This is the Twitter thread everyone is talking about, endorsing, condemning. Enjoy.

I’m now hearing this meme that says Obama, Clinton, et al. are doing nothing, just gave up.

Guys. It’s time for some game theory.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

ACTOR ANALYSIS: The Russians enter the Game with a broad objective, flexible tactics, and several acceptable outcomes.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

This subversion can take many forms: driving wedges between US-Commonwealth-Euro intel cooperation, break up NATO, create chaos.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

This game has been developing for many years, is asymmetrical, and much cheaper than building a decent aircraft carrier.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

Plus, the Russians f**king rule at covert shit. Always have. Ask a cold warrior. Mucho respect for our adversaries. They do clever work!
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

Post-communism, they're reduced to Drunk Uncle status in the global balance of power. Mouthy, smart, degraded, much reduced in stature.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

Russians as *people* are civilized, artistic, enamored of brilliance and tragedy, and generally proud. And should be. They do not like this.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

From this position launches an initiative from an old hand at the KGB, now solidified in influence: Subvert for the throat. Go big. Go hard.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

While the West is frivolous and lazy and "Post-History," the clever take advantage. And here begins our present story.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

Let's skip ahead to "Wikileaks." BRILLIANT. Ingratiate the Left into this anti-establishment distrust of Western intel.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

George W Bush and Dick Cheney being slovenly, reckless idiots, the moral authority of Iraq and US intel is nil. In step "journalists."
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

Stealing hard drives from US intel and dumping them to foreign agents? That's *snicker* "journalism!" FREE SPEECH! ROFLMAO.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

Oh, and such grand characters, so well run: Manning, Greenwald. So righteous, yet fragile! And feisty! Try a Twitter war with Glenn!
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

OH YOU PHILISTINE, YOU JUST HATE JOURNALISM! *sigh* *swigs something strong* And Moscow must have been doubling over.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

THEN, OMG, that worked so well that the pièce de résistance was next: SNOWDEN!!! BOOYAH! THE BIG GAME! NSA! PRISM! SPASM!
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

(incidentally, the NSA was about the only agency the Russians took seriously) But then this EARNEST young man. He tells THE TROOTH!
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

DID YOU KNOW YOUR TOASTER IS SPYING ON YOU? THE GUBMINT! IT IS EVERYWHERE! THEY SPY ON (*controls snickering*) ALLIES! ALL BAD!
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

And still hungover from the rotten venality of the Iraq War and Bush's perversion of the IC as reliable, Wikileaks journalisms the NSA!
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

DON'T YOU CALL IT SOMETHING ELSE. HARD DRIVES FROM THE NSA IZ JOURNALISM! Even when you take the files to Brazil! Honest! Ask Glenn!
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

And then, automagically, our man Ed ends up...what's this now? In Russia? Well, they are such welcoming folks! How...nice!
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

Langley and Fort Meade run out of bourbon in about three hours, and every intel guy in Russia is drunk, dancing on the desks, and LAFFING.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

AND THE LEFT! HOLY F**KING ADORABLE BATMAN! Honi soit qui mal y pense! How dare you suggest untoward Russian involvement! Journamalisms!!!!
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

US intel snorts all of the Robotussin in the DC/MD/VA area. Putin calls Snowden "A weird guy." LOLZ.

Moving on to the current chapter.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

MEANWHILE, AT THE FOX NATION FORUMS: The other part of this impressive op is percolating - the buttress of the Alt-Right.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

ONCE UPON A TIME, Dan Rather chased Nixon around a room asking him questions VERY HARSHLY and the notion of the Evil Media Elite was born.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

See, because Nixon got impeached, that meant the media was in on it! WaPo! NYT! Traitors! We look bad! And the media hate begins.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

Never mind that to know something in Topeka, somebody's gotta send you a newspaper or a radio signal or whatevs: The Media Is Lying.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

Now, it's true, high level journalists and editors don't always see the world like Johnny Lunchpail in Missouri. True facts. But. Trouble.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

Republicans decide to create a whole new layer of think tanks and media outlets in the 1980s dedicated to The Other Side.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

