Episode description

Days before the 2016 election, Rudy Giuliani went on Fox News promising a "big surprise," emphasizing his point with a Crypt Keeper cackle. "We've got a couple of things up our sleeves that should turn this around." The vast majority of the polls had Hillary Clinton comfortably winning.

Paul Manafort, the Kremlin's longtime operative in Ukraine and Trump’s longtime friend and neighbor, had laid low in recent weeks following a bombshell report out of Ukraine that he took millions of dollars in off-the-books payments from Ukrainian kleptocrat and wannabe strongman Viktor Yanukovych. However, Manafort broke his silence days before the election and wrote on Twitter: "Battleground states moving to Trump en masse. Media not liking the pattern. By Sunday, Trump will be over 270 in polls." But the polls said no such thing.

Why were Giuliani and Manafort suddenly so confident Trump would pull off an upset? The 400-page Mueller Report and the bipartisan Senate Intelligence report both exposed how the Trump campaign and the Kremlin came to power in 2016: through pumping out disinformation to suppress the vote, cyberattacks stealing sensitive data, and hacking the voting systems of all 50 states. That very illegal strategy has been in play ever since and is mainstream for the MAGA fascist movement openly trying to overthrow our democracy and install a Christian nationalist dictatorship, with Trump as their long-awaited strongman, a perfect God’s imperfect vessel.

This special episode of Gaslit Nation looks at the ways Trump is trying to steal the election and what must be done to stop him. This is an episode you’re going to want to share with your family and friends. Terrell Starr of the Black Diplomats Podcast and Substack also joins the show to discuss the US election in the context of global affairs. This week’s bonus show, available to subscribers at the Truth-teller ($5/month) level and higher, answers questions from our listeners at the Democracy Defender ($10/month) level and higher, including on how to hold Rupert Murdoch accountable and reasons why Ukraine must join NATO. Thank you to everyone who supports the show – we could not make Gaslit Nation without you!

Join the conversation with a community of listeners at Patreon.com/Gaslit and get bonus shows, all episodes ad free, submit questions to our regular Q&As, get exclusive invites to live events, and more! Subscribe today at Patreon.com/Gaslit! 

Book Launch Reception for In the Shadow of Stalin: The Story of Mr. Jones – Sept 16

• Monday September 16th 7pm at the Ukrainian Institute of America join us for a wine reception and live taping of Gaslit Nation with Terrell Starr for the launch of the graphic novel adaptation of Andrea’s film Mr. Jones! Get in free by subscribing at the Truth-teller level or higher on Patreon!

Indivisible x Gaslit Nation Phonebank Party! — August 15 at 7pm ET

• Every third Thursday through election day and on election eve in November we’re calling voters in Republican-hostage states in the Midwest with Indivisible to ensure a Democratic Senate. Sign up here to join us: https://www.mobilize.us/indivisible/event/628701/

Sister District x Gaslit Nation Phonebank Parties! – Every Wednesday in October! 

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Show Notes:

Clip: “‘Trump’s Project 2025 leader Kevin Roberts: “We are winning… In ways that the other side doesn't yet know… We’re not gonna tell you everything that's coming… [Get] ready to fight’’ https://x.com/KamalaHQ/status/1816573433741795598

Clip: Trump: 'You won't have to vote anymore my beautiful Christians' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ngy_VknAfXw

Clip: Venezuela elections could end Maduro’s rule https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-6PSFBwNt4

Clip: Maduro Wins Venezuela Election, Opposition Rejects Poll Results https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIfBk9F7rWU

Clip: Giuliani hinted at 'a pretty big surprise' days before the FBI announcement https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDY4tSibYpo

Clip: ““To all the athletes who could not come and be here because Russia killed them. I dedicate this to them.” Olga Kharlan after winning bronze at the Paris #Olympics.” https://x.com/United24media/status/1818200501890023865

Clip: “.@jemelehill “Do you think Donald Trump is afraid to debate you? @KamalaHarris: “He should be.” https://x.com/notcapnamerica/status/1818039705038110886

