ADDICTING INFO
Russian President Vladimir Putin was recently interviewed by Charlie Rose, who asked him a very delicate question about U.S. President Barack Obama. His answer is going to drive conservatives crazy.
In the Conservative Narrative of America – the fairy tale version of news and events promulgated by Fox News and their conservative politicos – President Obama is simultaneously a weak, tofu-eating liberal, and a Stalin-esque dictator out to crush American freedom under his angry Muslim fist. There is no internal challenge to explain the inherent contradiction in these two versions of Obama.
During an interview with Putin for 60 Minutes that aired Sunday night, Charlie Rose took the matter to the Russian premier. Rose asked Putin if he thinks Obama is weak, and Putin said no. Furthermore, Putin sounded considerably more human and contemplative than any U.S. conservative to whom Rose might have addressed the same questions. Here is the transcript of this section of the interview:
Charlie Rose: Let me ask you this, what do you think of President Obama? What’s your evaluation of him?
Vladimir Putin: I don’t think I’m entitled to give any views regarding the president. That’s up to the American people.
Rose: Do you think his activities in foreign affairs reflect a weakness?
Putin: I don’t think so at all. You see, here’s the thing, in any country– and in the United States, I believe this happens even more often than in any other country– foreign political factors are used for domestic political battles. There is a presidential campaign coming up, so they’re playing either the Russian card or some other.
Rose: Okay, but let me ask you this, do you think he listens to you?
Putin: Well, I think we listen to each other in a way, especially when it comes to something that doesn’t go counter to our own ideas about what we should and should not do.
Rose: Do you think he considers Russia, you said you’re not a superpower, he considers Russia an equal and considers you an equal, which is the way you want to be treated?
Putin: (laughs) Well, you ask him. He’s your president. How could I know what he thinks?
How did we get to the point where the former-KGB, authoritarian leader of Russia can give a more balanced view of the U.S. president than his domestic political opponents?
The 60 Minutes interview comes at a time when U.S-Russia relations are at a post-Cold War low, and Putin is poised to address the United Nations over military intervention in Syria. Still the Russian leader managed more grace and diplomacy than the entire GOP clown car put together.
That’s unpleasant for Obama, but it’s far worse for Republicans, whose party is disintegrating around them.
