Ukraine Always Get What You Want

Anyone have

"If only post-Soviet Russia had harnessed the power of gulag capitalism like China"

on their bingo cards?

Anyone?

 

The discussion of who’s next after Putin is interesting. He’s a dictator with no succession plan - that we know of. Normally, you’d expect his kids to be next up (hi Don Jr!) but that doesn’t seem like an option. Somebody from his inner circle? An already established mafioso with enough money and henchmen to bribe and coerce their way to the head of the table?

 

Medvedev, the former president, I think has stayed in his inner circle and would probably be next man up if Putin were to get a little too close to an open window.

 

What did Tony Soprano's org chart look like?

 

FWIW. . . He's 71, ugh.

Nikolai Patrushev — a longtime Putin ally — would 'almost certainly' replace Putin if he falls ill, predicts former British intelligence chief

From the Wiki:

There's your guy. Good luck.

 

Thomas Friedman is waving his hand frantically, professor.

 

I remember two things from his brief tenure as President back when Russia bothered to have checks and balances and Putin had term limits. One, he was like 5'4" and was really into like Black Sabbath and metal and stuff. That was enough for a couple puff pieces in American media.

 

We overlapped a year as undergrads at Minnesota, and between us we have three Pulitzers.

 

Why this talk about Putin's "successor" because isn't Russia a free country with fair elections where any qualified candidate could get their name on the ballot and win?

 

Well, the person with the most votes actually WINS over there, but that's about where it ends.

 

LOL.