As this week ends, so the sun sets on the presidency of Dmitry Medvedev.  A plethora of articles have surfaced this week analyzing his legacy, most of which read rather like a litany of disappointments.  This one from the New York Times considers how the lawyer will fare as Prime Minister and as head of United Russia.  Will he find his way through the political wilderness?

Indeed, Mr. Putin has given Mr. Medvedev somewhat more leverage by putting him in charge of United Russia, which is losing popularity but still holds the majority of seats in Parliament. Some experts point out that as a progressive governing partner, Mr. Medvedev now looks stronger than internal rivals like Mr. Kudrin or Deputy Prime Minister Igor I. Shuvalov.