Who knew America had stopped being a democracy? Newsweek rounded up its own international editors to assess just how world-historical the election of Obama is. Mikhail Fishman, the editor of Newsweek Russia (or Russkiy Newsweek), suggested that President Bush and Russian leader Vladimir Putin are authoritarian mirror images, or at least Putin has played some version of Monkey See, Monkey Do in imitating Bush’s apparent destruction of America’s image as a beacon of democracy and freedom:
Much has been said about how it's now time to leave the Bush years behind. Ironically, though, they could linger in Russia, where Vladimir Putin happily used Washington's arguments and methods to expand his personal control over Russian political institutions. Throughout the Bush administration, the Kremlin studiously followed the White House road map on how to make excuses for controversial actions and policies. 'Look at these guys in Washington,' was the constant message, 'they are doing the same thing down there we're doing here and still call it democracy!'
One example: the Beslan hostage crisis and the war on terror. After the 2004 massacre that left hundreds dead at the Beslan school, Putin adopted much of Bush's post 9/11 rhetoric.
More recently, government statements after the August incursion into Georgia used the Kosovo example as a pretext for announcing the independence of Abkhazia and Ossetia. Putin also likes to claim that U.S. coverage of the Georgian conflict was one-sided and that there's no freedom of the press in America.
It's symbolic, though, that on the same day America elected a new president who is expected to completely overhaul Bush-administration policies, the new Russian president, Dmitry Medvedev, announced in his national address that the president's term in Russia should be extended to 6 years. For Russia's elite, that was a clear message: Vladimir Putin might be coming back to the presidency.
Perhaps the real message from Obama's election is to show Russians that the Kremlin is actually wrong: Washington's and Moscow's political orders are different. The U.S. vote demonstrates that it's not that easy to corrupt an established political system that comes with real checks and balances – and that voters can move forward beyond the boundaries which looked so solid, so unbreakable. It's not going to be an easy path to walk through and it may be a long while before America is again perceived as a role model of democracy and freedom for the rest of the world. But even for those who weren't watching too closely here, it's an important first step.
Photo credit from the Paul Klebnikov Fund, which will honor Fishman with an excellence-in-journalism award in New York on November 24.
—Tim Graham is Director of Media Analysis at the Media Research Center.
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
Putin = Bush
November 10, 2008 - 14:34 ET by jefflebowskiWhen does Bush get to kill Michael Moore with polonium?
Jeff Lebowski
www.angrywhitedude.c...
And yet somehow after all
November 10, 2008 - 14:41 ET by dscottAnd yet somehow after all this so called dictatorial behavior, Bush will cease to be President on January 20, 2009? Somehow with all this clever control of the country McCain lost the election...
I can see why Newsweek is losing readers, down from 3.1 million in 2003 to 2.7 million now. Can you the editors of Newsweek see it? 400,000 readers lost in 5 years, at that rate by the end of the Obama Administration readership will be 2.3 million or substancially less depending on how much propaganda you choose to push. That's ok, you will be out of business soon enough there is no reason to lecture or belabor the point of your logical inconsistencies.
Here is the 2007 annual report on magazines: http://www.stateofthenewsmedia.org/2007/narrative_magazines_audience.asp?cat=3&media=7
Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, starving the poor one gallon of ethanol at a time. Fill your tank with E85 and cull a village.
dscott, Nice data, Thank x to public schools, LESS PEOPLE CAN
November 10, 2008 - 14:47 ET by upcountrywaterREAD!!
Those who do read, read anything else...
Voting by feelings only..
A Blue Government Monday...
First Mutt's Viet Nam 2
IranianUranium
Wow, I didn't know we were
November 10, 2008 - 14:46 ET by semolina_filcherWow, I didn't know we were living in an authoritarian/dictatorial rule under W. Leave it to Newsweek Russiya to make that analysis. Wouldn't Russkie Mikhail mistaking his own country for ours?
Thus it is written, life will be more miserable when comrade Obamski takes control of the US. Whatta country huh? <sarc on>
Any apologies from the KOOK lefties, when Bush leaves office ???
