The author is Richard Fernandez, whose Belmont Club column appears regularly at PJ Media and who Tweets as wretchardthecat. Both points he makes are correct. Hat tip to Instapundit for the link.
I believe Putin enjoys messing with our elections; it is mischief he can accomplish quite cheaply, so far with zero blowback. This cycle he has done things favoring both Sanders and Trump. He would find it advantageous to have the U.S. - his main opponent - headed by a weak someone who has little popular following.
