CNN: "Putin rival reported missing" (Could * do this to our candidate?!)

[Timahoe]

http://edition.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/europe/02/08/russia.election.ap/index.html

Putin rival reported missing

MOSCOW, Russia (AP) --The family and staff of a Russian presidential candidate filed a missing persons report Sunday, saying he hasn't been heard from for three days, while election officials registered the final two presidential hopefuls.

The registrations bring to seven the number of contenders in a race that is widely considered a one-man show due to President Vladimir Putin's overwhelming popularity.

Irina Khakamada, the leading liberal candidate, and nationalist Sergei Glazyev had their candidacies approved after election officials reviewed a sampling of the two million signatures they were required to submit as independent candidates.

Meanwhile, a third presidential candidate -- the only other liberal on the ballot -- was officially reported missing. Ivan Rybkin -- a harsh critic of Putin -- hasn't been heard from since Thursday night and has not contacted his wife, close relatives or his campaign staff, campaign member Alexander Tukayev told The Associated Press.

-snip-

[kalian]

1. This gets better and better....

and I'm sure that dubya is taking notes... On second thought...make
that Rove is taking notes...

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

2. Powell just trashed Putin in public in Russia

Complaining that power in Russia isn't exercized through the rule of law. Considering the source, I laughed.

[DenverDem]

3. Could * do this to our candidate?

Reference "Wellstone" and "Carnahan".

[Crunchy Frog]

4. I have no doubt he would do it

if he really thought he was in danger of losing, and thought he could get away with it. Our candidate, whoever it is, had better have incredibly high security. Should also always travel with a parachute when flying.

[dsc]

5. actually isn't this a bad thing for Putin

I would rather have more opponents than fewer so that my anti vote could be split more ways.

[maddezmom]

6. in LBN this am ~Duma deputy calls for state of emergency in Russia

just a little blurb, but scary none the less. Are they taking a page from Tommy Franks?

http://www.russiajournal.com/news/cnewswire.shtml?nw=42415#n42415

Will be interesting to watch and see how it all pans out.

[oxymoron]

7. * won't need to do this to our candidate.

It seems we Dems are very capable of doing this to our own candidates.

[arewethereyet]

8. could he ? certainly. would he ? of course not

now if the candidate had a massive coronary, you should be suspicious.

Even the Mafia doesn't try this sort of thing since Hoffa.

[RummyTheDummy]

10. Not quite so

The Mafia in its hay days in this country are babes in the woods compared to Bush and his cronies.

[eileen_d]

9. What exactly is the point of such speculation? n/t