November 10, 2008 - 14:51 ET by upcountrywateron Jan 20 th.????
First Mutt's Viet Nam 2
IranianUranium
Yet another fairy tale
November 10, 2008 - 17:17 ET by kgYet another fairy tale written by Russkie Mikhail. He lives in a fantasy world.
"Forget change, I want improvement!"
Bush a dictator? As usual
November 10, 2008 - 14:52 ET by ConservativeRexBush a dictator? As usual Newsweek, wrong again.
But you're fixing to see a dictator. Let's see if you recognize it this time. I doubt it.
Exactly right
November 10, 2008 - 18:18 ET by bigtimerExactly right CRex...
Only the way I see it, they will see it alright, they want a dictator...as long as it is leftist...putting that mildly too.
All the while they will report he is moving to the center, being bi-partisan ect...which will be and are outright lies.
Soros and machine won this...our great country is in for such hurt/trouble/freedoms/more socialism ect.
"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh
Youre killing me
November 10, 2008 - 14:53 ET by ahusserSo Newsweek hires 16 year old editors. Coming from that bastion of Democracy Russia you gotta be kidding me right! Now even Putin (Ex-KGB I believe) had to learn evil dictatorial ways from President Bush. Now that is some pretzel logic. How can these guys ever even pretend what they say is serious or say anything with a straight face.
"...no civilization, no matter how rich, no matter how refined, can long survive once it loses the power to meet force with equal or superior force." - Bernard Knox
Hey Fish man, So we are just
November 10, 2008 - 14:53 ET by USA4freedomHey Fish man,
So we are just like Russia?
Print this story in Moscow, and see how long you last.
Ronald Reagan, 1962: I did not leave the Democratic party, the party left me.
Insert: your name, 2008, and the Republican party.
Bush W. Da Great Dictator
November 10, 2008 - 14:57 ET by semolina_filcherHell, since Bush has been declared a dictator, why shouldn't he just shut down all these poisonous media? I mean, he should just shut down every infrastructure and declare himself President for life...
George W. Bush for President for life! Who's with me?
Me, buuuuuuuuuut...
November 10, 2008 - 15:15 ET by Wilbur747He's gotta return to the Conservative Party and stop mandating how we live in order to placate and support the algore and global warming minions.
LONG LIVE INCANDESCANT BULBS!
"If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun." - The Dalai Lama (May 15, 2001, The Seattle Times)
So Newsweek hires 16 year old editors
November 10, 2008 - 15:22 ET by RowaneI was thinking almost the same thing when i saw the photo, this wet-end hasn't been around long enough to know the world well enough to have this kind of opinion.
You cannot enslave a free man, the most you can do is kill him - Robert A. Heinlein
Exactly what I thought...
November 10, 2008 - 15:30 ET by Wilbur747Since he seems to be so young, how was his ideology formed? I'm sure he's been spoon-fed the old Soviet ways, and gets his own idea of the world from the magazine's liberal views. Dangerous combination if you ask me!
I also think
November 10, 2008 - 16:25 ET by ahusserHe borrowed the coat from the older guy in the next cubicle.
"...no civilization, no matter how rich, no matter how refined, can long survive once it loses the power to meet force with equal or superior force." - Bernard Knox
LOL!
November 10, 2008 - 16:47 ET by Wilbur747LOL! But it seems he'll wear that coat even if he's not sure if it fits or not!
double post...sorry
November 10, 2008 - 16:50 ET by Wilbur747double post...sorry
Funny...
November 10, 2008 - 15:06 ET by Wilbur747I don't recall:
- liberal anti-Bush reporters being killed in the doorway of their own house.
- Bush covering up a submarine (the Kursk) disaster that killed 118 men.
- Bush being an ex-head of the KBG.
- Bush closing an opposition radio station.
- Bush telling his police force to quell anti-Putin demonstrations.
- Bush 'dictating' anything to me or my family/friends. (the CFL bulbs aside).
