Our Affiliates
 
 
RFE/RL Radio
 
 
 

RFE/RL Iran Coverage Cited Around the World 

RFE/RL's coverage of the post-election crisis in Iran has been cited by a variety of media outlets around the world. More
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The Power Vertical

Why Are You Such A Good Leader?

Putin last faced the public in October 2007

December 03, 2008

The stage is set. The lights and sound have been tested. The curtain will soon go up.

 

Tomorrow, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin performs his annual one-man variety show by answering the public's questions in a live, nationally broadcast Russian-style town hall meeting. Putin has raised some eyebrows by continuing this presidential tradition now that he is, according to the playbill, playing second fiddle in the Kremlin orchestra. Imagine what would have happened if Mikhail Kasyanov or Mikhail Fradkov had tried to pull something like that when Putin was president! But, apparently, President Dmitry Medvedev is not so insecure.

Details of the spectacle are being closely guarded by the show's producers, Unified Russia, which brought you such extravaganzas as the December 2007 Duma elections and last month's 10th annual party congress. But some tidbits have been revealed, just to keep us properly teased.

 

The questions, as usual, will be wide-ranging and hard-hitting, pushing Putin's ability to improvise and charm to their very limits. According to the government, the premier will be accepting questions up until the moment the broadcast ends, so, clearly, anything goes. No holds barred.

 

Readers of The Power Vertical will doubtless want their voices heard. You can put Putin's feet to the fire by leaving your question at a specially created website -- moskva-putinu.ru. Or you can leave a voicemail at 8-800-200-40-40. If your question is short and sweet, send an SMS to 0-40-40. Remember, this show only works if we all participate, and be sure to let us know if your question gets picked!

 

And tune in here tomorrow for a review of the show. "We laughed; we cried...."

-- Robert Coalson

 
 
Would you like to post to this forum?
Name *
Location
E-mail
Comment *
Disclaimer
Reader comments in no way reflect the views or opinions of RFE/RL correspondents, contributors, or staff.
Before you post a comment, please read the forum rules
 
 
  Send  
 
 
 
Comments 1-2 (of 2)
by: Andrea Muhrrteyn from: Whitewater
December 03, 2008 22:18

TO: Conversation with Vladimir Putin
C/O: (i) Radio Liberty; (ii) President Medvedev, Kremlin; (iii) Ask Prime Minister Putin; (iv) JAGCMC@navy.mil (JAG 07-146 Navy Paralegal Records)

CC: Practicing Radical Hon(our)sty blog

JAG 07-146 [Speaking RUMC-316 Vilnius Ukranian] Submission to 'Conversation with Vladimir Putin':

According to among others: (i) VP Bush 1986 Task Force on Terrorism; (ii) CIA, Pentagon, US Navy & Dept. of State ‘Population Explosion and Resource War’ studies, (iii) Dr. Al Bartlett ‘Mathematics, Energy and Population’ and MoneyandMarkets CEO Martin Weiss 'The Population Explosion: The Most Powerful Force on Earth':

(A) Root Cause of Terrorism is Overpopulation colliding with Finite depleted and scarce resources; (B) Economic and Religious economic-growth and population-growth policies exponentially exacerbate Terrorism and Resource Wars;
(C) Peak Oil, Peak Arable Land, Peak Water, Peak Food indicate Exponential 'French Lilly Pond Tipping Point' urgency of educating citizens of potentially disastrous mutually assured destruction consequences of exponential collision of terrorism over exponentially depleting finite resources; and

(iv) A study by Univ. of SW Louisiana, “HOW and WHY Journalists Avoid the Population-Environment Connection” details that a media agenda-setting process intentionally withholds information about the relationship of exponential economic and population growth, and it’s socio-economic and national security consequences from the public.

In the context of your dacha interview with Time Magazine, where you as an independent world leader stated: “Truly independent people, people who are not afraid to spoil their relations with their bosses or lose their jobs, people who really write what they think, are quite few and far between”; could you provide your perspective on these issues, including your opinions on the following questions:

(I) Do you think the mainstream media avoiding these issues, are “[journalists] who are simply doing what they have to do to earn the money their owners pay, and who want to avoid disputes with their [editors]" who covertly endorse terrorism and resource wars, based upon increased media 'What Bleads, Leads' profits from covering terrorist atrocities and wars?

(II) Do you think the media will ever aspire to obey the Republic principles of the 4th Estate Laws for Journalistic Integrity, or when do you think it may be a good idea for Ussuri Siberian State Prosecutors to ‘grab them by their special place’?

(III) Do Milashenka and Koni speak Vilnius Ukranian?

Respectfully,

Lara Lynn Johnstone aka Lara Baikal Putin
[jmcswan@pravda.ru; Whitehorse, Alaska; Education.Science.Culture; The Mass Media: Television. Radio Broadcasting. Performance of their Officials; Private Farmer; 16 Taaibos Ave, Heatherpark, George, 6529, RSA]
[CC including Reference links at: http://sqswans-prh.blogspot.com/2008/12/such-as-it-is-press-has-become-greatest.html]

by: La Russophobe from: USA
December 03, 2008 17:27
Medvedev is probably too busy shopping for $30K watches for his wife to worry about usurpations:

http://larussophobe.wordpress.com/2008/12/02/medvedevs-wife-let-them-wear-rolex/

More extravaganzas from the Kremlin's minions:

United Russia's website decorated with image of OMON riot troops firing on unarmed protesters.

http://larussophobe.wordpress.com/2008/11/27/the-horror-of-russian-barbarism-unbound/

Russia Today accuses Georgians of being a race fo thieves based on it's inabilty to read Russian:

http://larussophobe.wordpress.com/2008/12/02/annals-of-russian-racism-3/

Comments 1-2 (of 2)
TEXT SIZE
About This Blog
The Power Vertical is a blog written especially for Russia wonks and obsessive Kremlin watchers by RFE/RL staffers Brian Whitmore and Robert Coalson. It covers emerging and developing trends in Russian politics, shining a spotlight on the high-stakes power struggles, machinations, and clashing interests that shape Kremlin policy today. Follow their latest posts on Twitter at @PowerVertical.

Brian Whitmore
Brian Whitmore
Robert Coalson
Robert Coalson