McCain on Russia’s Puppet Show

U.S. Presidential hopeful Sen. John McCain had some strong words in reaction to Putin’s annual five-hour press junket yesterday:

“I think that Mr. Putin is trying to restore the old Russian empire. Obviously he is perpetuating himself in power in Russia virtually indefinitely by this setup of having basically a protege, someone who is doing his bidding as president while he serves as the prime minister,” McCain said. “We knew the puppet show was going on, we just didn’t know who the puppet was.” (…) “I’m not concerned that we will see a reignition of the old Cold War. Russia doesn’t have the assets or the capability or anything else to pose the kind of challenge” that it did during the days of the Soviet Union, he said.

Oddly, Hillary Clinton was the only U.S. presidential candidate that Putin attacked yesterday… Read more from McCain on Russia here and here.