A data tool being used to challenge voter registrations is raising many concerns https://www.npr.org/2024/06/04/nx-s1-4991945/voter-registration-mass-challenges-georgia

The Georgia Voting Machine Theft Poses a Direct Threat to the 2024 Election https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2023/10/georgia-trump-vote-theft-2024-election.html

Trump allies breach U.S. voting systems in search of 2020 fraud ‘evidence’ https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/usa-election-breaches/

Georgia Senate Democrats: “What the hell is this, @GaSecofState? Canceling voters?! This tool empowers conspiracy theorists and other bad actors to deny Georgians the right to vote. We demand this be taken down immediately.” #gapol #gasenatedems https://x.com/GASenateDems/status/1817949715234717988

Should Ukraine join Nato? Open letter We don’t agree that Nato membership for Ukraine would provoke a conflict with Russia https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/article/2024/jul/27/ukraine-nato-membership?fbclid=IwY2xjawEUeM1leHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHQwuQZWseMmw8DF1C22ycT-d_bF-QPnEra88QCrAIlFgf8Kev-uDxqNPpQ_aem_qbpdJm26_W-KofKewkUVUw

 Inside Ziklag, the Secret Organization of Wealthy Christians Trying to Sway the Election and Change the Country https://www.propublica.org/article/inside-ziklag-secret-christian-charity-2024-election

Manafort tweets for the first time since being ousted from Trump campaign https://www.politico.com/story/2016/11/paul-manafort-first-tweet-since-leaving-trump-230735

He Confirmed Russia Meddled in 2016 to Help Trump. Now, He’s Speaking Out Trump viewed the 2017 intel report as his 'Achilles heel.' The analyst who wrote it opens up about Trump, Russia and what really happened in 2016 https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/cia-ica-report-author-trump-russia-1235067814/

Cyberattack hits Georgia county at center of voting software breach State officials in Georgia have severed Coffee County’s access to statewide election systems while the breach is being addressed. https://cyberscoop.com/cyberattack-hits-georgia-county-at-center-of-voting-software-breach/

Voting experts warn of ‘serious threats’ for 2024 from election equipment software breaches https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/voting-experts-warn-of-serious-threats-for-2024-from-election-equipment-software-breaches 

Election officials prepare for a range of threats in 2024, from hostile countries to conspiracy theorists https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/election-officials-prepare-for-a-range-of-threats-in-2024-from-hostile-countries-to-conspiracy-theorists

Securing the 2024 Election Facebook X LinkedIn Federal, state, and local officials must work together to safeguard the democratic process. https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/policy-solutions/securing-2024-election

Voters are being told that the election system is both under attack and vulnerable to manipulation. https://theintercept.com/2024/03/06/homeland-security-us-elections/

Georgia election officials withheld evidence in voting machine breach, group alleges A filing accuses county election officials of withholding records related to unauthorized copying of voting software by Trump allies in 2021. https://cyberscoop.com/georgia-election-officials-withheld-evidence-in-voting-machine-breach-group-alleges/

How DEF CON’s election hackers are trying to protect themselves There may be lessons for 2024 election workers in the precautions taken at the conference to protect election security researchers from harassment. https://www.politico.com/news/2023/08/13/def-cons-election-hackers-2024-00110981

 Electronic pollbook security raises concerns going into 2024 https://apnews.com/article/arizona-united-states-government-2022-midterm-elections-donald-trump-los-angeles-651d0e923973daf28ff3b9d6105b4d74

 Cyberattack forces Georgia county to sever connection to state voter registration system https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/26/politics/georgia-coffee-county-cyberattack-voter-system/index.html

The Coalition of Good Governance on the Coffee County, GA April 2024 Cyberattack and Government Response https://myemail-api.constantcontact.com/And-Now--a-Fourth-Coffee-County-Breach--.html?soid=1109272168263&aid=ToQ-Ima3GxI