Russia's Efforts Aimed At Hurting Hillary, Not Helping Trump?

                 Liz Peek, a Fox News contributor, had an interesting, informative, and- to me at least- convincing opinion piece recently on FoxNews.com. She believes that President Obama is ordering an investigation into possible Russian interference in the election of Donald Trump to get revenge on him for the years he spent publicly questioning Obama’s citizenship, in an attempt to create doubt over the legitimacy of his presidency. In this way, he believes he may be able to delegitimize Trump’s presidency before it even begins. Payback, they say, is a bitch. But it isn’t presidential. Liberals, though, as they have proven beyond a shadow of a doubt after this election, are incredibly sore losers. (See also, ‘rioting,’ ‘threats to leave the country,’ ‘Jill Stein,’ etc.).

                Wrap your mind around this: according to the Associated Press, the President’s party won 487 counties nationwide, while Donald Trump won 2,626, including many that voted for Obama in either 2008 or 2012. Having your hand-picked successor lose 84+% of all the counties in the nation doesn’t bode well for a President’s legacy.

                Ms. Peek speculates, “Moscow’s possible hacking of DNC and Podesta’s emails were retaliation for Hillary Clinton’s assertions that Russian elections in 2011 were ‘rigged’- an accusation that infuriated Putin. When protests erupted in Russia over the election outcome, Putin blamed Clinton. ‘She said they were dishonest and unfair,’ Putin said at the time. He accused then Secretary of State Clinton for giving ‘a signal’ to demonstrators organized ‘with the support of the U.S. State Department…We need to safeguard ourselves from this interference in our internal affairs,’ Putin said. Does this sound familiar? Turnabout is fair play…” She went on to say that, “Obama knows this. Politico reported in a July piece entitled “Why Putin Hates Hillary” that the Russian leader’s anger about Clinton’s interference was “communicated directly to President Barack Obama.”

                Ms. Peek believes this is the reason why the Russians may have tried to undermine Clinton, not because they see Trump as an ally. She posits: “Like most of the world, Moscow no doubt expected Clinton to win. Coming into office weakened by Putin’s meddling would have undoubtedly pleased Moscow no end.” And, as I myself have alluded to, when you look closely at who Trump has chosen for the top defense and security positions in his administration, it is obvious that they will defend the country against all adversaries and potential adversaries, Russia included. Peek points out that, retired General James Mattis, Trump’s nominee to head Defense, “has described Russia’s annexation of Crimea as a ‘severe’ threat,” and is not to be trifled with.

                She goes on to say that, “Obama’s call for an investigation is transparently bogus,” citing the fact that the CIA has only provided “scant circumstantial evidence” that even the New York Times admitted “does not support firm judgments.” The FBI is also highly skeptical of the CIA’s professed conclusion. Moreover, she reminds folks “that no serious inquiry could possibly be completed by January 20, when Trump will be sworn in.” She avers that the President himself “knows the report will likely never be completed, and so the issue of Russian hacking will hang like a cloud- like the ‘birther’ rumors- over the Trump White House.”

                It is obviously painful for Obama, who made the election of Hillary Clinton into a referendum on his presidency, to experience rejection of this magnitude. This most arrogant and undemocratic of American presidents, a man who- for eight years- imposed his will on the citizens of his nation through executive fiat and overreach, now potentially stands to see many of his dictates dismantled, repealed or neutered.

                Ms. Peek’s article has helped me “square the circle” of the seemingly ironic possible Russian fondness for a Trump administration. Hers is an infinitely more logical explanation of an otherwise enigmatic portrayal of Russia’s alleged actions in this election cycle than one would come across in the mainstream media.

                Perhaps she has solved this latest mystery-wrapped riddle.