that yes these took place. but the president-elect with no contrary evidence, nothing else besides his personal opinion is taking up moscow's case and trying to distort or cover up that intelligence finding. >> not only the connection there, you know, between russia deferring to president-elect trump, but let's also talk about the optics here. we're talking about the president, the current president's request for a full review into whether russia may have this some sort of involvement and influence in the u.s. election. u.s. intelligence agencies think that to be the case. but -- sniemts absolutely. i mean, come january we're talking about a president trump who comes in and that's serious cases to fight against the islamic state, the crisis in syria in which russia is backing the assad regime. russia has been trying to break off part of that country as the