The think tanks have a POV, but some are quite good, Cato in particular. Heritage came up with what's now Obamacare. AEI...ehhh. 2 outta 3.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

But then the media play comes in. The cranky insane tent pastors on AM radio get...a makeover. They become Legitimate. Embraced.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

Magnates start investing in outlets. Brand new pundits get huge audiences yelling about The Way Things Ought to Be (for White People).
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

And it's more successful than free chicken and beer. The money flows, the ratings swell. An Australian starts a TV network in the US.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

What develops is an attractive, well-produced alternate universe. You no longer need an alternate take. You have alternate facts.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

Al Gore mutters and bores his way out of a presidency in a race against a guy who spoke English like he learned it from Rosetta Stone.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

And now, the stage is set for a metastasis of batshit nuttery, jingoism, and irrational autocratic fervor. A party becomes a cult.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

September 11, 2001 occurs. A buncha guys are in DC who couldn't wait to go to Iraq. And the right wing media is shiny and tuned-up.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

We go kick a bunch of barbarian ass in Afghanistan, as well we should have. They were beating women and destroying Buddhas. F**k 'em.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

But then, The Axis of Evil Speech. And all the analysts in DC I know collectively go, "Oh, fuuuuu...they're not serious, are they?"
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

Bill Clinton spent most of his years pounding the living snot out of Hussein. Dude built anything funny lookin', in came the rockets.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

There was one concerning nation-state for most, and - hint - it's in Asia. The other threat was non-state actors. *ahem* Which played out.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

And now - *headdesk* - they're going to Iraq. With bullshit intel.

Goddamn it. GODDAMN IT. This is going to suck, said smart people.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

And there's the entire right-wing think tank and media machine blaring, careening, gloating. From the gov't itself, and from every outlet.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

HOW DARE YOU BE SKEPTICAL? WE HAVE AGENCIES! INTEL! IT'S SECRET! DO YOU WANT MORE PLANES IN YOUR NOSTRILS, UP YOUR BUTTS? BE PATRIOTIC!
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

And goddamn, did those media outlets sell a lot of ads for trucks, pain killers, pharmaceuticals and financial services. $$$$$$
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

Many earnest patriots also pointed out, hey, um, there apparently are no weapons that could have blown up Cleveland, so...
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

But now, this whole thing has morphed into tribalism. YES THEY DID TOO FIND WEAPONS OF MASS DEPRESSION AND YOU SUCK BUSH ROCKS PUSSY
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

Ann Coulter comes on TV to talk over B-roll of rusty munitions WE SOLD HUSSEIN and said, well look, there they are. Total. Propaganda.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

America looks like shit. Our intel services take a helluva beating. Iraq's invasion - which was basically unplanned - results in chaos.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

Katrina. Bush. Looking out the window. Confused.

Hey, but in intel news, the National Geospatial-Intel Agency helps critically.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

2008. The housing Ponzi we used to get out of the DotComBust-9/11-era recession has now gone pear-shaped. Utterly nuclear.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

America's banks, the one thing other than movies and video games we do reliably, all shit the bed simultaneously.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

We then elect a cappuccino-colored president whose middle name is Hussein.

The Right goes completely over the f**king cliff into insane.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

They start the TEA PARTY! YO REMEMBER BOSTON! PAAAATRIOTS SOMETHING SOMETHING! TEA PARTY! NOTHING MATTERS TAKE IT ALL BACK YAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

This political movement happens when the only thing Obama has really said with conviction is "Fired up! Ready to go!" In late November 2008.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

But ON GEORGE WASHINGTON'S GRAVE THIS HAS GONE TOO FAR!!! And the entire right-wing media gets its next several years of revenue LOCKED.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

Now, we've got a really, reaaaally fertile field in which former KGB agents can make a long play.

And Moscow gets to work.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

America's at this weird nihilistic place, which is one thing for France and Russia, but NOT for earnest midwesterners who are agape.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

Now the American Left has got some juice back again. But the Right is just apoplectic from pure suffering.

Both are ripe for subversion.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

The Left is out of love with American business and military-industrial, the Right foams at the mouth against legitimate government.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

And the guys who have been twisting minds from Vladivostok to Havana and back get to work building an "alt" media structure.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

We've already covered the genius of that who Wikileaks op on the Left. SCORE!

