title:  Incoming Trump Deputy Sec. Of State Blames Russian Hacking On Obama ‘False Flag’ (VIDEO)
text: If you ve ever wondered if Donald Trump is completely unqualified to make any decisions about anything involving the good of our nation, ever, look no further than incoming Deputy Secretary of State John Bolton (who fills in the  Crazed Conspiracy Theorist  box on your Apocalypse BINGO cards, if you re playing). On Sunday, Bolton appeared on Fox News to let the world know to ignore the CIA s evidence that Russia actively worked to install The Donald in the Oval Office because it s all big gubmint propaganda or something  a  false flag operation,  to be exact.Yes, this is a term that we have heard applied to the Sandy Hook shooting and pretty much anything that places conservatives in the uncomfortable position of having to self-analyze their horrific positions on guns, race, gender, and other topics. The phrase was largely made popular by Trump ally Alex Jones and deceased right-wing propagandist Andrew Breitbart (Yeah, the guy conservatives think Obama had killed for knowing too much. They ve even combined this conspiracy theory with the one about Hillary Clinton having child sex slaves in some circles. But I digress) and usually virtually assures that the person who uttered the term is a f*cking idiot.Which, of course, brings us to Bolton. It s not at all clear to me just viewing this from the outside that this hacking into the DNC and the RNC computers was not a false flag operation  are words actually uttered by someone Trump just placed in a very important position. Talking Points Memo provided a pretty handy transcript of what went down:BOLTON: It s not at all clear to me just viewing this from the outside that this hacking into the DNC and the RNC computers was not a false flag operation. Let s remember what FBI director James Comey said dealing with Hillary s home brew server. He said we found no direct evidence of foreign intelligence service penetration, but given the nature of this, we didn t expect to. Meaning, a really sophisticated foreign intelligence service would not leave any cyber fingerprints. And yet people say they did leave cyber fingerprints in the hacks regarding our election. So the question that has to be asked is why did the Russians run their smart intelligence service against Hillary s server but their dumb intelligence services against the election  SHAWN: When you say false flag, that s a very serious charge. False flag by whom? Here is  The Washington post.  The Post reported the CIA has concluded individuals with close ties to the Russian government hacked the e-mails. Intelligence officials have determined that Russia s goal was to help trump win rather than simply undermine confidence in the election. Are you actually accusing someone here in this administration of trying   in the intelligence community of trying to throw something?BOLTON: We just don t know, but I believe that intelligence has been politicized in the Obama administration to a very significant degree.SHAWN: Would the intelligence officials politicize this to go so far that could damage our republic and what we have for 200-plus years stood for.BOLTON: I think the whole thing is called into question and an independent investigation becomes extremely important. I think it s critical to answer the question I posed. If you think the Russians did this, then why did they leave fingerprints?SHAWN: Maybe because we have such sophisticated and  BOLTON: James Comey and the FBI couldn t find any fingerprints  SHAWN: They use a different standard. It s been shown they have a criminal start by the CIA has more of an intellectual  BOLTON: Let s hear the debate.SHAWN: What do you want to hear? Something from the CIA director?BOLTON: I d like to know. I think we have something now. We don t want to compromise intelligence sources and methods but when you make that kind of allegation, if it were true, and the Russians have the capability and the intention of doing it, I m not by any means trying to exonerate them, but if you say they ve done that, let me be clear, either in the cyber world or elsewhere, we should retaliate. It is unacceptable for the American constitution to be assaulted by foreigners in that way. So it is absolutely critical as well that we get the facts right on this, and I don t think we have anywhere enough in the public domain to know what the facts are.SHAWN: The president has ordered a review. Senator McCain and others of the Armed Services Committee are having hearings on this with the new congress. Let me read you a statement from both Senators McCain, SenatorsGraham, Schumer, and Jack Reed of Rhode Island, both bipartisan. For years foreign adversaries have directed cyber attacks at America s physical, economic, and military infrastructure while stealing our intellectual property. Now our institutions have been targeted. Recent reports of Russian interference in our election should alarm every American. This cannot become a partisan issue. The stakes are too high for our country. McCain this morning called Putin a thug, a killer, and a murderer. The president has ordered a public review. What are you calling on the president to do before January 20th? To reveal the classified information? To bring it all out so Americans can know if Russia had a hand in this election?BOLTON: One thing that makes me very nervous is Barack Obama saying let s have this report before the 20th of January so I can wrap it up. I think the burden for well or ill is going to fall on Mike Pompeo who has been named as president-elect trump s cia director. I think he s trusted by republicans and democrats. He doesn t bring any baggage. He s a new official at the CIA. I d look to him to head up an investigation across the entire intelligence committee. I just think these are such serious charges, again, if the Russians or any other foreign government think that they can undermine the integrity of our elections or defeat our constitutional process, this is just as serious an attack as a military attack.SHAWN: For those who are bothered by your claim of a potential false flag, that s very disturbing as an American.BOLTON: We would want to know who else might want to influence the election and why they would leave fingerprints that point to the Russians. That s why I say until we know more about how the insurance   intelligence community came to this conclusion  While he didn t say definitively that he believed this to be a  false flag,  Bolton made it clear that he might-or-might-not believe that President Obama   whose administration has a history of politicizing intelligence  to a very significant degree,  wink, wink   might or might not have told the CIA to falsely claim that Russia helped Donald Trump get elected because reasons. Makes perfect sense.Watch the interview below:Featured image via screengrab