Wednesday night’s second Democratic primary debate was “Sleepy” Joe Biden’s chance to stand up to Kamala Harris, who kneecapped him badly in the first debate by going after his record on busing and work with segregationists in the Senate.

Everyone thought it was Biden who’d draw blood this time, but he didn’t; he was a mere distraction while Tulsi Gabbard sneaked up behind Harris and shivved her with ugly facts about her record as a prosecutor — facts that Harris dismissed as “fancy opinions” while standing by her record, saying she was proud of the job she did.

So now it’s on — it’s Gabbard vs. Harris, and Gabbard has already suggested Thursday that an MSNBC interviewer was hitting her with talking points provided by the Harris campaign.

As Twitchy reported earlier Thursday, New York Times contributing op-ed writer and CNN contributor Wajahat Ali is warning people to be on the lookout for Gabbard’s swarm of Russian bots targeting Harris.

Beware the Russian bots and their promotion of Tulsi Gabbard and sowing racial dischord, especially around Kamala Harris. — Wajahat Ali (@WajahatAli) August 1, 2019

Joy Reid, who’s no conspiracy theorist but a real journalist with MSNBC, jumped into the conversation and noted that Gabbard seemed like some kind of Terminator sent to take Harris out of the game.

It is notable that her purpose in these debates has been specifically to take Harris down. — Joy Reid (@JoyAnnReid) August 1, 2019

“It is notable.”

Hmm. It is notable that Kamala’s purpose in these debates has been specifically to take Biden down. pic.twitter.com/ZWMMc6Xpd9 — ☁️ (@CXMAguilera) August 1, 2019

It’s notable that everyone on that stage was trying to take the others down. Even Spartacus put down his guitar and stopped singing “Kumbaya” to get in a dig at Joe Biden toward the end.

Lady, it's a debate. If you really think Tulsi is being promoted because she's a plant and not because she's genuinely resonating with people you're actually batshit insane. Although I could simplify and strawman like you guys and say you just hate veterans 🙂 — Chris Ray Gun (@ChrisRGun) August 1, 2019

How's the FBI investigation into your "hacked" racist and homophobic blog coming along?#KamalaHarrisDestroyed — JWF (@JammieWF) August 1, 2019

Did the time-traveling hackers that sabotaged your blog also get to Kamala’s prosecutorial misconduct ??? ??? — Booker 9000 (@theIrishGerman) August 1, 2019

Kamala's record got put on display. As it should. It's called vetting. — Registered Socialist (S) (@thunder0291) August 1, 2019

No, it's called Russian Bots. Turns out whenever something true but embarrassing comes up (like, say, Joy Reid's bigoted and homophobic rants) it's always Russian Bots — Santos D ? (@Santos_D_2017) August 1, 2019

This is awful commentary. If Harris can't stand on her record that's her own fault. I'm not a Tulsi supporter, but this take is shit, Joy. It's a primary. The whole point is pointing out differences. Harris name calling after the fact & refusing to answer speaks volumes. — Trina (@DoxsieKatrina) August 1, 2019

It's notable Harris had a very large weak point for media to scrutinize with respect to her AG record and yet y'all pretend it never existed. She's being exposed for being the zealot prosecutor she's always been. — Mohamed Abdinur (@mabdinur85) August 1, 2019

So, Harris holding Biden's feet to the fire for his past makes her bold and forthright. Gabbard holding Harris' feet to the fire for her past makes Gabbard a Russian agent. Got it. — Jose Amador (@thebeigeone) August 1, 2019

Ali is still taking a beating for his warning that Gabbard has Russian bots everywhere.

Surely you have proof if you’re going to make such a sweeping, ridiculous statement like this, yes? This is why Trump won, right here. Not RUSSIA, nope. He won because Americans got tired of smug progressives treating them like they’re stupid, racists, or bots. Just FYI. — The?FOO (@PolitiBunny) August 1, 2019

This is classic. Always somebody else. How easily influenced are some of you groupthink dotes? — Ashley Allen (@gashleyallen) August 1, 2019

pic.twitter.com/l0k5t8OVmW — I'm supposed to be working right now… (@hereforthejava) August 1, 2019

??? Oh, you’re serious? — Mats Kalinka ✝️ (@MatsKalinka) August 1, 2019

So weird that it's become acceptable for members of the media to show such blatant bias. — Kamala Harris is a Cop (@BethLynch2020) August 1, 2019

Beware the establishment bots that claim everyone they disagree with is a Russian bot. — Drown Capitalism in a Bathtub? (@ArghAndBlast) August 1, 2019

2016 called – they want their hoax back ????? — I'm supposed to be working right now… (@hereforthejava) August 1, 2019

Harris can take care of herself. Gabbard is creepy and sinister, but she did speak the truth about Harris' record, and Harris will have to speak to that because it's her record. It's there for anyone who wants to see it. — Nora Dunn (@noradunn) August 1, 2019

I can't believe anybody is buying this shit. Kamala Harris got called out for her terrible record last night and of course this morning you morons are yelling, 'it's the Russians!' Pathetic. — beth, who's angry and yells (@bourgeoisalien) August 1, 2019

Love this! Shows a disconnect from reality that we only usually see in movies. Harris is a horrible human being who is an easy target through her own attitudes and actions. How any democrat votes for her is beyond me — MorganL (@morganl_uk) August 1, 2019

