[wagglebee]

I'm sure "60 Minutes" views Putin as an "expert" on democracy.

[ruiner]

If anyone knows how "NOT" to export democracy, its the sovi . . .errr Russians. I guess that does make him an expert, kinda.

[Paradox]

Honestly? I dont disagree with what Putin said.

[wk4bush2004]

Democracy? Ha! Oh, Putin, you're the one to talk.

[wagglebee]

Ping

[SoFloFreeper]

Yeah, well, Putin must have felt right at home with the socialists there at "60 Minutes".

[dead]

Four years ago your presidential election was decided by the court.

Wrongo, Pooty-poot.

It was attempted, but the effort failed and the presidential election was decided by the electors selected by the voters of the fifty states, as designed.

[IMissPresidentReagan]

By no means am I an expert on Russian politics, but Putin seems to me to be longing for the "good ole days" of communism, and is attempting to reinstate some of the mechanism that would take Russia back to the days of the USSR.

Of course he would criticize the electoral college, because without the electoral college, those areas that aren't heavily populated would get trampled on more so than they already do.

I'm always amazed though, at how those who in their own country do not support the freedom of the press, or freedom of speech, come to America, and use our freedoms to spread their beliefs. I bet no one in Russia could criticize Putin's leadership in the same manner he criticized the United States.

But then that's just my two cents worth.

[sageb1]

"[Democracy] must be a product of internal domestic development in a society," says the Russian president."

Whereas there is much truth to the idea that change must be desired from within, that is exactly what Putin does not want and is what he is fighting against. He desires an empire that he thinks will give him the personal respect that his ego requires.

[Grzegorz 246]

STFU Putin, you stupid clown.

[lexington minuteman 1775]

Well at least 60 Minutes is now having interviews with it's friends!

[Dahoser]

A combative Vladimir Putin tells Mike Wallace he should question his own country's democratic ways before looking for problems with Russia's.

As if Mike Wallace doesn't.

[Attillathehon]

"Four years ago your presidential election was decided by the court. The judicial system was brought into it.

Sounds like he's getting The New York Times dacha delivered.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

CBS is an expert.

[Sprite518]

If you can't defend the indefensible, then attack the accuser. That is exactly what Putin is doing. If Mike was not a Socialist, then he should have told Mr. Putin that he still has not answered the question.

Putin does not understand that we are a Republic and not a Democracy. The Founding Fathers understood the dangers of a Democracy (aka mob rule), and that is why we are a republic.

What a dumb argument on the election too. Can you imagine if we had direct elections what it would been like to have to recount the entire county? Plus I am sure the Politicians would only really campaign in the states with the largest populations too. It would not be good for the U.S. Putin and Mike Wallace (two commies) do not understand this.

[anonymoussierra]

Thank you my husband do will write Thank you

"Just not long ago, someone posted Putin comments about Dresden, and now this. I have nothing against Russian people, they have been through enough of sorrows and pain as we poles have been through. Communism is a system that deprives you of your breath of freedom and self respect, and it seems Putin is living in amnesia state of mind. Taking a page from his mentor Andropov, he surely gets around telling other countries about democracy. Now here is a problem; democracy is a system; each country from each country adjusts to its own system of values and thinking. What works for US, may not necessarily work for us in Poland or other parts of the world; nonetheless denying people their freedom and dignity and criticizing their points of view is not what would you call democracy, rather self projections of his views and his misunderstanding of certain historical differences between US and other countries around the world. And who made Putin on expert of US policies and US democratic point of view. US has its own problems, nonetheless, at least they took ball by a horn, and send their young ones to fight for something they believe in freedom, dignity and self-respect. Instead criticizing US, maybe Putin should clean his own backyard, or is his memory to short of remembering what is happening in Russia, he should stop complaining and rather unite in more emerging threat to us all-terrorism."

Thank you

[jb6]

What was George Washington's advice on leading by example not the bayonet? Oh, but he's just another dead old white guy, why listen to him? If a culture is not ready for democracy, dropping it on top of them isn't going to change them. Before you pull out Germany and Japan as an example of success, note that both were republican systems before they were hijacked by fascist parties (aka our modern day democrats). Places like Iraq have never known a self imposed republican system (only Lebanon of the 22 arab nations was a republic and coincidently it was also 51% Christian then) and so, I fully believe that once we leave, it will collapse.

[jimfrommaine]

Putin can say whatever he likes about our system. Just give us an idea of the future attacks Saddam was planning against us. I'm praying it has something to do with Salman Pak and the Fedayneen training on that Boeing 707.

[Ohioan]

Of course, our Constitution was set up to protect us from "Democracy!" Mr. Putin may be excused, if he does not know that. But what excuse can one offer for those inside the Beltway, who do not understand that?

As for exporting "Democracy?" See George Washington Debates George W. Bush.

[Ciexyz]

We ignore the advice of leaders like Putin at our peril.

[Smokin' Joe]

Putin put out because democracy not exported by republic. Hmmmm. Didn't stop the Soviets from trying to export their form of government, iirc.