Maddow gave a very important history lesson last night.

[shockey80]

In 1960 the Russians approached Democrat Adlai Stephenson. They wanted him to win the the presidency. They said we like you, how can we help you. Adlia declined the offer, wrote down what was said and reported it to the Republican president, Ike. They did not inform the public until years later.

Kennedy won the democratic nomination, the Russians approached Kennedy. We like you, how can we help you win. Kennedy said we don't do that here in America. He declined.

In 1964 the same thing happened to Johnson. He declined.

It did not happen again until 2015,2016. The Russians approached Trump and said we like you. How can we help you win. Trump said yes. Its that simple, what Russia did is not new. What is new is Trump did what no law abiding American would ever do. He turned traitor and said yes.

[mucifer]

1. and the republicans don't give a F

[Iliyah]

2. t-rump is a traitor along with the Republican party.

[unc70]

3. We do not know if it happened between 1964 and 2016

We generally do not learn of these type activities until decades after they happened. It is at least possible that some additional candidates were approached during the intervening years.

[NewJeffCT]

5. I had thought I heard similar on Mondale

back in 1984.

And, who knows if Russia helped Bush in 2000 or 2004? While he wasn't obsequious towards Putin like Trump, Bush was definitely warmer towards them personally. (Didn't he make comments about looking into Putin's eyes and seeing the soul of a good person?) and, those elections were similarly close as 2016.

[mopinko]

9. and ronald raygun was a post turtle if there ever was one.

somebody put that puppet up there.

[FakeNoose]

10. Yes it's true, but it wasn't the Communists who backed Reagan

I find it interesting that during the Soviet communist regime, they only wanted to help the Democrats.
Or possibly they thought the Democratic Party would accept help while the Republicans weren't interested.
I don't know the answer but I do believe we're not hearing the whole story about Russian interference.

Kudos to Rachel Maddow for outlining this plot on her show last night.

[NewJeffCT]

12. Nixon was VP

under war hero Eisenhower, who was finishing up a successful presidency. I'm guessing that Stevenson was thought of as easier to deal with than the potentially hard line Nixon? And, with JFK, if his womanizing was one of those secrets that the media knew about but did not report, they potentially saw JFK as blackmailable?

[mopinko]

14. yeah, imho that was the saudis.

always thought the tanking of jimmy carter was a preview of where we are today.

[bigbrother05]

16. The Soviets were looking toward ideology, the Russians look to corruption

Trump is purely transactional, what's in it for him and maybe for his supporters if there's enough to go around.

His time in NYC has shown him what Russian crime money can buy and he wants to keep it flowing.

[gordianot]

4. That was a real history lesson.

When people bang shoes on the table beware of the long game.

[SunSeeker]

6. It was obvious since July 2016 that Trump sold out to Putin.

I mean, anyone who heard about the GOP platform change removing mention of military aid to Ukraine should know the fix was in.

[Stuart G]

7. ...Trumpie, the Comie.........that all, what else can be said....????

[sandensea]

8. Drug traffickers said the same thing to Reagan (through Bush's people), and of course they said:

"How much?"

Thank you for posting this. The history of foreign (and domestic) miscreants trying to gain undue influence over presidents is a long and storied one. Prof. Maddow was great as always.

[mehrrh]

11. patriotism vs. partisanship

Republicans either don't care or refuse to believe that Trump will sell out the nation for his personal profit.
This has all played out so well for Putin -- the nation is so polarized -- with half believing that lies are truth, and reporting news is "fake."
We have Russians clearly involved with people in this administration; Russian security software so deeply embedded in federal system that even after it being banned, we have not been able to remove it; Russia has compromised politicians whose sense of patriotism stops with their party; and we have too many Americans who are not paying attention.

[KPN]

13. It would be nice if one of the Bushes gave this history lesson pubicly to America.

What are the chances of that?

[HenryWallace]

15. Wow, you would expect more from the "Kindly Doctor!"

Did she mean ethnic "Russian?"

Before 1992 it would have been the Soviet Union (a government dedicated to the spread of the communist system of throughout the world).

After 1991 it would have been the Russian Federation (a democratic republic dominated by a capitalist oligarchy).

Certainly she is not trying to indicate that somehow these two governments are the same?