Posted on 09/23/2009 8:08:50 PM PDT by GOPGuide
It's the Obama administration that has pressed the "reset button" on relations with Russia, scrapped plans for a missile-defense system in Eastern Europe, and toned down the rhetoric on NATO expansion. But it seems Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin still pines for Obama's predecessor. At his annual meeting with academics, think-tankers, and journalists, Putin barely mentioned Obama but "repeatedly expressed fondness for his friend 'George,' " says Cliff Kupchan, a Russia analyst at the Eurasia Group consultancy. "He clearly has a personal softness for George Bush," says Kupchan, who attended the meeting.
Why the nostalgia? After all, Bush put in place the very policies Obama is now trying to unwind, and many analysts say U.S. relations with Russia reached a post-Cold War low during his administration. One reason may be that both men respected raw power, not mealy-mouthed diplomacy. As a leader who thinks in terms of zero-sum games and projected strength, Putin could recognize and appreciate a similar tendency in his American counterpart. To Putin, it seems, the man matters as much as the message.
(Excerpt) Read more at blog.newsweek.com ...
OTOH, he's seen Obama in action...starting with the Saudis, and knows that Obama will never stand up to him.
Sort of like this comparison:
NUFF SAID.
They knew they could count on Dubya to do what he said. This Bummer of ours is a B.S. artist supreme.
I’m with Putin on this one.
Putin doesn’t want to play Candyland, he wants to play Chess.
Putin respected President Bush. He doesn’t respect Obama and sees him as weak, even though he took advantage of it in disabling the missile shield program.
It’s sort of like Batman and the Joker. They are mortal enemies, but they kinda like and respect each other.
But I have a Unicorn, Vlad!
Get in line Putin. Especially after todays pathetic Bromide. Thought he was going to teach the world to sing?
Pray for America
Just as Hitler despised Chamberlain, yet admired Stalin.
I thought Obama pressed the “Overcharge” button with the Russians.
President GWB was and is a genuine man. Putin recognizes it and those man to man outdoor outings created somewhat of a bond between those 2. Heck even both Bush Presidents treated the Clintons with class and respect while that cretin Carter dissed them both. Even with all his faults GWB is sorely missed vs. the Marxicissit tha now occupies the WH.
“It may strike people as odd now, but Putin was one of GWs few defenders at times. I remember him several times defending Bush when he really didnt have anything to gain, back when the press was pounding him daily for supposedly falsefying intelligence.”
I recall this as well, Putin went out of his way to point out that he respected bush a great deal more than the people he was talking to did on one occasion.
MY EYES!
My best guess would be the honesty and toughness of Bush. Whenever Bush wanted to get his point across to Putin, Bush would send his Secretary of State - Condi Rice - WHO SPEAKS FLUENT RUSSIAN.
This way .. there was nothing LOST in the translation.
Hey Vladimir, so do I.
Just a RINO.
Who wants to play chess with someone who doesn’t know how the pieces move? Who really feels like going out and “shootin’ some hoops” against your grandmother? Where’s the sport in hunting cows?
Feel free to add to this list, in your own creative style, preferably with a note of regional color.
Obama showed up to a gunfight with a feather.
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