This kid seems way to young to remember his own country's past. He chastises Putin and Bush. Seems like he's a bit confused and is flip-flopping on his own ideology. He must be confused...much like our lib/dems.
When it comes to the His Majesty Comrade, His Royal Highness, , the Lord High Supreme Obamessiah (did any miss any accolades?) who's slated to "rule" us all to a better life...Mikhail ain't seen nuthin' yet!
Fishboy Looks
November 10, 2008 - 15:27 ET by The DistributistFishboy looks like a skateboarding commuter.
"Modern man is staggering and losing his balance because he is being pelted with little pieces of alleged fact which are native to the newspapers; and, if they turn out not to be facts, that is still more native to newspapers." -GKC
Completely irrelevant
November 10, 2008 - 15:29 ET by FinerThingsClubMemberInTrainingTo this article, but waddup with this d-bag's hair?
Seriously, he looks like Jerry and Kramer in that Seinfeld episode where they get a new shower head and their hair is all flat.
Oh and nice porn-stache.
Yeah, all this BO coverage is bringing out the best in me!
that's hilarious!
November 10, 2008 - 15:44 ET by S PAs I recall from the published reports of Bush's conversations with Putin, Putin actually believed that Bush had Dan Rather fired, thus using that (wrong) example as justification for firing (or killing) some of Russia's reporters. How twisted things get!
...and Newsweek continues
November 10, 2008 - 16:34 ET by needle...and Newsweek continues to imitate Pavda's sly manipualtions of the truth.
Impunitas semper ad deteriora invitat.
Contradictions Collapse
November 10, 2008 - 17:13 ET by UnsaneActually, Putin was/is able to maintain his grip on power via a pliant, obsequious media. You know, the way the Shahinshah was able to get elected in this country.
Newsweak was only too happy to assist the Shahinshah in a very Putin-like fashion. As I have stated before, we are about to enter Putin's Russia as the media will do anything and everything the Shahinshah tells it.
And of course, Newsweak can't find an equivalent in this country to, say, Mikhail Khodorkovsky (sp?), the former CEO of Yukos; nor can they find one of Anna Politovskaya, under Bush. (But I'll bet Barbara West faces severe harassment/ostracism for her DARING to question Biden harshly. We know her husband is taking much heat for it. And Joe the Plumber, private citizen, is in serious truoble for DARING to question the Shahinshah directly.)
Contradictions collapse. And with any luck so can Newsweak. I can't believe I subscribed to that piece of trash once upon a time...
"THIS IS YOUR FINAL WARNING!!! A WAR ON FREEWILL IS COMING!!!" - Nevermore, "Bittersweet Feast", from This Godless Endeavor (2005)
Ironic
November 10, 2008 - 18:06 ET by well99The msm learned their techniques from the old Pravda but that isnt brought up.Yet this little yutt lies about Putin being like President Bush.Putin doesnt care about anyone but Putin.Bush is not given credit for all the good he has done.
"It may be a long while
November 10, 2008 - 18:42 ET by SickofLibs"It may be a long while before America is again perceived as a role model of democracy and freedom for the rest of the world."
Fishmanikov speaks. Attention Countries of the World awaiting US Aid: the check is NOT going to be in the mail. U.S.A now in process of laying off postal workers. We will now be asking YOU for money. All funds collected on behalf of UNICEF this past Halloween will remain property of U.S.A. Contact local Kommissar for details.
I'm afraid I don't follow, Tim
November 11, 2008 - 01:35 ET by BlindSightYou apparently don't like - but don't contest - Fishman's reports that:
Good for you for noting what Fishman has to say. Shall we shoot the messenger, even though he appears to be correct in reporting how Putin has tried to use Bush's actions for domestic and international political advantage?
Ahem, correlation does not
November 11, 2008 - 08:28 ET by dscottAhem, correlation does not equal causation, you have heard of and understand this prinicple of logic? You also understand that bad people will lie to further their agenda? You do know what the purpose of a euphemism is? Next you'll tell me the mad hatter of Iran was correct in saying there is no homosexuality in Iran. Just because an evil person lies, uses the pretense of morality to justify his evil actions doesn't require the rest of us to take mental summersaults to claim good people are equally dispicable.
