Kamala Harris: Kaepernick backlash was 'not a thing' until Russian bots 'started taking it on'

Kamala Harris speaks on stage at 2019 ESSENCE Festival Presented By Coca-Cola at Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on July 06, 2019 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Kamala Harris speaks on stage at 2019 ESSENCE Festival Presented By Coca-Cola at Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on July 06, 2019 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Photo: Paras Griffin, Getty Images For ESSENCE Photo: Paras Griffin, Getty Images For ESSENCE Image 1 of / 33 Caption Close Kamala Harris: Kaepernick backlash was 'not a thing' until Russian bots 'started taking it on' 1 / 33 Back to Gallery

Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) said the controversy surrounding the national anthem protests of former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick was "not a thing" until Russian trolls started fanning the flames on social media.

During a Friday interview with the radio show "The Breakfast Club," Harris discussed Russian interference in the 2016 election, and said the easiest way for Russian online trolls to sow discord in American politics is to stoke racial animosity.

"They test out a couple of things to see what can get the American public going at each other, pointing fingers at each other," Harris said. "Guess what gains the most heat? Race."

Harris specifically cited the explosive national debate that ignited in August 2016 when Kaepernick first chose not to stand during the national anthem.

"Remember the heat that ended up around the 'bend the knee' and Colin Kaepernick?" Harris asked. "Many smart people have said it actually was not a thing, the Russian bots started taking that on."

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Kaepernick's protests received attention from the national media immediately after a photo of him sitting on the bench while the anthem played before a preseason game went viral on social media.

The senator also said her campaign "already knows" it is being targeted by Russian bots now, and discussed ways for Americans to counter Russian bots on social media.

"We also have to know when we're being played, and we also have to respond immediately when we know something is inaccurate," she said.

"In 2016 it's fair to say a lot of folks thought, 'No one is going to take that seriously, that won't gain any heat.' ... We have to pay attention to that stuff and know that it's not going to necessarily be real people doing it, it'll be others and those bots that stir it up to the point where it generates heat and people get swept into it."

Harris has been outspoken on the issue of foreign interference in American elections, and cosponsored a bill introduced by Dianne Feinstein and Richard Blumenthal intended to help combat foreign election interference.

You can watch the full 48-minute long interview here.

Eric Ting is an SFGATE staff writer. Email: eric.ting@sfgate.com | Twitter:@_ericting

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