Putin praises Bush; disses Obama

Most interesting find from our good friend XtnYoda:

Putin Praises Bush

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin praised the hospitality and openness of U.S. former President George W. Bush in a telegramme sent hours before meeting his successor Barack Obama.

"During the last years we have been working on strengthening Russia-U.S. cooperation. Although there were differences between our countries, I always valued your openness and sincerity," Putin said, congratulating Bush on his 63rd birthday on July 6.

"With special warmth I recall your hospitality in the Crawford ranch and your family estate in Kennebunkport," Putin wrote, referring to their 2007 meeting at the Bush family vacation home when the two leaders went fishing and ate lobster.

Putin rebukes Obama

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Friday rejected U.S. President Barack Obama's charge that he was mired in Cold War thinking, setting the scene for a stormy first meeting at a Moscow summit next week.

In a pre-trip interview, the U.S. leader told the Associated Press that Putin needed to "understand that the Cold War approach to U.S.-Russian relationship is outdated" and that Putin had "one foot in the old ways of doing business."

Putin -- who once described the collapse of the Soviet Union as "the greatest geo-political catastrophe of the century" -- hit back, saying Russians were standing firmly on both feet.

Pundits will, of course, be dismissive of this... after all, Fox News, Rush Limbaugh and Glen Beck are all pushing Putin's buttons.

Comments

[dymphna]

I saw this and was amused. Putin is playing Obama like a violin. It must be humiliating.

I predict more of this as he visits less-than-friendly climes...or maybe he just won't do that. He'll send Hillary or Joe instead.

As someone whose hubris is so obvious, as is his thin skin, we can expect that he won't play well with others. If he ever did.

[tim aka The Godless Heathen]

This exactly what ya’ get with an inexperienced amateur when it comes to foreign relations.

Can you imagine this dim bulb saying something as insulting to the Iranian’s, the missiles would be flying at NY City before he could “explain what he really said”?

So glad he out there repairing America’s damaged reputation in the world caused by Pres. Bush. Yea, it’s slightly different than organizing a clean up day in the slums of Chicago isn’t it Mr. Obama.

[drjohn]

Very nice!

[Mommynator]

Putin - former KGB.
Obama - Chicago political thug.

They're birds of a feather, but Putin is smarter, more honest about human nature and the ways it can be used, and used it.

Obama - tool of others.