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Clinton Calls Gabbard a Russian Manchurian Candidate as Tulsi Slams DNC, Media Over Debate ‘Rigging’

© AP Photo / J. Scott ApplewhiteRep. Tulsi Gabbard
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard - Sputnik International
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Earlier, the Hawaii congresswoman accused CNN and the New York Times of “despicable” attempts to “smear” her over her opposition to what she described as the US’s “regime-change war” in Syria.

Former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has accused 2020 Democratic contender Tulsi Gabbard of being “the favourite of the Russians,” appearing to suggest that both Gabbard and former Green Party candidate Jill Stein were ‘Russian assets’.

Speaking to Campaign HQ, a 2020 election podcast, Clinton first claimed that the Republican Party had “got their eye on somebody who’s currently in the Democratic primary and are grooming her to be the third-party candidate,” apparently referring to Gabbard.

This candidate, Clinton said, was "the favourite of the Russians," and "They have a bunch of sites and bots and other ways of supporting her, so far,” the former secretary of state said.

“And that’s assuming Jill Stein will give it up, which she might not because she’s also a Russian asset,” Clinton, who has blamed Stein, Bernie Sanders, the media, Vladimir Putin, male chauvinists, and others for her dramatic loss against Donald Trump in 2016, added.

Gabbard did not immediately respond to Clinton’s claims. However, she did continue her attacks against the 'corporate media' and the DNC on Friday, pointing to alleged unfair treatment of her at the recent debates.

Online, reporters and Gabbard supporters voiced their disbelief over Clinton's latest claims, suggesting that Gabbard should sue Clinton, and accusing the former secretary of state of giving in to "insane conspiracy theories."

Clinton’s remarks echoed recent talking points expressed by multiple US media outlets, including CNN and the New York Times, who attacked Gabbard over her alleged status as a “Russian asset” and an “Assad apologist.” Gabbard addressed the media’s “smears” at the latest Democratic debate, calling the claims against herself, an Iraq War veteran, “completely despicable,” and threatening to boycott the next debate.

Gabbard has faced flak over her 2017 trip to Syria on a ‘fact-finding’ mission, where she met with Syrian President Bashar Assad, and for multiple comments she has made about needing to end a “dangerous” and expensive “nuclear arms race” with Russia.

Clinton’s remarks about Gabbard are the latest in a barrage of US media attacks against the candidate which began in February, when NBC News pointed to alleged overly favourable coverage of the candidate in Russian foreign language media. Gabbard called the media’s attacks an attempt to smear her as a “Kremlin stooge” and to “discredit” her campaign.

According to a recent Economist/YouGov survey, Gabbard is currently polling at 3 percent support for the Democratic nomination, behind former Vice President Joe Biden, Senator Elizabeth Warren, Senator Bernie Sanders, South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Senator Kamala Harris.


*CORRECTION: The text of this article has been amended to reflect the fact that Mrs. Clinton was apparently referring to the Republican Party, not “the Russians,” when she mentioned that someone was “grooming” a third-party candidate for the 2020 race.

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