Russians’ Doubts About Hillary Clinton
By Tara Law
The 2016 presidential election has provoked anxiety not only in the United States, but in Russia — where a recent poll showed 38 percent of Russians support Donald Trump and only 9 percent like Hillary Clinton (52 percent didn’t have a preference for either).
Trump’s greater popularity is evident on Russian Twitter accounts and VKontake, Russia’s answer to Facebook. Throughout Election Day, Russian users preemptively proclaimed Trump’s victory.
Tomorrow we’ll wake to- beauty! Trump president, USA fallen apart, the dollar 15 kopecks, Ukraine part of the Krasnodar region, and tweets 254 characters.
Much of the Russian commentary is so divisive that it raises the question: is Russian sentiment genuinely so anti-American, or does social media attract the most negative voices, from Russia’s more radical corners?
And: do the people posting the most extreme accusations genuinely believe their own words? Or is their goal to distort reality and promote discord — an accusation that western politicians have often made against Russian media?
Still, some posters seem to warmly embrace Trump as a leader Russia could work with.
@IA_REGNUM Why for Trump? Because Russia! Peaceful country! Trump, not once talked about war with Russia. Trump gets us.
For many commentators, Clinton is not just undesirable as president. They accuse her of deviant behavior. Many posts are openly sexist; others charge the U.S. government has covered up her allegedly criminal conduct.
Leonid: FBI agent begins to open his mouth in the most democratic country in the world. Bill and Hillary Clinton practice pedophilia. “Lolita Express”
In some posts, there’s a suggestion of schadenfreude about America’s contentious election campaign. A few predict an American apocalypse, in which American democracy will crumble.
Do you hear the rumbling of crumbling stones? Do you see the dust rising? For which the world is trying to estimate figures? “The Big Bright American Myth”
Imagery of war and conflict are common. A Clinton presidency, predict some, would lead to inevitable conflict with Russia.
USA in the event of Hillary Clinton’s victory in the election
#RussiaVotesTrump Because it’s better Trump, than a third world war thanks to Clinton
