IS PARTISANSHIP TRUMPING PRINCIPLE FOR SOME CONSERVATIVES?

The pun is intentional.  For reasons that seem very simple, Donald Trump has been reluctant to acknowledge that Russia was instrumental in cyber hack attacks that uncovered emails damaging to Hillary Clinton’s campaign.  The President-elect has been highly skeptical—even dismissive—of the intelligence agencies’ view that the Kremlin was involved.  He undoubtedly considers that conclusion as diminishing the legitimacy of his election.

But why are certain Conservatives (Sean Hannity & Tucker Carlson in particular) so eager to voice support for Trump’s position?

 Since when has Russia been given the benefit of doubt by those on the Right?

Yet, both Fox News broadcasters gave a platform to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange who strongly denied—without significant challenge—that Russian operatives were behind the email revelations.

Carlson even declared that he had no reason to doubt Assange’s credibility on the subject…

This is same Julian Assange who has spent the past several years in Ecuador’s London embassy to avoid extradition to Sweden on sex offense charges and/or to the U.S. pertaining to his role in the disclosure of American military secrets by Pvt. Bradley Manning.

Previously, for these reasons, Assange was held in low regard across the political spectrum, especially among Conservatives.   So the WikiLeaks founder is now redeemed because what he claims is true is supportive of Trump’s position?

This is the trap that causes so many partisans to be viewed with suspicion by the general public.  Can you imagine Fox’s Hannity singing the praises of Assange if Hillary Clinton had won and Russia was accused of contributing to her victory?

Hypocrisy is the enemy of integrity.  Taking offense only when one’s ox is gored is not the path to national respect.