SoylentNews

aristarchus [soylentnews.org] writes:

The Right-libertarian leaning Reason [reason.com] website offers the following insights:

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D–Hawaii) is a weird person running a weird presidential campaign. That doesn't make her a stooge for Nazis or Russian intelligence.

On Saturday, The New York Times published [nytimes.com] an article whose headline asks, "What, Exactly, Is Tulsi Gabbard Up To?" Gabbard's brief flirtation with boycotting the upcoming Democratic debate, Lisa Lerer writes, has "some Democrats wondering what, exactly, she is up to in the race, while others worry about supportive signs from online bot activity and the Russian news media."

"Alt-right internet stars, white nationalists, libertarian activists and some of the biggest boosters of Mr. Trump heap praise on Ms. Gabbard," Lerer continues. "They like the Hawaiian congresswoman's isolationist foreign policy views. They like her support for drug decriminalization. They like what she sees as censorship by big technology platforms." These are, of course, all stances that could appeal to progressive voters as well.

To make the case that something sinister is afoot, the Times relies on a mix of thin evidence, guilt by association, and conspiratorial framing of actions that any single-issue-focused dark horse candidate is liable to do.

Of course, that is what they want you to think is not true!

Original Submission