Putinisms

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For other uses, see Putinism.

"Putinisms" (Russian: путинизмы) are the unique peculiar words, phrases, pronunciations, malapropisms, semantic or linguistic errors and gaffes that have occurred in the public speaking of Russian President Vladimir Putin.^[1]

1 Selected quotes
2 Anecdotes
- 2.1 Putin in humour and fiction
3 References
4 See also

[edit] Selected quotes

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:

Vladimir Putin

Putin on Chechen extremists, on September 24, 1999: "We'll follow terrorists everywhere. We will corner the bandits in the toilet and beat the hell out of them." ("We'll blast them out, even in the shit-house")("мочить в сортире" in Russian slang, "wet (cap) them in the toilet"):^[2]
"Russia has made its choice in favor of democracy. Fourteen years ago, independently, without any pressure from outside, it made that decision in the interests of itself and interests of its people — of its citizens. This is our final choice, and we have no way back. ... Any kind of turn towards totalitarianism for Russia would be impossible, due to the condition of the Russian society." ^[3]
"I see that not everyone in the West has understood that the Soviet Union has disappeared from the political map of the world and that a new country has emerged with new humanist and ideological principles at the foundation of its existence." ^[4]
"We have spoken on many occasions of the need to achieve high economic growth as an absolute priority for our country. The annual address for 2003 set for the first time the goal of doubling gross domestic product within a decade." ^[5]
"Russia must realize its full potential in high-tech sectors such as modern energy technology, transport and communications, space and aircraft building." ^[5]
After saying the US shouldn't have gone into Iraq in the first place: "But if the U.S. were to leave and abandon Iraq without establishing the grounds for a united and sovereign country, that would definitely be a second mistake." [1]

[edit] Anecdotes

In reply to criticism from a French journalist about the war in Chechnya at the Russia-EU summit in Brussels in 2002, Putin said: "If you want to completely become an Islamic radical and are ready to have a circumcision, then I invite you to Moscow. We have a multi-cultural country and have specialists even on this issue. And I will recommend him to perform this surgery in such a way so that nothing would grow out of you again."^[6]
On June 28, 2005, Putin made the news after an incident involving the New England Patriots Super Bowl XXXIX championship ring. Three days earlier Putin had met with U.S. business executives, including Patriots owner Robert Kraft. Towards the end of the meeting, Kraft showed Putin a ring with 124 diamonds, impressing the president. At this point Kraft handed the ring to Putin who tried it on for a moment, then slipped it into his pocket and left. The event made headlines as the New York Sun^[7], and other news outlets, suggested that Kraft did not intend to give away the ring. Kraft, who has Russian ancestors, later told the Associated Press that he gave the ring to Putin as a gift and token of respect.^[8]
On October 19, 2006, Putin was quoted as saying to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert of Israel about Israeli President Moshe Katsav, "Say hello to your president. He really surprised us... turned out to be quite a mighty man. He raped 10 women. I never expected it from him. He surprised all of us. We all envy him."^[9] In a call-in television program Putin did not deny making the comment but said that "using instruments such as protecting women’s rights to resolve political issues that are unconnected with this problem is absolutely inadmissible. And this is because it actually discredits the struggle for women’s rights". He also criticized the press 'eavesdropping' on his conversation with Olmert as 'unseemly'.^[10]
In a transcript^[11] published on July 12, 2006, Putin is reported to have responded to U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney's political criticism by saying, "I think the statements of your Vice-President of this sort are the same as an unsuccessful hunting shot."^[12] U.S. President George W. Bush later remarked that the comment was "pretty clever, actually, quite humorous." [2]
In response to Bush's accusations during the press conference at the 32nd G8 summit held in July of 2006, concerning the decline of democracy in modern Russia, when Bush said that Iraq is a good example to follow, Putin stated, "We certainly would not want to have the same kind of democracy as they have in Iraq, I will tell you quite honestly." George W. Bush responded on that: "Just wait."^[13]
Also during the 32nd G8 summit, following journalists' criticisms of the Russian government's record on human rights, Putin responded saying that, "There are also other questions, questions ... about the fight against corruption. We'd be interested in hearing your experience, including how it applies to Lord Levy." Lord Levy, a member of the British House of Lords, was arrested (and bailed) one week prior, in relation to the "Cash for Peerages" police inquiry into the solicitation of financial donations to British political parties in return for honours.^[14]
In May 2007 Putin was asked for his opinion on homosexuality in the midst of a row over the decision by Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov to ban a gay rights parade in Moscow. Putin jokingly said "My approach toward gay parades and sexual minorities is very simple. It is directly linked to my responsibilities. One of the key problems of our country is the demographic problem." After the audience burst out in laughter, Putin quickly added, "I respect the freedom of people in all respects.".^[15]
At the June 2007 G8 Summit, answering a question "Do you consider yourself 'pure democrat’?", Vladimir Putin replied that he is an "absolute pure democrat", and said the real tragedy is that he is the only of his kind in the world. He noted human rights violations in the US and suppression of demonstrators in Europe, and concluded: "there is no one to talk to since Mahatma Gandhi died." ^[16]^[17] It should be noted that answering the same question 2–3 weeks before at Russia-EU Summit Putin said: "What is pure democracy? Where can you find it? ... do we have pure democrats somewhere in the world, or in Germany itself? It is always a question of political judgment and a desire to see the glass half-full or half-empty." ^[18]

