Topic: Opposition Research

A Bloomberg campaign advisor highlights controversial essays written by Bernie Sanders in the 1970s regarding rape fantasies and childhood sexuality. The hosts discuss how these writings emerged from the "revolutionary thinking" of the sexual revolution era and speculate on their impact if they become a mainstream campaign issue.

Former New York Times editor Jill Abramson alleged on CNN that Vice Media ran an "oppo campaign" against her book after she provided them with galley proofs for fact-checking. Abramson claims Vice strategized to discredit the book rather than correcting errors. Vice is described as an entity that hires political war room strategists rather than traditional PR spokespeople to handle its public image.

The Clinton campaign and the DNC were revealed as the funders of the Steele dossier through Fusion GPS. The hosts note that the media is largely ignoring John Podesta's potential involvement in the funding chain. The story is framed as standard opposition research by Democrats, while the President calls it a "disgrace."

The investigation into the "Steele Dossier" and Fusion GPS shifts focus toward the Clinton campaign and the DNC's funding of the research. The discussion highlights the overlapping connections between Paul Manafort, the Podesta Group, and Russian interests, suggesting that the dossier was a sophisticated piece of opposition research that is now being used to politically distance the Democratic establishment from Hillary Clinton.

ABC News correspondent Brian Ross reports on the revelation that the Clinton campaign and the DNC funded the Fusion GPS dossier after an unknown Republican donor started the initial research. The segment is analyzed for "whipsaws," specifically how the media is now rebranding the dossier as "standard opposition research" to protect the Democratic party's credibility.

Commentator Charles Krauthammer criticizes the Trump administration's defense, stating that the release of emails by Donald Trump Jr. provides concrete evidence of a willingness to collude with a foreign adversary. Krauthammer argues that while collusion may not be a specific crime, the receptiveness to help from a hostile power like Russia undermines previous denials. The defense of "incompetent collusion" is dismissed as a weak legal and political strategy.

White House advisor Sebastian Gorka defends Donald Trump Jr. by pointing to alleged coordination between the DNC and the Ukrainian embassy to gather opposition research on Trump. Gorka argues that the media's focus on Russia is a double standard, as the Democrats also sought foreign assistance. CNN's Alisyn Camerota challenges this parallel, questioning the specific connection between the Russian lawyer and the Kremlin.

Rachel Maddow reported on the "Guccifer 2.0" hack of the DNC, which leaked an opposition research file on Donald Trump. Maddow used the leak to suggest a "unsettling" connection between Trump and Vladimir Putin. The hosts mock the "lame" intelligence in the file, which included old allegations regarding Trump's personal life and his ex-wife.

A leaked 200-page opposition research document on Mitt Romney, originally prepared by the McCain campaign in 2008, surfaces online. The dossier includes Romney's past quotes, business records, and details about his Mormon mission in France. The hosts discuss the nature of political "dossiers" and how they are used to smear competitors during primary seasons.