The truth is either Republican talking points or Russian Bots? ? — R.A.A. (@SpreadShooter) August 1, 2019

Beware the lunatics who write for the New York Times. — Magical Terrapin Andii (@Andiiterrapin) August 1, 2019

I’m not a Russian bot I went to law school with you and am a public defender. Tulsi was 100% correct in her critique of Harris. Dirty prosecutors abuse power. I would never vote to give one the power of the White House — sparticle (@IamSparticle) August 1, 2019

I praised Gabbard's critique. But, still to my point, Russian bots have an affinity for Gabbard and are also using disinformation to sow racial dischord like they did in 2016. — Wajahat Ali (@WajahatAli) August 1, 2019

“And here’s my proof …”

This has — wait for it — ZERO basis in fact. https://t.co/htQHaEJFPh — Jake M. (@jakemerci) August 1, 2019

Beware of NYT blue ticks promoting their agenda & still flogging Russia gate as if it was ever true ? — Isabel Oliveira (@IsabelO20183051) August 1, 2019

You are part of the intelligentsia water bucket carrying brigade. — Ashley Allen (@gashleyallen) August 1, 2019

Kamala Harris has been locking up black men in CA & extending their sentences so they can used as Slave labor & Tulsi exposed her. She is a fraud & has a very bad record with African Americans — Melissa A. (@TheRightMelissa) August 1, 2019

Damn, this is incredibly offensive. Claiming that Russians, not long-standing racial injustice, is what's creating racial discord in America is reprehensible, not to mention, pretty damn racist. — Kamala Harris is a Cop (@BethLynch2020) August 1, 2019

Xenophobic conspiracy theories never get old — Mark Ames (@MarkAmesExiled) August 1, 2019

Thank goodness Oliver Darcy and crew forced Alex Jones off of Twitter so we’re not inundated with whacky conspiracy theories anymore.

Damn Russians sowing discord. https://t.co/AH62w8KcD3 — Evlondo Cooper (@EvlondoCooper) August 1, 2019

Critiquing a carceral state that overwhelmingly disfavors people of color is “sowing racial discord.” So you’re going for the “people talking about racism are the real racists” thing, huh? Good look. — Dumb(Stupid}Hat (@Popehat) August 1, 2019

Russian bots obviously forced Wall Street's "top cop" Kamala Harris to bend over backward for years to lock people in prison and throw away the key. Everything is the fault of Russian bots. If you don't like Kamala, it's Russia's fault.https://t.co/4cfLOTAcdH — Ben Norton (@BenjaminNorton) August 1, 2019

So, you're on damage control today? Fun stuff! Good luck, sir, you'll be needing it. — Thomas Linkoff ⚘ (@ThomasLinkoff) August 1, 2019

Are you saying no legitimate American can agree with Gabbard or have enjoyed her dunking on Harris tonight? — BLAKELEY (@blakeleymusic) August 1, 2019

Kamala is the one sowing the racial discord. Very off putting. She can’t look people in the eye when answering questions, lacks confidence. It’s just not her time. — IrritatedWoman (@irritatedwoman) August 1, 2019

"Everything I don't like is Russia" — Ruck "Healing Psychic Hatred" Cohlchez (@RuckCohlchez) August 1, 2019

they're under your bed. — тнє ƒυтυrє prσgrєѕѕινє (@TFProgressive) August 1, 2019

"Bot" = "anyone who disagrees with me,"

and

"sowing racial discord" = "any form of criticism." … apparently. — ?Jake? (Not My Lover's Cats' "Daddy") (@jake0149) August 1, 2019

Our media now gives endorsements. — xthexphenomxxxx (@xthexphenomxxx3) August 1, 2019

I'm just surprised you're not calling Tulsi a racist. Ever notice you can't go against anyone of color for any reason, even in a debate where it's supposed to be adversarial. Sheltering Kamala from her record won't help you or her. — Kevin Batts (@kevinbattsII) August 1, 2019

It’s almost like its a talking point from the @DNC the way nearly exact tweets are being typed out. — MAGA Matt?? (@msuhajda) August 1, 2019

Tulsi brought up some ugly truths behind Kamala yesterday, and today people are talking about it. Primaries are about vetting the candidates. If trump were to attack Kamala, are we going to go blaming Russia also? That's not a winning strategy. #KamalaHarrisDestroyed — Martinez (@BernThemAll) August 1, 2019

Beware the excuse making pearl cultchers in the media and their promotion of conspiracy theories to explain away obvious phenomena that only they cannot understand. — Adam Trahan (@AdamTrahan) August 1, 2019

Beware of consultants aka propagandists like Ali hired via proxy PACs to prop up the crashing and burning Kamala campaign with desperate gutter phony smears. He is also available to perform at kid’s birthday parties, and his going rate is hitting rock bottom after today. ??? pic.twitter.com/VXY7TRjmPO — Pansophism (@pansophism) August 1, 2019

I want to live in your world for a while. All of that madcap excitement and international intrigue. Like a Bullwinkle episode. — Bohemio (@El__Bohemio) August 1, 2019

Lol, it’s like he wrote this straight from notes. — Ashley Cuellar (@KidCuellar) August 1, 2019

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