Russia’s Diva Envy of Obama’s Victory

In talking with some colleagues and reviewing the text of President Dmitry Medvedev’s bombastic speech on Nov. 5th, I am struck with the impression that this government sometimes appears to be making its decisions out a ridiculous attention-seeking streak of envy that only a diva could possess. On this one day, just this one day, when the United States rings in a historical moment, completely unprecedented in our times with the election of Barack Obama to the presidency – a moment which seemed at least in some ways visionary and important even to the coldest of hearts and the most battle-hardened cynics (just consider the heart expressed in John McCain’s beautiful concession speech), the Kremlin just can’t stand it. So eager they were to seize back the spotlight of the international media from this one day in American history, that we hear a series of threats (some new, some old), accusations and blame of the United States for every problem currently occurring in the world (all heard before), and rather pointless self aggrandizing claims. What was the urgency of any of these announcements? You’d think that Barack Obama stole Dmitry Medvedev’s favorite eyeliner from his dressing room before the big show. Hey everybody look at me! (AFP/Getty Images)