Putin interview with 60 minutes tonight

[icehenge]

Anyone watch it?

What was your opinion of the questions and answers?

[KoKo]

1. I thought Putin was a shrewd operator. Enjoyed seeing Bush challenged

by him. Particularly enjoyed Putin's answers to question about Russia not having a "free press." And he brought up Dan Rather being fired from CBS. I did wonder if CBS was "sticking it to Bush" by leaving in the comment that Putin said Dan Rather was fired.

Then when he was asked about the corruption in Russia he replied, "and you don't have corruption in the US." :rofl:

Putin also said that our elections here are not fair. That "electors" choose the President, but in Russia the people choose theirs. And, 2000 Election was chosen by Judges.


I thought Mike Wallce was OTT rude at the end when he kept telling Putin to "give me an answer in English...come on answer in English."



Wallace seemed to be accusing Putin of anti-semetism by saying all the
"oligarchs" who had been thrown in jail by Putin were Jewish.


I felt, in general, that Wallace was disrespectful to a "head of state," with some of his "in your face" questions. I'd like to see Wallace interview our "Emperor" in the same way he interviewed Putin. Never Happen! So, why act like the "ugly American" and go after Putin for flaws our own country has under the "Evil Emperor" who has no class and no stature in foreign policy.?

:shrug: What did YOU think?

[BlueJazz]

2. Yep..You hit it right on the head.

As I was watching the interview, I told my friends that..."What you wanta' bet that NO reporter would ever be that forceful with Monkey-Man?"

I kept getting the feeling that Wallace was trying to provoke some sort of deep anger in Putin but that Putin (much to his credit)..wasn't buying it. ..Good for you Putin..you are a true leader...which is more than Americans can say about our "leader"..

[Fleshdancer]

4. Monkey-Man isn't the only one getting a free pass....

just take a second and imagine Wallace asking these questions to the Saudi Prince...you know, the guy Bush was holding hands with while walking through fields of bluebonnets. Nice fantasy, isn't it? *sigh*

[FreedomAngel82]

6. Good for Putin

I'm glad about that cause they'd say he was an "angry liberal" and all that nonsense. I'm glad he brought up talking about the corruption here in our country and our press. The only reason why they brought that up is because of how they talk bad about Bush. :eyes: They had to come up with something and rightwingers buy it hook line and sinker.

[anitar1]

8. Seemed to me that Wallace made an ass of himself.

I think he was trying to provoke Putin. Also he wanted to trot out the old saw about Amerika being a democracy ect. Would someone define Democracy for me? Don't think I've seen one for awhile--quite awhile.

[Fleshdancer]

3. Putin must be confusing the hell out of Bush right now

W is use to getting his ass kissed and Putin and W seemed like the best of friends just a few short years ago. Didn't W make some ridiculous comment about looking into Putin's eyes and seeing his soul or something silly like that?

I'm not a fan of Putin and I think he's not someone to be trusted, but I have to say it...the man calls it like it is. America really has no place to judge when it comes to the state of our media and corruption within our government.

[icehenge]

7. My thoughts

Well I'm just now starting to pay attention to foreign countries
and it would be unfair for me to make a assumption on Putin,
I don't know much about him. Wallce did seem strangely pushy with
his questioning. It was almost like he was trying to make Putin
look like a foul. But at the same time, I didn't think so.

Putin seemed to be well read and prepared (understandable)
to counter Wallce's questions. I really liked how Putin said
wait a minute you're saying were not a democracy, look at
yourself. That with regard to the appointed(?) seat question
throw at Putin. I really loved the 2000 presidential comment
as it hopefully made people think about our democracy.

The closing by Putin, (In English) was really puzzling to me.
What was it? "I wish all the best to Americans" I thought
Putin didn't like Bush and was a bit at odds with us?

What caused most confusion for me though was that I figured
most Republicans looked down on him. So afterward I ask my
friend who is a Republican what he thought? Surprisingly he
pretty much said Putin had some really good comments, and even
mentioned the 2000 election determination by our Judges. My
friend who is fairly pro Republican seemed to openly listen
to Putin which sort of sent me into a tail spin. See I'm always
trying to figure if there is an underling focus to an interview.
You know, Was the interview against Putin or was it just an
neutral interview...

[DFLer4edu]

11. Dan Rather was fired???

[Gloria]

5. Putin gets no face time here, so he made the most of it tonight...

my first reaction was "Boy, is he a charmer!" I called my friend and her first comment was..."Boy, is he a charmer!" It was really a shock to see him so relaxed (or looking that way)and with that little wink at the end which was totally disarming.

Having seen so many pictures of his being dour, it was a real shock! He has studied and learned well. He was out to impress the American public and he seemed to really use the opportunity well.

[Bigmack]

9. I was totally depressed....

Putin just reeks of intelligence and smooth.... in direct contrast to our moron-in-chief.

I don't kid myself that Putin is some kind of softy... he clawed his way up in the KGB, fer crissakes. It just worries me that Bush is soooo far out of his league.. he's like the one-legged man in the ass-kicking contest.

In the foreign policy race, the US horse is a Shetland pony!

.

[NVMojo]

10. must be why the US press had kept his profile so low in the news ...

...he makes the chimp look even more stupider than he does usually...

[journalist3072]

12. Putin

Didn't see the interview--but just heard a clip of it on the Today show. I loved it! That was classic must hear soundbite---Putin basically saying Bush can't speak on democracy when he needed the SC to make him POTUS.

[elehhhhna]

13. Mike should demand Bush answer in English someday. Pissed me off

mightily.

[noonwitch]

14. Putin came across well

He deflected all serious questions about his own country's difficulties with democracy by saying we don't have a lot of room to judge, basically. I thought the questions/answers about God were interesting, considering his history with the USSR and the KGB.

I remember a while back, when Bush was first establishing his diplomatice relationship with Putin. He made that statement about looking into Putin's heart and all that. I said back then that he was a fool to underestimate Putin, which, of course, he has.

[elehhhhna]

15. Yep, Bush misunderestimated Pootie.