Election: No cause to dismiss Putin's influence

Some maintain that while Russian leader Vladimir Putin may have been responsible for “fake news” and numerous hacks, he had no bearing on the election’s outcome. As much as anyone, President-elect Donald Trump believes this. But what’s the reality?

It makes little sense to assume that whatever falsehoods and canards were disseminated did not filter into anyone’s consciousness. And anyone who did have the least hesitation about their vote might have been tipped in Trump’s favor by Putin.

Trump has to protect himself against the charge of illegitimacy; his ego’s at stake. But absent Putin’s interference, the question would have to be: Would Trump have won? Possibly.

Regardless, there’s no convincing reason for Trump to dismiss outright the claim that the outcome was influenced by Putin’s skullduggery and therefore is suspect.

This story was originally published January 17, 2017 at 2:28 PM with the headline "Election: No cause to dismiss Putin's influence."