--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What the Russians did in the election in…" description: "\"What the Russians did in the election in 2016 was clearly short of war, yet it was a pretty aggressive act to go into another country's voting system.\"..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/241/david-e-sanger-15061_country_what-the-russians-did-in-the-election-in_697187.jpg" --- # What the Russians did in the election in 2016 was clearly… ![“What the Russians did in the election in 2016 was clearly short of war, yet it was a pretty aggressive act to go into another country's voting system.” quote by David E. Sanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/241/david-e-sanger-15061_country_what-the-russians-did-in-the-election-in_697187.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/241/david-e-sanger-15061_country_what-the-russians-did-in-the-election-in_697187.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/241/david-e-sanger-15061_country_what-the-russians-did-in-the-election-in_697187.jpg) > “What the Russians did in the election in 2016 was clearly short of war, yet it was a pretty aggressive act to go into another country's voting system.” [David E. Sanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-sanger/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Russian interference was aggressive but fell short of full-scale war, targeting another nation's voting infrastructure. **In simple terms:** Russia acted aggressively in elections but not as war. Key Takeaway Treat cyber‑election threats as serious security concerns. Themes politics cybersecurity foreign interference Mood cautious concerned Type analysis warning When to use this quote - policy drafting - public awareness campaigns - defensive tech deployment Key Concepts electoral integrity national security information warfare Questions to Reflect On - What safeguards can protect elections from covert cyber attacks? - How should nations respond to non‑military aggression? A Different Perspective Attribution can be politically contested, complicating response. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Election](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/election/) [Russia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/russia/) [Russians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/russians/) [Voting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voting/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [I don't think anybody can with a straight face say that the Russians did not set out to influence our election, and they did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/i-don-t-think-anybody-can-with-a-straight-face-say-that-the-russians/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [In most places in the country, voting is looked upon as a right and a duty, but in Chicago it's a sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-gregory/in-most-places-in-the-country-voting-is-looked-upon-as-a-right-and-a/) [Dick Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-gregory/) > [We live in a country where voting rights get gutted but Sharknado gets a sequel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fugelsang/we-live-in-a-country-where-voting-rights-get-gutted-but-sharknado/) [John Fugelsang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fugelsang/) > [The Russians did much bigger space launch vehicles for launching satellites and for getting men in orbit. They did that much sooner than America…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-rutan/the-russians-did-much-bigger-space-launch-vehicles-for-launching/) [Burt Rutan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-rutan/) > [Those Russians. They did worse things when they entered Pomerania than we ever did in Russia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walther-funk/those-russians-they-did-worse-things-when-they-entered-pomerania-than/) Walther Funk > [We know the Russians did everything they could to be involved in our campaign. We know that what they're doing around the world right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-manchin/we-know-the-russians-did-everything-they-could-to-be-involved-in-our/) [Joe Manchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-manchin/) > [I wouldn't say it's a done deal yet, by any means. I think there are a lot of people who feel like their lives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/i-wouldn-t-say-it-s-a-done-deal-yet-by-any-means-i-think-there-are-a/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [ It's been an unusual election \[2016\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-kristol/it-s-been-an-unusual-election-2016/) [William Kristol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-kristol/) > [You'll never change anything in this country through voting. Nothing. Absolutely nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jair-bolsonaro/you-ll-never-change-anything-in-this-country-through-voting-nothing/) [Jair Bolsonaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jair-bolsonaro/) > [“But those were Frenchmen and you can work out military problems clearly when you are fighting in somebody else's country." "Yes," I replied, "when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/but-those-were-frenchmen-and-you-can-work-out-military-problems/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [You thought the war in Afghanistan was OK. You know, I mean, you thought that was something worth doing. We didn't check with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-eastwood/you-thought-the-war-in-afghanistan-was-ok-you-know-i-mean-you-thought/) [Clint Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-eastwood/) > [Full disclosure: the Russians did not tell Hillary Clinton, 'Don't go to Wisconsin.