Bush Urges Putin Uphold Russian Democracy

[Rose Siding]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush on Wednesday urged Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to "uphold the principles of democracy" in a carefully worded message expressing concern about Putin's proposed political reforms.

Bush offered his first comment on Putin's proposal to do away with elections by popular vote for governors in Russia's 89 regions. Candidates would instead be selected by the president and approved by regional assemblies.

Bush counts Putin as a strong ally in the war on terrorism, has invited him both to his Camp David retreat and his Texas ranch, and meeting him in 2001 said he had gotten a "sense of his soul."

But aides said he wanted to speak out about what U.S. officials increasingly see as moves that could set back the clock on Russia's transformation from its Soviet past.
...
"As governments fight the enemies of democracy, they must uphold the principles of democracy," Bush said in a speech.

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNews&storyID=6247665&src=rss/ElectionCoverage§ion=news

[mopinko]

1. does the hypocricy get any thicker!!??

the first thing i thought of when i heard this news story was- i hope that this reflects some attention on some of *'s moves.

[Kierkegaard]

5. My first thought was the Olympics where *Liar

hijacked Iraq and Afghanistan for political gain, blowing his horn about how many democracies he helped enforce on the world. Looks like he may have to cross one off the list.

[Kierkegaard]

2. Whatsmatter BaBushka?

Afraid there'll be one fewer democracy to take credit for?

[LisaL]

3. I really hope Putin urges Bush to

uphold American democracy. That would be a nice change, I would think.

[liberalmuse]

4. HAHAHAHAHA!

That's rich! Bush admonishing Putin to uphold the principles of democracy. HAHAHAHAHAHA! Fuck you, Bush, and your entire cabal, you SCOURGE on democracy.

[movonne]

6. I say let them do it here before we try in Russia....I really think

Putin has taken a page out of bush's book..Lets start with state owned
media...same as corporation owned media.

[no_hypocrisy]

7. "Do as I say, not as I do . . . "

[Prodemsouth]

8. Teapot meet Kettle.

n/t

[readmylips]

9. Somewhere Reagan is pissed....

How dare Putin destroy what Reagan built?

Cross that off as a Reagan legacy.

[jumpstart33]

10. Russia will surely go down the tubes using Israeli tactics in Chechyna

And now we see the real soul of Putin. Bush, take a good look. It's as black as your own.

[flordehinojos]

11. what moral balls does bush have to urge putin to uphold russian democracy?

NONE.

[peacetalksforall]

12. Everytime one of our leaders takes credit for democracy abroad, it

means that U.S. citizen and resident taxpayers have paid heavily. We either spend a ton of money to lure them or they hold us hostage to give them what they think the act of democracy is worth to us.

So, we may be losing a bundle on Russia - or we may be moving toward a situation where two of the three mega nations join the third in a people restrained citizenship = a synchronous move towards a world 'order'.

[tom_paine]

13. Hah hah ha ha ha ha ha hah ah ha ha ha ha hah ha ha

Hah hah ha ha ha ha ha hah ah ha ha ha ha hah ha ha hah hee hee hee ha ha ha hah ah ha ha ha ha hah ha ha hah hah ha ha ha ha ha hah ah ha ha ha ha hah ha ha hah hee hee hee ha ha ha hah ah ha ha ha ha hah ha ha Hah hah ha ha ha ha ha hah ah ha ha ha ha hah ha ha hah hee hee hee ha ha ha hah ah ha ha ha ha hah ha ha hah hah ha ha ha ha ha hah ah ha ha ha ha hah ha ha hah hee hee hee ha ha ha hah ah ha ha ha ha hah ha ha

My God, the balls on that Tyrant.

Like Ted Bundy lecturing the Green River Killer on being nice to women.

[hoi polloi]

14. Russian Democracy and Bush's reply

I think George Bush is jealous of Putin's accomplishments and that he would like to accomplish the same things here. Recall when Bush said it would be easier in a dictatorship if he were the dictator. Putin may have assumed the position of dictator which Bush wishes for. Would he have another four years watch out!!

[LisaL]

15. I think so too.

He is upset Putin could pull it off while we still apparently will be allowed to vote for senators and congressmen.