Why Russia Is Rooting for Both Trump and Sanders

<p>U.S. intelligence officials have concluded that the Russian government is attempting to interfere in the 2020 presidential race — but it is doing so by supporting two very different candidates. So why is Russia rooting for both President Trump and Senator Bernie Sanders? Guest: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/by/david-e-sanger?smid=pc-thedaily" target="_blank">David E. Sanger</a>, a national security correspondent and a senior writer at The New York Times. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. </p><p>Background reading: </p><ul><li>Mr. Sanders was briefed on potential interference, and when details of the attempts emerged, he<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/21/us/politics/bernie-sanders-russia.html?smid=pc-thedaily" target="_blank"> ratcheted up his attacks on Russia</a>, warning President Vladimir V. Putin to stay out of the presidential election.</li><li><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/20/us/politics/russian-interference-trump-democrats.html?smid=fb-nytimes&smtyp=cur&fbclid=IwAR1svOWR8ocLSQp3hdv53AXfmz1YkvDsQypIXJx0ceaLFLLviJZNYz01Ang?smid=pc-thedaily" target="_blank">Intelligence officials warned House lawmakers</a> last week that Russia was interfering in the 2020 campaign to try to get the president re-elected.<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/25/us/politics/trump-schiff-russia.html?smid=pc-thedaily" target="_blank"> Mr. Trump was angry</a> the intelligence briefing was held at all.</li><li>What exactly do intelligence officials mean by “interference”? We don’t know, and<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/23/us/politics/russia-2020-election-interference.html?smid=pc-thedaily" target="_blank"> officials can’t seem to agree</a> on the scope of the meddling.</li></ul>