The Twilight of Medvedev

Although I believe, perhaps unfortunately, that we are far away from concluding the will-he-won’t-he, Putin or Medvedev, or split-in-the-tandem cycle of empty news stories, this is quite an interesting little development.

According to coverage from Associated Press of a visit recently made by the president to the Skolkovo Valley IT project, Medvedev is already thinking about his post-political life with daydreams of becoming Russia’s technology guardian angel:  “I would like to participate in the processes related to the promotion of these new technologies — through Skolkovo or through other institutions — as a business angel or as a man who would be engaged in the development of this business,” he said.  “Maybe, if things go well at Skolkovo and everything works there, I’d like to teach there, without a doubt.  For any politician who headed a state it’s a must to tell about his experience, both negative and positive.“

Of course assuming that Medvedev may be indicating that he no longer wants to run for a second term implies an assumption that he ever really had a first one.