GOP operative Stuart Stevens on how Republicans went from Cold Warriors to Putin apologists

[erronis]

https://vtdigger.org/2022/04/08/vermont-conversation-gop-operative-stuart-stevens-on-how-republicans-went-from-cold-warriors-to-putin-apologists

Great interview with one of the members of the Lincoln Project.

"I think that the compromising of the Republican Party by Putin and Russian intelligence is the most successful intelligence action in modern history."

Stevens, who lives in Vermont, now finds himself inside a very different political operation. He is a central player in the anti-Trump Lincoln Project and argues the current Republican Party should be “burned to the ground.” His latest bestselling book is, “It Was All a Lie: How the Republican Party Became Donald Trump.”

“I think that there is a large element of the conservative movement that has become a pro-Putin autocratic movement. … Donald Trump did not change the Republican Party. He revealed it. And for those of us who worked in the Republican Party for a long time, it’s a devastating conclusion. But I think it’s the only honest one,” Stevens told The Vermont Conversation.

“We have an autocratic movement in America that is threatening democracy itself,” Stevens said. “They’ll be for democracy when they win and they won’t be for it when they lose. That means you’re not a democracy. And if we don’t wake up and face this, we’re going to lose democracy.”

I think that the compromising of the Republican Party by Putin and Russian intelligence is the most successful intelligence action in modern history. It really isn’t complicated. Russia supported Trump in 2016. We know that. You can argue whether or not they made a difference. That’s always difficult in politics because causality is the hardest thing to determine. But we know that they made a concerted, massive effort to elect Donald Trump. They were so successful that when this was exposed, conservatives defended it by calling it a “Russian hoax.” Can you imagine, if you’re a Russian intelligence officer, how you’re chortling? At one time, the Republican Party was the chief antagonist to the Soviet Union, then Russia. And now that party has become an apologist for Putin. So Russia supports Donald Trump. Donald Trump gets elected. Donald Trump does everything he can to weaken NATO. He tries to leverage critical defense weapons like Javelins (anti-tank missiles) with Ukrainian President (Volodymyr) Zelenskyy. The result of that is a nine-month delay in arming and training Ukrainians. It is no exaggeration that a lot of Ukrainians are dying because Donald Trump tried to leverage Zelenskyy. And Republicans still wouldn’t impeach Trump.

A large element of the conservative movement has become a pro-Putin autocratic movement. They see Putin as a white Christian nationalist. There are no gay people in Russia. You never see any women in power in Russia. It is not a democracy. Putin is a strong man. All of this draws much of the Republican Party.

Donald Trump did not change the Republican Party. He revealed it. And for those of us who worked in the Republican Party for a long time, it’s a devastating conclusion. But I think it’s the only honest one.

[dchill]

1. I trust Stuart Stevens for now. I also like the title of his book:

"It Was All A Lie." Yes, yes it was. But did I really know that before he did?

[mopinko]

2. ya know what this says to me? they knew they were in w pootie all along.

they knew the whole 2a/nra edifice was fake, was about money, and that that currency was rubles.

sold their souls, every one, and the devil didnt need to trick them. they'd already tricked themselves.

[cilla4progress]

3. It is incumbent upon Stevens

to turn as many of his former brethren and sisters as possible! If the Rs can be divided along lines of sanity, the Dems can take advantage!

He should work his ass off for D candidats as his penance!

[abqtommy]

4. +100 Well said. nt