Putin Won't Debate Challengers on TV

[kskiska]

MOSCOW - President Vladimir Putin (news - web sites), the overwhelming favorite in next month's elections, will not participate in television debates or use free airtime as he runs for his second four-year term.



Putin's decision, announced by Central Elections Commission chief Alexander Veshnyakov on the Mayak-24 radio station, appears to reflect both his confidence of being re-elected and the image he has cultivated of a strong leader who doesn't need conventional advertising.

When he ran for his first term in 2000, he also refused to take part in televised debates or use free slots on television channels.

Russia's nationwide television stations already give extensive coverage of Putin's daily activities. On Thursday, they showed Putin touring the Chuvashiya region, where he drank tea with a family that just settled in a new apartment, visited a village library and instructed officials to modernize the agricultural sector.

Also Thursday, the agenda-setting council of the State Duma, the lower house of parliament, examined a proposal by a local legislature to extend the presidential term to seven years, according to a statement posted Thursday on the Duma's Web site. While lawmakers aren't expected to take up the issue any time soon, the move sets ground for debates in the future.

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http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=518&u=/ap/20040205/ap_on_re_eu/russia_elections_1&printer=1

[Homer12]

1. GW will follow Putin's Lead

[Tempest]

2. The difference is...

Bush is not a popular leader.

Bush's approval rating is under 50%.

I hope Bush doesn't agree to any debates.
It would mean certain political death.

[tom_paine]

4. Actually Putin has followed Emperor Bunnypants' Plan

And owing to the fact that Russia has no impediments to Tyrannical Rule (such as the Consititution and Bill of Rights and 225-year traditions of Liberty and Free Elections) to slow him down, Putin has a leg up on his "soulmate" because Bunnpants cannot move that fast otherwise the Imperial Subjects might wake to what they've been up to.

So Putin has the last laugh and will have his Orwellian "Managed Democracy" long before the last vestiges of the Old American Republic are swept away (except the window dressing such asa toothless Imperial Congress), perhaps by Emperor Arnold, perhaps by Emperor George P. Caligula.

Bush can only be jealous of his Soulmate and Fellow Tyrant who gets to do much of what Bush wished he could do, but which he dare not.

[MarianJack]

3. What will Happen...

...is that there will be an elevated terror alert every time a dbate nears and * will have to cancel for national security reasons.

The last thing resident bush wants is to go 1 on 1 with a Kerry, Clark, Edwards!