Putin says he'd prefer Bush over Kerry, but this is a funny way of showing it...
It's funny because I'm sure Putin didn't figure it would come out in the wash.
That was before Putin was Dubyad with the school disaster. Now he wants revenge and knows Bush is the man to assist AND not stand in his way. Putin had a 9-11 moment. The same moment that changed many 9-11 Democrats.
I can only surmise it is because they (as well as France) had so many billions invested in Saddam. Now that he's gone and Putin sees we're committed to the war effort, Putin probably sees his best chance of keeping the money and the oil flowing in supporting Bush and getting the Middle East settled. He knows if Kerry comes into office, the Middle East will become another pit of snakes and rats and he'll lose even more.
I beleive this is why Putin was called to the ranch early on....I beleive they were pressuring him then.....Then I beleive the tried to ride the fence between Saddam and UN and the US, by staying silent. Then I beleive the school mess may have woke Putin up more so.