A claim suggesting Hillary Clinton called Tulsi Gabbard a "Russian asset" during her 2020 presidential campaign has been going viral, especially since news broke out on Tuesday that the former Democratic congresswoman is joining the Republican party.
The claim is untrue, as on the podcast Campaign HQ with David Plouffe in October 2019, the former called Jill Stein, the Green Party nominee for president in 2012 and 2016, a "Russian asset." However, she implied Gabbard is the "favorite of the Russians."
Trending
Tulsi Gabbard calls Hillary Clinton the "queen of warmongers" and "embodiment of corruption"
Hillary Clinton dubbed Gabbard Russia's "favorite" 2020 candidate during the episode. She said,
"I'm not making any predictions, but I think they've got their eye on somebody who is currently in the Democratic primary and are grooming her to be the third-party candidate. She's the favorite of the Russians."
However, Gabbard shot back as she took to X to diss Clinton. She tweeted,
"Great! Thank you @HillaryClinton. You, the queen of warmongers, embodiment of corruption, and personification of the rot that has sickened the Democratic Party for so long, have finally come out from behind the curtain. From the day I announced my candidacy, there has been a concerted campaign to destroy my reputation."
She continued,
"We wondered who was behind it and why. Now we know — it was always you, through your proxies and powerful allies in the corporate media and war machine, afraid of the threat I pose. It’s now clear that this primary is between you and me. Don’t cowardly hide behind your proxies. Join the race directly."
However, Clinton's comments were misinterpreted. That same month, The New York Times issued a correction, writing that:
"an earlier version of this article described incorrectly an element of Hillary Clinton’s recent comments about Representative Tulsi Gabbard."
It continued, stating:
"while Mrs. Clinton said that a Democratic presidential candidate was ‘the favorite of the Russians,’ and an aide later confirmed the reference was to Ms. Gabbard, Mrs. Clinton’s remark about the ‘grooming’ of a third-party candidate in the 2020 race was in response to a question about the Republicans’ strategy, not about Russian intervention.”
The Associated Press echoed the same:
"In a story Oct. 18 about Tulsi Gabbard and Hillary Clinton, The Associated Press reported erroneously that Hillary Clinton said she believes the Russians have ‘got their eye on somebody who’s currently in the Democratic primary and grooming her to be the third-party candidate.’ She was referring to Republicans, not Russians, according to an aide.”
Tulsi Gabbard says she switched sides because of her "love for our country"
According to the New York Post, Tulsi Gabbard addressed the crowd to declare a switch in alliance. She said, at Trump’s rally in Greensboro, NC, this week,
“The Democrat Party has no home for people like us, but we do have a home in the Republican Party — where we are welcomed with open arms by President Trump and so many of you who love our country."
She continued her speech, saying:
"And it is because of my love for our country and specifically because of the leadership that President Trump has brought to transform the Republican Party and bring it back to the party of the people, and the party of peace, that I’m proud to stand here with you today, with President Trump, and announce that I’m joining the Republican Party."
She continued, noting that she had been a Democratic for over 20 years, but it was "Today’s Democrat Party" being "completely unrecognizable" that made her switch sides.
During the event, Tulsi Gabbard also took jibes at Vice President and Republican Presidential nominee Kamala Harris and expressed her support for the latter's adversary, Democratic Presidential nominee Donald Trump.
According to her, “President Trump has pledged to end wars, not start them." She continued, noting that "this is why, in the eyes of the Kamala Harris-Dick Cheney Democrat Party, they will do everything possible to try to destroy him."
Reply
