Image by AFP/Getty Images via Daylife
Presid– Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is an hour into his three-hour state of the nation address to the State Duma (the parliament). This was a tradition instituted, conveniently, when Putin became prime minister.
Today, Putin clearly has a bad, bad cold — at the very least. He is sick, people. He seems to be gripping the dias for support, and his voice sounds like it’s about to go at any moment. His folksy asides are weak and only vaguely sensical. And yet he keeps on keepin’ on, full of quiet strength and love of country.
The Duma, as usual, is a quiet lump of uncooked dough listening to instructions.
[UPDATE: The recession in Russia, Putin says, is over. "The economic crisis may not be over, but the recession, it's" -- gangster pout -- "that's it."]
[UPDATE: Wow. Putin really was sick. He cut the address short, by half!]
Oh I feel sorry for him. As he said once he had to work like a dog those 8 years of his Presidency. Seems he still works very had :p
He was really sick! It was amazing to see that immortals get bad spring colds like the rest of us!
He probably got sick visiting Smolensk forests so many times last week, and they still tell us he’s only being nice because of Polish shale gas.
So much for his legendary risk averseness.