Kamala Harris said that the backlash surrounding former San Francisco 49ers Quarterback Colin Kaepernick was “not a thing” until Russian bots “started taking it on.” Harris discussed Russian interference in the 2016 election during a radio interview with “The Breakfast Club” Friday. “They test out a couple of things to see what can get the American public going at each other, pointing fingers at each other,” Harris said. “Guess what gains the most heat? Race.” She then cited the controversial national debate surrounding Kaepernick’s choice to kneel during the national anthem. “Remember the heat that ended up around ‘bend the knee’ and Colin Kaepernick? Many smart people have said it actually was not a thing, the Russian bots started taking that on,” she said. Harris also added that she “already knows” that her campaign is being targeted by Russian bots now, and discussed ways for Americans to counter Russian bots on social media.