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-schultz/full-disclosure-the-russians-did-not-tell-hillary-clinton-don-t-go-to/) [Ed Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-schultz/) > [ The central question in this election \[2016\] is really what kind of country we want to be and what kind of future we'll build together. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/the-central-question-in-this-election-2016-is-really-what-kind-of/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [Paul Ryan, was saying \[on election 2016 "I don't see any evidence of systemic fraud."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-todd/paul-ryan-was-saying-on-election-2016-i-don-t-see-any-evidence-of/) [Chuck Todd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-todd/) > [ There's been a lot of study of the demographics this year that could decide this election \[2016\] and a lot of money being spent… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-martin/there-s-been-a-lot-of-study-of-the-demographics-this-year-that-could/) [Michel Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-martin/) ## More by David E. Sanger > [The remarkable thing about the Chinese is that they've operated differently than the Russians, the Iranians, and the North Koreans. By and large, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-sanger/the-remarkable-thing-about-the-chinese-is-that-they-ve-operated/) [David E. Sanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-sanger/) > [A Trump presidency will plunge the United States into an era of unknowns that has little parallel in the nation's 240-year history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-sanger/a-trump-presidency-will-plunge-the-united-states-into-an-era-of/) [David E. Sanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-sanger/) > [In the old nuclear age, you could sit under a big screen under a mountain in Colorado, and you could see where the missiles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-sanger/in-the-old-nuclear-age-you-could-sit-under-a-big-screen-under-a/) [David E. Sanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-sanger/) > [Once cyber crosses into the realm of the physical, then it's a physical attack, but it starts with cyber. And the idea of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-sanger/once-cyber-crosses-into-the-realm-of-the-physical-then-it-s-a/) [David E. Sanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-sanger/) > [Mr. Obama is the first president to have grown up in the region - he lived in Indonesia as an elementary school student -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-sanger/mr-obama-is-the-first-president-to-have-grown-up-in-the-region-he/) [David E. Sanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-sanger/) > [American officials sometimes dig into corporations because they are suspected to be witting or unwitting suppliers of technology to the North Koreans or the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-sanger/american-officials-sometimes-dig-into-corporations-because-they-are/) [David E. Sanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-sanger/) > [When Japan was on the rise, American governors would come to inspect Toyota City and study 'just in time' manufacturing to increase efficiency; when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-sanger/when-japan-was-on-the-rise-american-governors-would-come-to-inspect/) [David E. Sanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-sanger/) > [“We are in a strange world,' one senior Israeli official said to me, 'where the defense minister and to a lesser degree the prime…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-sanger/we-are-in-a-strange-world-one-senior-israeli-official-said-to-me/) [David E. Sanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-sanger/) > [The government does not deny it routinely spies to advance American economic advantage, which is part of its broad definition of how it protects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-sanger/the-government-does-not-deny-it-routinely-spies-to-advance-american/) [David E. Sanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-sanger/) > [There are certainly some secrets the government needs to protect, but many of the most important clues about revolutions, nuclear transfers, and new military…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-sanger/there-are-certainly-some-secrets-the-government-needs-to-protect-but/) [David E. Sanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-sanger/) > [State oil companies in Saudi Arabia, Africa, Iran, and Mexico have often been intelligence targets for the United States.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-sanger/state-oil-companies-in-saudi-arabia-africa-iran-and-mexico-have-often/) [David E. Sanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-sanger/) > [“China's internal divisions have made it far harder to strike the kind of deals that made it possible for the two countries to open…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-sanger/china-s-internal-divisions-have-made-it-far-harder-to-strike-the-kind/) [David E. Sanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-sanger/) > [We have spent so much time worrying about a 'cyber Pearl Harbor,'' the attack that takes out the power grid, that we have focused…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-sanger/we-have-spent-so-much-time-worrying-about-a-cyber-pearl-harbor-the/) [David E. Sanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-sanger/) > [When Russia's intelligence agencies obtained some of the National Security Agency's secrets about its own cyberweapons, it appeared to do so by manipulating a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-sanger/when-russia-s-intelligence-agencies-obtained-some-of-the-national/) [David E. Sanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-sanger/) > [Until Japan's economy drove off a cliff, there was a running argument in Asia about whether it would be wiser to follow the 'Japan…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-sanger/until-japan-s-economy-drove-off-a-cliff-there-was-a-running-argument/) [David E. Sanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-sanger/) [Explore all 44 David E. Sanger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-sanger/) ## More Country quotes > [I love playing for my country, getting the support. Especially for the kids and everybody, showing my example of what I can achieve so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/i-love-playing-for-my-country-getting-the-support-especially-for-the/) [Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/) > [ That country \[Carthage\] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws;… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinking-into-the-state-of-barbarism/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [For the Scottish government, the practice of having meetings in different parts of the country is well established, but for the U.K. government, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-sturgeon/for-the-scottish-government-the-practice-of-having-meetings-in/) [Nicola Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-sturgeon/) > [There's no reason someone who has fought for their country should be homeless of jobless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kyle/there-s-no-reason-someone-who-has-fought-for-their-country-should-be/) [Chris Kyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kyle/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [It's very nice to be a rebel saying, 'I stand on my principles,' but if in fact that's not going to have any impact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-grieve/it-s-very-nice-to-be-a-rebel-saying-i-stand-on-my-principles-but-if/) [Dominic Grieve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-grieve/) > [Most paper money initially existed as a substitute for gold. That's what gave it value. But right now what gives a currency value is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/most-paper-money-initially-existed-as-a-substitute-for-gold-that-s/) [Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/) > [That's what this country is. It's made up of immigrants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bria-vinaite/that-s-what-this-country-is-it-s-made-up-of-immigrants/) [Bria Vinaite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bria-vinaite/) > [You, of Canada, are building a magnificent record of achievement. My country rejoices in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/you-of-canada-are-building-a-magnificent-record-of-achievement-my/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [The United States cannot and should not discriminate on the basis of religion. The free exercise of religion is at the very heart of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/the-united-states-cannot-and-should-not-discriminate-on-the-basis-of/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [The reason I was drawn to the Band Perry was because they have a knack for doing rollicking country music that can sound a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-robinson/the-reason-i-was-drawn-to-the-band-perry-was-because-they-have-a/) [Phoebe Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-robinson/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > ['Lovecraft Country' is reclaiming all these pulp genres for people of color.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misha-green/lovecraft-country-is-reclaiming-all-these-pulp-genres-for-people-of/) [Misha Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misha-green/) > [No judge can stop us from praying for our country and I pray that on May 6, millions of Americans will join me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-graham/no-judge-can-stop-us-from-praying-for-our-country-and-i-pray-that-on/) [Franklin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-graham/) [Browse all 29,881 Country quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What the Russians did in the election in 2016 was clearly short of war, yet it was a pretty aggressive act to go into another country's voting system.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David E. Sanger" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-sanger/what-the-russians-did-in-the-election-in-2016-was-clearly-short-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Country" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-sanger/what-the-russians-did-in-the-election-in-2016-was-clearly-short-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/241/david-e-sanger-15061_country_what-the-russians-did-in-the-election-in_697187.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/241/david-e-sanger-15061_country_what-the-russians-did-in-the-election-in_697187.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/241/david-e-sanger-15061_country_what-the-russians-did-in-the-election-in_697187.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What the Russians did in the election in 2016 was clearly short of war, yet it was a pretty aggressive act…” — David E. Sanger", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "David E. Sanger", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-sanger/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "What the Russians did in the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-sanger/what-the-russians-did-in-the-election-in-2016-was-clearly-short-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-sanger/what-the-russians-did-in-the-election-in-2016-was-clearly-short-of/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```