Now for the perversion of the formerly nationalist Right.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

JESUS TAPDANCING CHRIST THERE'S A BLACK DUDE IN THE WHITE HOUSE! LIVING THERE!

It's not hard to convince Southerners this is insane.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

But put a little elbow grease in on some internet forums, and pretty soon you can have Northern John Adams-type conservatives, too.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

A whole generation of disaffect Rush Limbaugh fans (WE LISTENED AND DITTOED SO HARD WHY IS THERE A BLACK DUDE THERE?) is ripe for picking.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

In addition to alt-finance sites and "Russia Today" a new TV network, they start infiltrating "social media."
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

Disclosure: Because I'm mouthy all the time like this, RT had me on as a guest. They prop up US "subversives." And they don't edit you!
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

Fun fact: Al Jazeera and RT just let me talk. US media almost always wants some hand in your final product before booking you. Ironic, no?
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

But from about 2009 to the 2016 election, a madness is being brewed and slowly poured down the throats of increasingly hysterical Americans.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

When you imbibe from this potion, everything is awful and everyone official is lying to you.

Only other members of the cult are with you!
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

US media, which is complicit in many of our problems, is portrayed for the extremists as conspiratorial liars. All the time.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

Formerly sane members of US society start sounding like my schizophrenic grandfather, who said Government was keeping him from His Mission.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

Only the Gubmint knew the Archangel Gabriel was sending him to find the next Jesus.

So, cut it out, CIA! Stop it, Giant Conspiracy!
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

And then people you knew from Functional Daily Life started talking that way. People with car dealerships. Dentists. Regular folk.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

They started with CONSPIRACY, especially after 2012, because DAMMIT NO THERE SHOULDN'T BE A BLACK DUDE TWO TERMS NOOOO! NO NO NO NO NO NO
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

THEY ARE ALL IN ON IT. THE CORPORATIONS. THE MEDIA WHORES. THE GOVERNMENT! (except for my Medicare, don't touch that) ALL OF THEM!
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

A CABAL CALLED The Pentaveret: The Queen. The Pope. The Gettys. The Rothschilds. AND COLONEL SANDERS, BEFORE HE WENT TITS UP!
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

If you haven't unfollowed by now, 1. You're nuts and 2. Thank you for indulging my So I Married an Axe Murderer reference.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

MOVING ON. The conspiratorial fever at about 108, we begin the 2016 election - AGAINST EVERYTHING HOLY - in 2015.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

The Republicans debate over 712 times, discussing topics such as who hated Obamacare more, and who had a large penis.

Jesus, that happened.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

The Democrats all debate who's going to get out of Hillary's way first, except for VERMONT'S OWN BERNIE SANDERS, who...gets popular?
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

I'm from Vermont and have known Bernie forever, so I'm very surprised, but everyone kinda likes it.

Hillary wins anyhow.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

And now, the target for electoral mischief is enormous. Hillary is the most known quantity in America, with huge backstory.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

Creating a conspiracy narrative around the Clintons is like creating a "southern" narrative around NASCAR and grits.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

Now - with Trump as the non-conformist, not-like-all-the-other-rotten-conspiratorial-assholes paragon, the Russians go into overdrive.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

The Russians didn't create Trump - only New York City and American gullibility could have done that.

But they've got a SWEETHEART outcome.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

Trump - a moron - is probably unlikely to take the whole enchilada, but that's perfect. If he gets close enough, he can cry UNFAIR! forever.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

Amazing scenario for Russia - instead of RT, they get an institutional nihilist chowderhead with American credentials. They butter him up.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

Hell, to hear many tell of it, the have kompromat on him. But anyhow, they invest in his stuff. He was there in 2013. They have a lever.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

IF on the off chance, Trump actually (and who could guess this) wins, then...wow, they've got quite an opening.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

Either way, on the run-up to Nov 2016, Russian involvement was as subtle as a fart in a spacesuit.

