WikiLeaks And Assange October Surprise Duds: Julian Assange Rick-Rolled Both Sanders And Trump Supporters In The 2016 Presidential Election
WikiLeaks and Assange just presented us with yet another October Surprise dud. After “disappearing” following the shutdown of his internet access by authorities in the Ecuadorian embassy in London, Julian Assange suddenly popped back up in a Howard Hughes-style phone call to supposedly reassure his supporters he was alive. But perhaps the real reason Assange made this call was because so few people had noticed his absence.
That sound you're hearing is the collective cries of the pathetic republicans who desperately needed this douche
— Thrilling (@burdentruth) October 19, 2016
As reported by CBS News, WikiLeaks fandom went into overload following the shutdown of Internet access to Assange at the embassy, and his subsequent dead man’s switch code seemingly being activated made their frenzy even worse. Of course, the use of the term “dead man’s switch” semantically implies some foul play.
Logically, if Assange didn’t have internet access, he couldn’t prevent the dead man’s switch from activating, even if he was still alive and still in the Ecuadorian embassy. But for those wrapped up in conspiracy theories, logic doesn’t always enter into it.
The live phone call video will not do! – He has sacrificed more than his freedom for US – #ShowUsJulian #ProofOfLife https://t.co/FU4UbWbsGW
— ? Angela Price ? (@FruitEtrange) October 27, 2016
It’s still an open question whether the Assange efforts to stop Hillary Clinton from becoming president mean he’s simply politically naive or a Russian puppet. As reported by NBC News, Assange connections to Russia have become evident over the last year. Assange himself has admitted having a hand in helping Edward Snowden take refuge in Russia.
Dead Man’s Switch Strategy by WikiLeaks
Assange and WikiLeaks possibly – perhaps even probably – orchestrated the Julian Assange disappearance in order to create the impression that American authorities – at the behest of Hillary Clinton – had gotten their hands on the fugitive WikiLeaks leader and that he was off in Guantánamo being waterboarded.
Clearly, WikiLeaks and Assange could have easily set up this phone call immediately following the outbreak of “Julian Assange is dead” theories on the internet. It’s equally obvious that they used the disconnection of Julian Assange’s internet as an opportunity for one last try at an October Surprise.
But despite the fact that Julian Assange and his WikiLeaks staff clearly hoped that his “mysterious disappearance” would throw suspicion on Hillary Clinton and destroy her prospects in the 2016 presidential election, most Americans stopped paying attention to Assange some time ago.
WikiLeaks and Assange Credibility Gap
Unfortunately for Julian Assange and WikiLeaks, the fantastical October Surprise fest that anti-Hillary Clinton haters had been dreaming of for months failed to materialize when October actually arrived. The big announcement on October 4 fizzled into nothing more than a review of WikiLeaks’ debatable accomplishments over the years, with no damaging information for the Clinton campaign.
Since then, October has seen other “surprise” announcements by WikiLeaks and Assange revealing details from emails and other documents about Hillary Clinton’s campaign. But these sad little releases were hardly the devastating smoking gun that the Donald Trump campaign and Republicans were hoping for. Alex Jones certainly felt Rick-rolled.
The trickle of information released by Julian Assange over the last month proves that – gasp – Hillary Clinton is a politician. Yes, Clinton uses one tone and talking points with her donors and a different set with the American people. She also plans how to undermine her opponents. Only the staggeringly naive and politically illiterate would expect otherwise.
She is a #President Hillary Clinton
"When I read WikiHillary, I hear a smart, pragmatic, center-left politician… https://t.co/wPCVoEO7Wt— Felipe Piña ????????? (@FreshPina) October 19, 2016
Clinton herself pointed out that even supposedly honest Abe Lincoln lied frequently – and quite successfully – while president in order to achieve his objectives. As anyone who’s seen the movie Lincoln knows, it was only by lies, bribery – and even intimidation – that Lincoln was able to get the 13th Amendment freeing slaves passed by the United States Congress.
A totally truthful president would be a disaster for the United States. The modern nation state has to have secrets, and a modern president has to know how to play the realpolitik game. Looking at the 2016 election poll results, the real October Surprise seems to be that the American people recognize this as well – whether WikiLeaks and Assange like it or not.
[Featured Image by Carl Count/Getty Images]
