Barack Obama: Vladimir Putin’s Tough Guy Act Just A ‘Shtick’

Vladimir Putin’s tough guy act just a ‘shtick’ says Barack Obama (Telegraph, Feb 8, 2014):

US President Barack Obama insists there is a “surprising amount of humour” when the two talk privately and that Russian leader’s bored look when they meet merely an attempt to look tough for a domestic audience

US President Barack Obama said on Thursday that Vladimir Putin’s bored, tough guy act was just a ‘shtick’ designed to boost his domestic political image.

Obama and his Russian counterpart have become known for stilted photo ops during bilateral meetings at various global summits, in which they stare straight ahead and share little warmth or sympathetic body language.

But Obama said in excerpts of an interview with NBC, timed to coincide with the start of the Sochi Olympics, that appearances can be deceptive.

He denied his relationship with his Russian president was “icy.”

“The truth of the matter is that when we are in meetings there are a lot of exchanges, there’s a surprising amount of humour, and a lot of give and take,” Obama said in the excerpts due to air later on Thursday.

“He’s always treated me with the utmost respect,” Obama said, adding that he believed that despite sharp differences between the Kremlin and the White House in recent months, Putin understood the need to work with Washington.

“He does have a public style where he likes to sit back and look a little bored during the course of joint interviews,” he said.

“My sense is that’s part of his shtick back home politically as wanting to look like the tough guy.”

“US politicians have a different style. We tend to smile once in a while,” he added.

Washington and Moscow have been at odds over Russia’s support for President Bashar al-Assad in Syria and Russia’s granting of asylum to US intelligence contractor Edward Snowden, responsible for vast and damaging leaks about National Security Agency surveillance programs.

4 thoughts on “Barack Obama: Vladimir Putin’s Tough Guy Act Just A ‘Shtick’”

  1. He really has it in for Putin ever since he made him show what cowards and bullies the US is now controlled by. When Obama was so hot to hit Syria, Putin sent in 10 warships and an aircraft carrier.
    Putin said if Obama hit Syria, he would hit back.
    This nation only attacks countries that have done nothing to them, and those too weak to fight back. Putin stepping it changed the game completely. Over 90% of Americans were happy to see that useless, corporate enriching war de-escalated so quickly.
    Who is Obama to call Putin names? He has already shown the world what he is………and trying to insult Putin only makes him look like a fool.
    Didn’t anyone ever teach Obama the oldest, simplest rule in the game? He who calls the first name loses the game……

    Reply
  2. Vlad has Barry on toast.
    The irony over the “Fuck the EU” saga apropo Snowden’s revelations is just music.
    The way Vlad is playing it, the Krauts, after the NSA revelations, the Fed Gold theft and this latest insult, could just edge closer to him.
    It’s going to be interesting as der Vaterland is very, very powerful in the middle east arena.

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  3. der vaterland is losing standing every day, and the power left is only military…….there is no respect left. We are being run over the cliff by idiots and fools…..and the rest of the world knows it.
    I never thought the day would come when I trust their news outlets more than the US, but the corporate media has made that a reality. rt.com has it over msnbc.com.
    US media is propaganda and obfuscation……no truth is allowed.
    Nobody believes anything the US says or does……when a nation loses credibility, it loses respect. When respect is lost…….so is everything.

    Reply

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