guess no one would be able to do anything anyway. The day after a money trail was established, it would become legal and appropriate for a political campaign to make fake websites about its opponents. In fact, we would discover that it has always been legal and appropriate, and we would soon hear that the Trump campaign uses fake websites more responsibly than anyone else, ever, especially the Clintons. Big Brother, we love you! (you too Kellyanne!)
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trump has been deceiving all his life, what’s knew.
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@David J
What’s “knew”?...
I never, ever go to ".info" sites since a great majority are registered to spammers.
Naturally, a GOP consultant would be using such a TLD to do their dirty work.
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