‘Buff Bernie’ Sanders Used By Russians To Hurt Hillary On Social Media
A Russian Facebook ad promoting a “Buff Bernie” coloring book Image by facebook
By Nathan Guttman November 2, 2017
The Russians didn’t only back President Trump to attack Hillary Clinton — they also used social media to back rival Bernie Sanders.
And they did it but trying to turn the tousle-haired senior citizen into a cartoon superhero.
One such ad attributed to a group called LGBT United, promoted a “Buff Bernie” coloring book, which, the ad notes, includes “very attractive doodles of Bernie Sanders in muscle poses.”
Another, bought for 500 Russian Rubles ($8.56), shows Sanders speaking out against Clinton Foundation donations. “So, why are so many people going to vote for her?” ask authors of the ad, which is attributed to a user called “Born Liberal.”
These ads, only a small taste provided by Congress from thousands of social media paid postings purchased by Russians before the elections, demonstrate part of the Russian thinking in their campaign to block Clinton – promoting Sanders as a viable candidate before the primaries ended, and using his popularity after Clinton clinched the nomination, to discredit her as a candidate.
Contact Nathan Guttman at [email protected] or on Twitter @nathanguttman
A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.
At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse..
Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
