Denying then admitting what happened is what they did. We can never quantify the effect. It should HORRIFY every American citizen but I think it doesn't. I think some folks either still don't believe it ever happened or believe it and also believe whatever it takes to elect someone no matter how unethical it is is okay with them. Either way our future looks grim. The hackers know they were effective. They're getting better at it. So now I wonder what is the point of voting when we are being brainwashed by fake ads, fake people, fake issues. Hillary voters weren't fooled. Trump voters just cheered at all the crap and kept forwarding it. It is the independents who were probably most affected by the lies. Would absence of all the sabotage have changed the outcome? That is something else we shall never know. And so it goes. Dammit! :(