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Clinton: I'm 'Paula Revere, Sounding the Alarm' on Russian Involvement in 2016 Election

September 20, 2017

Hillary Clinton on Tuesday night called herself "Paula Revere," sounding the alarm about Russia's election meddling, during an appearance on CBS host Stephen Colbert's "Late Show."

Clinton joined Colbert to discuss What Happened, her recently released book about her loss to now-President Donald Trump in the 2016 election.

"It must have not been easy to write this book," Colbert said.

"It wasn’t easy writing this book," Clinton agreed. "Trying to come to grips as I write in the book, everything from sexism and misogyny to voter suppression, to the unusual behavior of the former director of the FBI."

"And the Russians, and the Russians!" Clinton added.

Clinton told Colbert Russia thinks "they succeeded" in manipulating the American people during the 2016 presidential election.

"I believe so strongly they believe they succeeded in messing with our democracy and I just can’t abide that," she said.

Colbert asked Clinton if she thinks Russia did succeeded in messing with our election, and "to what degree influencing vote or influence an opinion," he asked.

"Yes, I do, I do, I do,"  Clinton said.

When asked to clarify how she thinks Russia succeeded, Clinton made it clear she believes Russia was able to influence voters and opinions.

"Influencing voters, and therefore, influencing opinion. I think is becoming clearer and clearer. I don't know what the congressional investigations, and I don't know what the special counsel investigation is going to find. I’m going to wait for that."

Clinton then brought up the recent news of Russia buying ads on Facebook, adding "we're going to find out a lot more." She alluded that she will not back off the issue, saying she was like "Paula" Revere sounding the alarm, in reference to the American Revolution Patriot "Paul" Revere.

"This latest revelation, about the way they bought add on Facebook and targeted them – we're going to find out a lot more." She said. "I am saying, as clearing as I can, I feel like I'm a bit of a Paula Revere. I'm trying to sound the alarm about this."

Clinton finished her point by saying Putin is trying to destabilize the United States with his actions on social media.

"The latest revelations where you had Russians pretending to be Americans. Fake Americans with fake news and fake stories and fake demonstrations. That wasn't just because he's bored and has nothing to do," Clinton added. "He wants to undermine how we see each other, how we respect each other, how we support our institutions and our society. So, I think that they believe they had a good outing in 2016, and I think they will be back in 2018 and 2020, unless we stop them."

The famous, partially fictionalized, story of Paul Revere is depicted in the Henry Wadsworth Longfellow poem April 18, 1775: Paul Revere Sounds the Alarm. The poem describes Revere riding his horse in the middle of the night from village to farm across the region, warning the Patriots of the coming British soldiers.