[edit] Putin in humour and fiction

Dobby in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets; the character allegedly resembles Vladimir Putin

The weekly TV show Kukly used puppets representing the most recognizable and powerful Russian politicians, including a dwarf puppet-president, to satirize current events. The show was aired on NTV channel from 1994 to 2002. The success of Kukly was to a great extent due to its scriptwriter Victor Shenderovich. There are suspicions that due to its irreverent style, Kukly may have been taken off the air after pressure from the Putin government^[19]. The Kremlin requested their Putin puppet be pulled from the show in 2000, according to NTV anchorman Yevgenii Kiselev. Kiselev announced on May 29, 2000 that NTV had reached such an agreement with the Kremlin.^[20]
Short humorous stories about Vladimir Vladimirovich's everyday life and work Vladimir Vladimirovich are regularly published by journalist Maxim Kononenko, popularly known under the sobriquet "Mr. Parker". In these essays, often alluding to contemporary events, Parliament is depicted as consisting of androids, a Deputy Chief of Staff being both their constructor and programmer; Vladimir Vladimirovich is fond of collecting things concerned with key historical events or people, etc. A collection of these stories, thoroughly commented, was published as a book in August 2005. German and English versions of these anecdotes are available as well. Kononenko wrote that some of these stories were brought to Putin.
Screen versions of the Vladimir Vladimirovich series are shown in a weekly analytical programme "Realnaya politika" with Gleb Pavlovsky, aired on NTV channel (although the androids are not shown).
In the South Park episode Free Willzyx, Putin is shown as a president who badly needs money for the Russian economy. He is shown to be extremely excited when he is asked to fly a whale to the moon for 20 million dollars as this money will save Russia.
Several websites have commented on the uncanny resemblance between Vladimir Putin and the Italian merchant depicted on the Arnolfini Portrait by the Flemish painter Jan van Eyck.
On his show, The Colbert Report, Stephen Colbert announced that Putin is a potential running mate in the 2008 U.S. presidential election.
In Henry Porter's novel "Brandenburg", set largely in 1989 Dresden, a KGB operative named Vladimir Putin, an expert in judo, plays a major role.
The French spelling of Putin's last name, "Poutine" is identical to the name of a Quebecois fast-food dish.
The Lithuanian spelling of Putin's last name, "Putinas" is identical to the Lithuanian name of a arrowood plant.
The Spanish pronunciation of Putin's last name is very similar to the diminutive of the word puto, which is a derogatory word for homosexual.
The Portuguese pronunciation of Putin's last name is very similar to the diminutive of the word puto, whose slang meaning is irritated. President Lula of Brazil once said that, upon hearing the news that Brazilian slaughterhouses were bribing Russian authorities to be allowed to export meat to that country, "certainly President Putin was kind of putin with Brazil."^[21]
Many have noticed the similarity of Dobby the house elf's appearance (as seen in the movie adaptation of "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets") and Putin's appearance. ^[22]