As the 2024 election season gains momentum, CNN is reverting to its classic playbook: raising concerns about Russian interference in American politics. “U.S. intelligence agencies believe that the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) is attempting to influence public policy and opinion in the West,” CNN claimed in a recent article. This timely invocation of Russia’s so-called “covert influence operations” appears as new information implicates Joe Biden in questionable activities overseas.
According to CNN, the FSB aims to launder Kremlin propaganda by directing Russian civilians to form relationships with influential individuals in the West. The goal is to utilize these relationships to disseminate narratives aligning with Kremlin objectives. “The co-optee influence operations are built primarily on personal relationships, they build trust with them and then they can leverage that to covertly push the FSB’s agenda,” said a U.S. official to CNN.
They are trying to separate Joe and Hunter Biden they can't no matter how hard they try… Stay on that good for nothing bum you're almost home kiddo. https://t.co/Uf45Tz6W1J pic.twitter.com/Wzybw8eKlK
— Zelensky's ATM (@MikeNichol10) August 26, 2023
While the specter of foreign influence should never be taken lightly, it’s crucial to consider this information’s timing and source. As some may recall, former Ukrainian prosecutor Viktor Shokin recently provided further details undercutting Biden’s narrative regarding his dismissal — a topic ripe for scrutiny in the looming election. Is it a coincidence that this story resurfaces just as Biden faces heat?
Moreover, this isn’t the first time CNN has sounded the alarm on Russia. The network has a track record of spotlighting dubious Russia-linked stories, often with scant evidence. Yet, the same outlet has shown remarkable reticence in covering the $3.5 million transaction from Yelena Baturina, the wealthy spouse of Moscow’s former mayor, into an account related to Hunter Biden.
What’s notably absent from CNN’s narrative is a historical perspective. The United States and Russia have a long history of trying to influence each other. There’s nothing particularly groundbreaking about the fact that Russia would seek to influence public opinion in America. What changed in recent years was the laser focus on the so-called “Russia collusion,” primarily as a strategy to undermine Donald Trump.
The question many are likely asking is, why now? Just as the 2024 election campaigns ramp up, we see the resurrection of familiar “disinformation” claims. “I expect more of this to come down the pike,” predicts a writer for RedState, a sentiment likely shared by many who sense the selective timing of such revelations. While there may be merit in some of the concerns raised, the timing seems convenient for those wanting to shift focus away from domestic issues and potential scandals.
CNN’s framing is a classic example of what many conservatives see as an ongoing problem: the corporate media’s apparent intention to wield the Russia narrative as a political tool. Such a pattern does a disservice to the American public, which deserves a more nuanced and balanced presentation of facts, especially as they decide to choose the nation’s next leader.
By rehashing the Russia angle, CNN and like-minded outlets risk crying wolf once too often. While foreign threats should not be downplayed, neither should they be wielded selectively to divert attention from other issues facing the United States today.
