If you had seen the whole meeting, you would have had a quite different impression ..... Putin and Bush were funnier than a lot of stand-up comics.
Posted on 11/16/2001 1:20:26 PM PST by Dubya_gal
Edited on 09/03/2002 4:49:34 AM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]
Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Bush were at Crawford High School this morning, discussing their three days of meetings together. Bush said the two leaders would take questions from the students.
"No math questions," an uncharacteristically impish Putin interjected.
"Good idea," Bush replied, then recalled an old campaign line. "Particularly no fuzzy math questions." The reason for the aversion to mathematics soon became apparent.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
If you had seen the whole meeting, you would have had a quite different impression ..... Putin and Bush were funnier than a lot of stand-up comics.
Sorry to tell you this, but the world is still (always will be) a contest.
The opposing teams are now one against the new players - the terrorists.
I saw the pickup truck photos of these two cruising around the ranch, (apparently with their wives in the back), and realized that the Russians have been suffering the same kind of terrorism and, from the same kinds of people.
(Nice truck)
So, now, we are in this together. I think it's been almost 60 years since that statement could have been made and supported, and with the new situations in both countries, it can be supported strongly today.
Once again, thanks for the White House Link.
It's okay, liberal media, crow tastes just like chicken, I hear, hehehe...
I have a friend in Germany. He came here to go to school. He was here in 1991 when the Wall fell, and he was certain that all things would be better shortly.
I told him that these things do not happen quickly. The populace of these countries that have been living under a system such as that in Eastern Germany at the time, cannot conceive of "starting a business" or much anything else. They have been assigned their work for their entire lives.
I told him to expect results in 20 years, when a new generation that was able to think differently could take some footage.
Now don't get me wrong, it is possible that I forgot about the 1991 ten year olds ability to grasp concepts at the time. It's starting to look like some of them are coming on line now.
Think and Do.
BLATENT LIE ALERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Putin's quip was about the QUESTION, not the issue. He joked that the QUESTIONS were supposed to be limited to generalities but the students were asking policy related questions. EVERYBODY IN THE PLACE LAUGHED WHEN HE SAID IT. This is so blatently mischaracterized as to EASILY be called dishonest.
These damned Media Rats will do ANYTHING to shoot our great President down.
Good idea to look into that Russian oil for investment...
On Alaska, Putin said something like "Texas is my favorite state, except maybe Alaska, which we sold to you..."
We also must not forget that what we witnessed today would not have been possible without Ronald W. Reagan ..... "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" ..... and the walls came tumbling down! (Well, it wasn't quite that simple but they did come down.)
Say what you want, but Russia and America have been closer all along than most people realize, and the Cold War was an aberration. To a great degree, they are the same people.
While Kondracke recognized how much the President likes Putin, he was quite skeptical that Putin genuinely likes the President. I wasn't listening closely, but it sounded like Mara Liasson agreed with that, and of course, when either Brit or Fred Barnes mentioned that U.S. Presidents aren't typically close with Russian leaders, Mara reminded us all how very, VERY close Bill Clinton and Boris Yeltsin were. (But Putin couldn't possibly REALLY like George W. Bush. Nope. Couldn't happen.)
Barnes had a thing or two to say about that, asking them (it may have been Brit asking) how Putin behaves when he's with other world leaders. (Have you ever seen Putin having a good time with some of these other guys?)
It was so condescending - as though Bush is an idiot who can't discern whether someone likes him or not. Putin will always look out for his country, as will Bush - but you cannot fake an event like we saw today.
Democrats really do make me sick sometimes. (OK, make that almost ALL the time.)
I agree with you in many respects. However, we are both (U.S. and Russia) picking sides based on the times; we always have and always will.
Don't get me wrong, I love that we are together again. Our two superpowers kept many elements in line.
We are only now witnessing the after effects of that loss (ie. we would have never had anything near 9.11 had we still been in a Cold War).
You may be right, but Putin never became head of the KGB.
I just hope that he cares as much for President Bush, as Bush obviously cares for him.
I hope that in your daily life you don`t apply double standards as you do in your last post about Vladimir Putin!?
First of all,Putin has never been Head of the KGB!You got that? He was only a Major in KGB!Even if he was ,how would you desribe G. Bush Senior,then?He was,after all,Director of CIA???
But,of course,stupid question:CIA is a beautifull benevolent organisation and KGB is bunch of thugs!
Vladimir Putin was an enigma when he appeared 3 years ago,no doubt!But,since he became Russian President he had shown many traits of the true statesman!Calmness and dignity;respect for Rusia and respect for other countries;pragmatism and firmness;obvious desire for reform(both political and economic).He ,also,turned Russia towards Europe (vhere Russia rightfully belong).He established very close,personal relationships with important Western leaders.He is an former atlete,not a drunk baffon like Jeltsin,cosmopolitan young polititian!In the last 18 months of chrisis in the world Putin`s and Russian behaviour was calm,productive and stabilising!From MDS issue to WTC!
For whatever reason,Putin was an American asset not an enemy so far!But,if he says "Don`t put NATO weapons on Russian borders!" than USA should listen and respect Russian opinion!
I hope very much that Bush and Putin will build a true respectfull relationship for the benefit of all of us!
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