Scroll down my TL for details.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

The U.S. IC had its hair on fire. This situation was incredibly dangerous. A paranoid U.S. faction backing a rogue with ties to Russia.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

OK, Jesus, at LONG LAST, back to my initial premise. Why didn't Obama and Clinton "do something?"

JESUS, WHAT CAN YOU DO?
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

You come out and have the CIA enter the goddamn race for Clinton? True or not, we look like some weird cryptofascist state.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

Or, you let the Russkis laugh and taunt and infiltrate Facebook with majillions of propaganda tales for idiots? Just let them run around?
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

Do you come out the day after this totally weird-smelling abomination of an election with all its technical difficulties?
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

Do you tell America the day after the election that Russia spearfished all of our think tanks in brazen fashion?
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

Hillary, for her part, gives a brief and all-too-calm speech and goes hiking.

Probably the best move on the board.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

Obama WELCOMES! Mr. Trump in an intense, welcoming welcome. To the White House. Mr. Big Winner Guy! Welcome! Fellow American!
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

Trump looks like he swallowed a goldfish and stares at the floor a bit too long.

As if maybe a joke has gone too far.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

In the next month, a small band of propagandists run in a circle and try to look like they're forming a government.

It's ungainly.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

And now, it's December 11th. Trump says he don't need no stinkin' intel agencies.

Russia (BWA HAHAHAHAAAA) blames Ukraine! LOLOLOLOLZZZ
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

A lot of Republicans stare into the middle distance, except for McCain and Graham who are NOT HAVING THIS SHIT. (I salute you, gentlemen.)
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

And here we are. Americans. Hopefully soon united. This isn't a partisan issue. Obama isn't late to the party. People are doing their jobs.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

If you think any of this is easy, you're ignorant and delusional.

Tonight, though, I write to you with great hope.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

This may be America's finest hour, as we act together with unshakable resolve to deal with enemies foreign and domestic.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

We have done so in the past and come out a stronger, more just, more pluralistic nation.

We will do so now.

And for me? Or die trying.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

America is the steward of a genius system entrusted to flawed stewards whose descendants seem to act on the right side of history.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

This system is not rotten, not beyond repair, not exiled from the future.

We have been infiltrated by agents who would drive us mad.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

This is a nation built on civilization, humanity, and reason, rejecting the febrile superstitions of the past.

It must stand. And will.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

We are at present in a place of danger where some of our fellow citizens have forgotten our most cherished values.

We've been here before.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

America, reluctantly but dutifully, recognizes its internal contradictions and failings.

Slavery. Racism. Internment. Classism.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

The genius documents that gave rise to noble American sentiments were themselves authored by those who failed them. (h/t @ Mr. Jefferson)
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

We spilled the blood of our brothers to resolve the contradictions of slavery and then abandoned the project while killing Indians.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

Americans proclaimed the equality of all men while treating women as chattel and all non-whites as lesser. We are indeed hypocrites.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

But to be American is to accept that unflinchingly and to soldier forth for future generations, and DO BETTER, GODDAMN IT.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

There are those who would mire us in worldly cynicism, to anchor us in a world where our institutions betray forever, where values perish.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

And to be American is to face that intellectual, moral, and spiritual assault with the unshakeable devotion to something more lofty.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

And when that loftiness fails, as it so often does, to be American is to seize it again and again, knowing that our Creator desire Progress.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

The Progress demanded by our Creator can be achieved by immigrants and natives, skeptics and believers, the elite and the humble alike.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

That is America. That is the promise that Americans oft ignore and which more cynical nations would defile for their own gain.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

That America will last long after I have died, long after new people have picked the torch.

Long after we betray it again, as we will.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

But America will go on, even if by another name, unless all who have heard her name are extinguished.

This is just the locus of promise.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

America came from the olive groves of Italy and the shipyard of Plymouth and the islands of the Philippines. Indivisible.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

America came from the Torah and Voltaire's Candide and Adam Smith and zen koans and Greek mathematics and Rumi's poetry.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

America is all these things, and should yet another absolutist demagogue, foreign or domestic seize her, it will be far from the end.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

Now is a time for patriots.

It's also Sunday afternoon. I'm gonna get a beer and watch football.

God Bless America, and all nations.
— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016

— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) December 11, 2016