Question: how does one cautiously express praise and approval, while at the same time scolding and criticizing? Answer: Condi Rice. Here’s an excerpt about Russia from the transcript her talk with a USA Today Editorial Board Roundtable: QUESTION: Can you talk a little bit about Mr. Medvedev, the — not just your view of his prospects of what sort of a leader he’d be, but the process by which he was elevated and what that tells you about what’s going on in Russia? SECRETARY RICE: Well, I guess, they’re still going to have an election in March. (Laughter.) QUESTION: They used to have elections in Communist Russia.