James Clapper in New Book: ‘Of Course’ the Russians ‘Swung the Election to a Trump Win’

James Clapper in New Book: "Of Course" The Russians "Swung The Election To A Trump Win" (RealClearPolitics)

Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper writes in his new book, "Facts and Fears" that he has "no doubt" the Russian influence campaign swung the 2016 presidential election to Donald Trump. 

MSNBC's Rachel Maddow read a short excerpt from the book, available now, ahead of an interview with Clapper Tuesday night.

"As a private citizen, I had no doubt they influence at least some voters. Looking at the savvy ways Russians targeted specific user groups -- for instance, buying advertisements on Facebook promoting Clinton's support of the Black Lives Matter movement and ensuring those ads ran only on the pages of white conservative voters in swing states... Looking at how they created lies that helped Trump and hurt Clinton and promoted these falsehoods through social media and state=sponsored channels to the point that the traditional US media were unwittingly spreading Russian propaganda... and at how they ran a multifaceted campaign and sustained it at a high level from early 2015 until Election Day 2016... Of course, the Russian effort affected the outcome. Surprising even themselves, they swung the election to a Trump win. To conclude otherwise stretches logic, common sense, and credulity to the breaking point," Maddow read from Clapper's book.