[goldstategop]

Is it any wonder Russia's President Putin's popularity is spiking while most Americans have little regard for President Obama?

Being tough helps in winning universal respect.

[cloudmountain]

I have NEVER thought that the Russians were too smart. I always wondered why they were considered Europeans.

My husband and I visited St. Petersburg in 2008. We were visiting friends in Sweden and decided to fly over to Russia.
After a week in Russia we BOTH agreed that the Russians had a long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long way to catch up to the USA of FIFTY years ago.

It was expensive while getting LITTLE value for what we paid for. The food was DULL, DULL, DULL, DULL.
The hotel was clean but dull and boring.

They AREN'T that smart after all. Their space program was thanks to the Germans--the ones who DIDN'T come to the USA after WWII. THOSE Germans made OUR space program.

[DoughtyOne]

You know, I’ve always had a lot of respect for Hitler. How about you?

/s

[Cringing Negativism Network]

I’m not so sure about that.

Putin needs to recognize even Republicans will support Obama if Putin doesn’t stop now.

Good job and all, but you’re getting us off the button.

We don’t really want to rally to Obama, but given the choice, we will.

Back off Putin. Just saying.

[JimSEA]

A strong ultranationalist leader in Europe has always had a strong base of support from their ethnic countrymen in other nations and from others searching for strong ethnic European leadership. The German American Bund had a lot of American support before WWII. Obviously, being a strong leader does not equal being a good leader. Freedom is never a value supported by a nationalistic fanatic except for their narrow group of adherents.