WHO NEEDS RUSSIANS WHEN YOU HAVE MURDOCH?

We worry about Russian efforts to sow confusion, stir up Democratic disunity, and promote President Trump as the election approaches. But Trump and the Republican Party don't need to rely on Russians. Rupert Murdoch's media outlets are more than capable of doing that all by themselves.

Here's the lead story at FoxNews.com right now:

Have Democrats found an alternative to Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders for the party’s 2020 presidential nomination?

Some seem to think so: The hashtag #PresidentCuomo -- referring to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo -- was trending on social media Saturday as the party’s voters continued to mull who should take on President Trump in November.

Just a day earlier, the hashtag #WhereIsJoe was trending as some wondered why Biden's national profile seemed to shrink amid the crisis -- a situation Biden said he planned to address next week....

“President Cuomo is really raising the bar for leadership [right now], and I’m here for it. #PresidentCuomo#CoronavirusPandemic,” one Twitter user wrote....

“Proud to have Gov Cuomo not only leading NY but also the country. #PresidentCuomo.” another wrote. “We’re already tested more people than any city ...”

And at the New York Post, there's this:

Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s daily televised press briefings on the coronavirus have him looking presidential, according to some social media fans.

“Proud to have Gov Cuomo not only leading NY but also the country. #PresidentCuomo,”@RastaRusty tweeted. “We’re[sic] already tested more people than any city ...”

“President Cuomo is really raising the bar for leadership [right now], and I’m here for it. #PresidentCuomo#CoronavirusPandemic,” @j_m_storm wrote.

(Yes, the story quotes the same two tweets.)

The tweets seem to be from legitimate users, not bots. But this isn't really a national phenomenon. Trendogate found #PresidentCuomo trending in only four locales, Indianapolis, Houston, Honolulu, and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, all of them at approximately 2:00 this morning Eastern time. This isn't a nationally trending hashtag. It's not even trending in Cuomo's home state.

But the story makes Biden look weaker than Trump, so it's out there. Thanks, Rupert. I'm sure Vladimir Putin admires your tradecraft.