The messenger was shot because he was drawing a false moral equivalence between Putin and Bush. Putin and Bush have two very different agendas and if you are not capable of seeing that, be happy in your liberal ignorance but we will continue to debunk and expose the stupidity of the MSM.
Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, starving the poor one gallon of ethanol at a time. Fill your tank with E85 and cull a village.
must ... fight... LIBERALS!
November 12, 2008 - 02:49 ET by BlindSightBut who's a liberal? The guys who let government run out of control in Washington over the last eight years, perhaps, but not me. I voted for one of the real conservative in this last election. But care to explain to me what relevance my political leaning might have to a report on how Putin has made hay with Bush's words and actions?
If Putin has done what Newsweek reports, is it any surprise? Not, I dare say. It might even be something that conservatives may consciously regret.
You've obviously let your partisan blinders get in the way of logic.
But who's a liberal? The
November 12, 2008 - 08:52 ET by dscottBut who's a liberal? The guys who let government run out of control in Washington over the last eight years, perhaps, but not me.
More moral equivalence? And since when are you a conservative??? So as I understand it, now you are blaming Bush for NOT being a dictator to horse whip the Congress to do the right things? Let's see, how could have Bush made the Congress act in a responsible fashion when it was controlled by libs the last two years (Nancy and Harry) who broke all their campaign promises in 2006 and the prior two years when RINOs were continual compromising with the libs in their spirit of bipartisanship? But yeah I have my partisan blinders on.
So if Bush had been the dictator as you libs accused him of he would have arrested Pelosi and Lantos for violation of the Logan Act for attempting to negotiate with Syria. He would have also arrested Obama as well on violating the Logan Act for his antics in Iraq telling Iraqi officials to delay the negotiations over the troop pull until after the new year.
Let me think of a few more dictatorial things Bush should have done... William, $90k Freezer stasher, Jefferson would be in jail right now and would have been forced out of Congress on criminal charges. Charles Schumer arrested for bank fraud in causing the run on IndyMac. Mass arrests of Sanctuary city mayors and council members for obstruction of justice in telling their police departments not to turn over illegal aliens to ICE using their Don't Ask Don't Tell policy. Same goes for any chief of police that informally practiced that policy as well. Yeap, you are absolutely correct, Bush let all these creeps run wild, he fell down on the job.
Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, starving the poor one gallon of ethanol at a time. Fill your tank with E85 and cull a village.
dscott, spare me your pity party
November 13, 2008 - 23:22 ET by BlindSightRepublicans have had the White House - and most of Congress - for 8 years; they, and not the Dems, bear primary responsibility for Republican misgovernance. I fail how you can call my pointing to that as "moral equivalence".
Since you seem to love throwing the "lib" label around, perhaps you should consider again how much the Republicans have behaved like liberals over Bush's terms. But just to help you with your obviously screwed up partisan blinders - and to avoid more offensive, thought-avoiding, "you libs" rhetoric, let me note for the record that I'm an ex-Republican, now right-leaning libertarian.
now you are blaming Bush for NOT being a dictator to horse whip the Congress to do the right things?
Where did you come up with that? It seems to me that Bush has largely had his way with Congress on matters that were important to him. His failure to veto spending bills is his won responsibility, and failures on other matters are at least part due to failures by Republicans in Congress to act responsibly.
I am no fan of Jefferson (or the Dems generally), but Schumer was within his rights for not allowing the bank regulators to hid IndyMac's condition, and I am strongly in favor of allowing states and municipalities to determine their own law enforcement priorities.
What a joke!
November 11, 2008 - 09:38 ET by UnsaneBlind you certainly are. Unlike Bush, Putin has had a pliant media which in most cases is controlled by the Kremlin to back him up. Bush can't even get any sort of favor from PBS. Right there the Putin comparison falls apart.
