Obama: It's Putin's "schtick" to look like tough guy

CBS News ^ | Feb 7, 2014 | CBS/AP

[Innovative]

President Obama says part of Russian President Vladimir Putin's "shtick" is to look like the tough guy in Russia.

"I think that’s where some of these perceptions come up," Mr. Obama said. "My sense is that’s part of his shtick back home politically as wanting to look like the tough guy. U.S. politicians have a different style. We tend to smile once in a while. ..."

...""There is no doubt we wanted to make it very clear that we do not abide by discrimination in anything, including discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation,..."

[PowderMonkey]

"My sense is that’s part of his shtick back home politically as wanting to look like the tough guy."

Mr. President, you have some stupendously naive advisers on your staff. Get back to us when you get over your fear of riding your bicycle without a brain bucket.

[bert]

President Obama....... for future reference

Vladimir Putin is a tough guy, almost as tough as George Bush

[FrdmLvr]

If anyone knows schtick, it’s Barry.

[ClearCase_guy]

The media is pathetic.

I thought the opening ceremony was fine. They are always over the top and bizarre, but Russia's efforts seemed very much in keeping with all others that I have seen.

Sure, one of the olympic rings didn't open up -- not a big deal. At the Vancouver Olympics, 1 of the 4 stations for lighting the Olympic Cauldron did not rise out of the ground. That's a 25% failure rate for the big signal that the games have begun. No one really cared. The Cauldron still got lit, and life went on.

But Russia?? A software glitch?? An electronic ring had a problem?? Boy, that Putin sure is a dictator, huh?

[CitizenUSA]

Uh, no. President Putin IS a tough guy. He’s kicking President Obama’s ass politically.

[CitizenUSA]

I can admire a tiger’s fangs without wanting wanting to live in a cage with one...

[generally]

Some great comments by my fellow FReepers on this thread so far.

I can’t say I admire Putin, but I think his anti-propaganda approach is very sensible. (If they are born that way as so many claim, then they shouldn’t need to recruit.)

0vomit’s schtick is to look like a pansy, a stoner, and a person whose IQ is just barely high enough to read the teleprompter and keep from drooling on himself.

[Texas resident]

Compare barqy’s adult life and accomplishments to Putin’s.
And the experience garnered from each.
barqy comes up short, again.

[miss marmelstein]

Yes, but a tiger is beautiful and sinuous. Putin moves in the awkward style of a peasant and wears awful Russian-style clothes.

[Lawgvr1955]

In less than a week while watching so called sporting events, I have had thrust into my face, Michelle Obama and "Dr." Biden (Slow Joe's wife) ironically participating in the NFL reading of the Declaration of Independence, Obama and Bill O'Bloviator interview pre-Super Bowl (had TV on wrong Fox channel), the ever unpleasant First Lady even made time to ruin Animal Planet's Puppy Bowl by politisizing puppy play as an example of needed human physical activity and lastly Obama's mug ruins the Olympic broadcast with his BS with Costas.

I now know how Winston Smith feels in1984. Big Brother is everywhere.

[CitizenUSA]

He still runs political rings around our president...

You gotta admire that.

[Innovative]

The main thing many of us admire in Putin is that he is fiercely patriotic and looks out for Russia’s interests, as he is Russia’s president.

Please point out one single thing that Obama did FOR US interests...

[trisham]

"I think that’s where some of these perceptions come up," Mr. Obama said. "My sense is that’s part of his shtick back home politically as wanting to look like the tough guy. U.S. politicians have a different style. We tend to smile once in a while. ..."

***********************

What a shockingly unprofessional and crude thing to say.

[ROCKLOBSTER]

Putin moves in the awkward style of a peasant and wears awful Russian-style clothes.

On the other hand, the way he defends Christianity and opposes child molesters is beautiful.

[Innovative]

“What a shockingly unprofessional and crude thing to say.”

This is the real Obama, he wasn’t reading from a teleprompter...

[albie]

Barney Fife with a tan ?”

...this is a serious infraction! Why bring a decent person like Don Knotts into it?

[trisham]

This is the real Obama, he wasn’t reading from a teleprompter...

********************

Exactly right.

[miss marmelstein]

He’s a phony. I’ve been watching these Russians “fathers” since the fall of Stalin. All of them are hypocrites and liars and torturers.

As an American, I think we need to find someone American to defend our country and it’s values. A candidate who will do us proud. That way, we don’t have to fall for some macho ex-KBG agent.

[St_Thomas_Aquinas]

To “discriminate” means “to make a distinction between.” The act isn’t necessarily evil. I hate liberal euphemisms.

[miss marmelstein]

I don’t find it necessary to admire Putin because I intensively dislike Obama.