BREAKING on MSNBC: Boris Yeltsin dead

Msnbc ^

[dawgmeat9]

Boris Yeltsin is dead, Russian news agencies say, quoting Kremlin.

[Lurking in Kansas]

I didn't realize he was still alive.

[SkyPilot]

Well, he lived a long time for his lifestyle.

The man played a great role in history. He was a serious alcoholic - I don't know if he ever went through recovery or not. I hope he at least tried to become sober.

During his first visit to America years ago, (he had some government position in old Soviet structure) Yeltsin got so drunk that the Washington DC cops had to pull him out of a public fountain. He was standing in the water, drunk out of his mind, and holding a bouquet of flowers.

[burzum]

Sad. His gravest mistake was appointing Putin. His greatest glory was helping to dismantle one of the cruelest regimes on the face of the Earth. Putin may be trying to reassemble the USSR, but what Yeltsin undid in 8 years, it will take Putin and his cronies 30.

[SkyPilot]

That evening, back in the presidential hotel suite, Secretary Christopher, national security adviser Tony Lake and I lamented the prospect of having to conduct high-stakes diplomacy under the conditions we'd witnessed during the day. Clinton told us to relax. "I've seen a little of this problem in my time," he said, referring to his experience growing up with an alcoholic stepfather. "At least Yeltsin's not a mean drunk." ........As Yeltsin emerged from the plane at Andrews Air Force Base and made his way down the mobile stairs, he was gripping the railing and concentrating on each step. His handlers did their best to block the view of the cameras recording his descent. He slipped on the last step and had to grab his wife's arm. That night at Blair House, Yeltsin was roaring drunk, lurching from room to room in his undershorts. At one point, he stumbled downstairs and accosted a Secret Service agent, who managed to persuade him to go back upstairs and return to the care of his own bodyguards. Yeltsin reappeared briefly on the landing, demanding, "Pizza! Pizza!"

[Nextrush]

Yeltsin is gone, but putrid Putin or is that RasPutin remains.

[NormsRevenge]

Agreed,, Boris was right up there with Nikita for entertainment value.

RIP Boris

[marshmallow]

A career communist who rose through the party ranks but a man who was honest and decent enough to admit that there was a better way when he saw the evidence with his own eyes. His own administration was chaotic and his behavior unpredictable and often comic but he broke the back of an evil regime and helped to start Russia on the pathway to freedom and peace.

Dasvidanya and God speed Boris Nikolayevich.

[BJClinton]

Certainly the most memorable event in his admin.

[fatnotlazy]

Sadly, I thought he was already gone.

Rest in Peace, Mr. Yeltzin.

[mfnorman]

did he eat sushi recently?

[fatnotlazy]

“Had anyone heard anything about him being ill recently?”

***

He probably had a bad cold. That was usually the official cause of death whenever any of those old USSR leaders kicked the bucket.

[bmwcyle]

It was all downhill from there.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

The world has lost one of it’s great drunks.

[Liberty Valance]

Brrrrrrrrrrrr...

[listenhillary]

I totally missed that story.

[BJClinton]

I prefer the corrupt third world s#!t hole it is today to the Soviet Empire.

[rogue yam]

"So Brian, who wins this drinking contest between Ted Kennedy and Boris Yeltsin?"

[alwaysconservative]

RIP, Mr. Yelstin. You did brave things in your life, and helped dismantle an “evil empire”.

[COBOL2Java]

I hope Cheney doesn’t wear that northface coat to his funeral.

LOL! Forgot about that. Hey, I hope he DOES wear it - he'll be the toastiest dignitary there. Plus it's more "in your face" to the Euroweenies.