I can't seem to recall the 16 UN Resolutions that called upon Russia to intervene in Georgia. Nor can I recall the last time the United States cut off an oil pipeline or shipments of, say, coal, to another country in the name of extortion. Or the last time, as another poster pointed out, a political enemy of Bush's was murdered with Po-210.
I can go on, but I have a run to accomplish.
"THIS IS YOUR FINAL WARNING!!! A WAR ON FREEWILL IS COMING!!!" - Nevermore, "Bittersweet Feast", from This Godless Endeavor (2005)
You're right, just not on point - just like
November 12, 2008 - 02:52 ET by BlindSightdscott. You're a better speller, though; I give you that.
not logical
November 12, 2008 - 04:11 ET by AgnosticYour argument is not valid. The same argument can be made to eat apples or oranges because they taste good and they are good for you but that doesn't make them taste the same.
Putin used some of the same arguments but in actions and results proved that his goals were completely different.
You may not approve the Bush Administration's pleas for support but at every turn they have complied with Congress or the Supreme Court when the debate was over.
Basically, IMO, you are saying I don't like Bush therefore he is an evil man Just like Putin is made out to bo by Conservatives.
Basically, IMO, you are not logical, Agnostic
November 13, 2008 - 23:37 ET by BlindSightMy "argument is not valid"? You, like dscott, seem to have an exceptionally difficult time reading words, because you are so busy trying to read between the lines. As a result, you spout nonsense that has no connection to anything I've said.
You don't seem to be able to figure out what my "argument" is; it's quite simple, but let me restate it and see if that helps:
- Fishman reports that Putin has made hay with Bush's words and actions, by trying to use Bush's actions for domestic and international political advantage;
- this report of Putin's behavior is apparently uncontested by the thread author and commenters (who instead attack what they consider to be a sense of equivalence between Bush and Putin, and between the US and Russia, that is explicitly disavowed by Fishman's report);
- If Putin has done what Newsweek reports, is it any surprise? Not, I dare say. It might even be something that conservatives may consciously regret.
Have I argued that there is any equivalence between Bush and Putin, and between the US and Russia? No.
Care to try again, or shall we part for now?
BlindSight,
November 15, 2008 - 17:04 ET by AgnosticIn reading your original post I do get the point you were making. The confusion was caused by what appeared to be your support for the selected quote. It appeared to my reading that you were not only supporting the 'messenger' in this case but the quote as well.
I apologize for my mistake in reading your intentions.
However, the last two sentances would have been enough without all the attempts to belittle but that is okay since I understand what it is like to feel attacked on a thread.
Have a good weekend.
Agnostic, thanks
November 20, 2008 - 06:02 ET by BlindSightfor the apology.
I think people often misread me since they are so busy trying to attack Dems - while ignoring what Republicans have clearly done wrong.
Posts like that of Tim here seem designed to feed a tribal reaction rather than any thinking. So guys like me who are critical of how Republicans managed are often reflexively assumed to be "liberal" and attacked, with little aforethought.
I'm used to it - but I do greatly appreciate those willing to admit a mistake!
BlindSight,
November 21, 2008 - 08:27 ET by AgnosticI doubt that any post is designed to feed a tribal reaction rather than some articles are a case of the "cringe factor". This is taken from the reactions to a dog that has been abused cringing in fear whenever a hand is raised. Conservatives are attacked in the media so often that occassionally there is a defensive posture taken toward what is sometimes a neutral position. I believe the media has created a stereotypes of conservatives and liberals. It is the stereotype of the conservative that the media holds in contempt. How much the average conservative fits that stereotype is debatable but the media in doing this is being both dishonest and bias as well as being extremely lazy.
Spelling criticism
November 20, 2008 - 14:50 ET by UnsaneSo by your backhanded swipe at dscott's spelling, you concede the argument.
Well done.
"THIS IS YOUR FINAL WARNING!!! A WAR ON FREEWILL IS COMING!!!" - Nevermore, "Bittersweet Feast", from This Godless Endeavor (2005)