Amid these heightened tensions, the [[mainstream media]] in the United States and Europe joined in the full-scale Russia/Putin-bashing, holding Russia at fault for everything. A new McCarthyism emerged, deeming anyone who dared disagree a “Moscow surrogate” or a “Russian propagandist.” The ugliness penetrated into the [[2016 presidential election]] campaign as [[Hillary Clinton]] took a belligerent line toward Russia while Donald Trump broke with the Republican establishment and called for improved ties between [[Washington, D.C.]] and [[Moscow]]. After Trump's victory the anti-Russian hysteria gained added strength as Democrats were so angry that [[liberal]] and [[progressive]] operatives saw a chance to build a movement and raise lots of money by pushing the [[Trump-Russia]] accusations. This opportunism turned much of the liberal/progressive community into a new pro-Cold War constituency, willing to engage in a new breed of [[McCarthyism]], by demanding investigations into any relations between Americans and Russians.<ref>https://consortiumnews.com/2017/02/14/trump-caves-on-flynns-resignation/</ref> | Amid these heightened tensions, the [[mainstream media]] in the United States and Europe joined in the full-scale Russia/Putin-bashing, holding Russia at fault for everything. A new McCarthyism emerged, deeming anyone who dared disagree a “Moscow surrogate” or a “Russian propagandist.” The ugliness penetrated into the [[2016 presidential election]] campaign as [[Hillary Clinton]] took a belligerent line toward Russia while Donald Trump broke with the Republican establishment and called for improved ties between [[Washington, D.C.]] and [[Moscow]]. After Trump's victory the anti-Russian hysteria gained added strength as Democrats were so angry that [[liberal]] and [[progressive]] operatives saw a chance to build a movement and raise lots of money by pushing the [[Trump-Russia]] accusations. This opportunism turned much of the liberal/progressive community into a new pro-Cold War constituency, willing to engage in a new breed of [[McCarthyism]], by demanding investigations into any relations between Americans and Russians.<ref>https://consortiumnews.com/2017/02/14/trump-caves-on-flynns-resignation/</ref> |