There was a lot of hooping and hollering about what Vesti did to that interview from Fox News. If you think that was good, check out the number CNN did to Putin’s interview. Yasha Lavine breaks it down clean in “Is CNN Getting Kicked out of Russia?“ Here are some of the spliced film CNN left on the cutting room floor.
Matthew Chance: But it’s been no secret either that for years you’ve been urging the West to take more seriously Russia’s concerns about international issues. For instance, about NATO’s expansion, about deployment of missile defense systems in eastern Europe. Wasn’t this conflict a way of demonstrating that in this region, it’s Russia that’s the power, not NATO and certainly not the United States?
Vladimir Putin: Of course not. What is more, we did not seek such conflicts and do not want them in the future.
That this conflict has taken place—that it broke out nevertheless—is only due to the fact that no one had heeded our concerns.
I think both you and your—our—viewers today will be interested to learn a little more about the history of relations between the peoples and ethnic groups in this regions of the world. Because people know little or nothing about it.
If you think that this is unimportant, you may cut it from the program. Don’t hesitate, I wouldn’t mind.
Putin the anti-Stalinist:
Therefore, those who insist that those territories must continue to belong to Georgia are Stalinists: They defend the decision of Josef Vissarionovich Stalin. [It was Stalin who first split up Ossetia and gave the southern half to Georgia.]
Putin the caring:
For us, it is a special tragedy, because during the many years that we were living together the Georgian culture—the Georgian people being a nation of ancient culture — became, without a doubt, a part of the multinational culture of Russia….[C]onsidering the fact that almost a million, even more than a million Georgians have moved here, we have special spiritual links with that country and its people. For us, this is a special tragedy.
Putin the peaceful:
You and I are sitting here now, having a quiet conversation in the city of Sochi. Within a few hundred kilometers from here, U.S. Navy ships have approached, carrying missiles whose range is precisely several hundred kilometers. It is not our ships that have approached your shores; it’s your ships that have approached ours. So what’s our choice?
We don’t want any complications; we don’t want to quarrel with anyone; we don’t want to fight anyone. We want normal cooperation and a respectful attitude toward us and our interests. Is that too much?
Putin the conscientious business man:
Construction of the first gas pipeline system was started during the 1960s, at the height of the Cold War, and for all those years, from the 1960s until this day, Russia has been fulfilling its contract obligations in a very consistent and reliable way, regardless of the political situation.
We never politicize economic relations, and we are quite astonished at the position of some U.S. administration officials who travel to European capitals trying to persuade the Europeans not to buy our products, natural gas for example, in a truly amazing effort to politicize the economic sphere. In fact, it’s quite pernicious.
It’s true that the Europeans depend on our supplies but we too depend on whoever buys our gas. That’s interdependence; that’s precisely the guarantee of stability.
You can see the full interview broadcast on Russian TV here.
If you think that was good, check out the number CNN did to Putin’s interview.
Yes, because editing stuff out is much worse than making stuff up and adding it in under the guise of a translation, isn’t it?
CNN does have a full transcript of the interview on their site. Are you positive they never aired the complete interview? How do you know?
Putin is a master spy. He comes out and says the correct things and but does the opposite. Matthew Chance exposed him for what he really is. For example, take Putin’s claim that Russia has never used oil and gas as a political weapon.
“Construction of the first gas pipeline system was started during the 1960s, at the height of the Cold War, and for all those years, from the 1960s until this day, Russia has been fulfilling its contract obligations in a very consistent and reliable way, regardless of the political situation.
We never politicize economic relations, and we are quite astonished at the position of some U.S. administration officials who travel to European capitals trying to persuade the Europeans not to buy our products, natural gas for example, in a truly amazing effort to politicize the economic sphere. In fact, it’s quite pernicious.
It’s true that the Europeans depend on our supplies but we too depend on whoever buys our gas. That’s interdependence; that’s precisely the guarantee of stability.
This answer is so disingenuous. Ask Ukraine, Belarus. Even the Czechs.
Putin on Georgia:
For us, it is a special tragedy, because during the many years that we were living together the Georgian culture—the Georgian people being a nation of ancient culture — became, without a doubt, a part of the multinational culture of Russia….[C]onsidering the fact that almost a million, even more than a million Georgians have moved here, we have special spiritual links with that country and its people. For us, this is a special tragedy.
What BS. Putin has instituted discrimination against Georgians in Russia. I’ve seen the discrimination with my own eyes. What a liar.
Sean thanks for the articles highlighting examples of Russian AND Western media bias.
Kolchak, are you sure you aren’t one of “La Russophobe’s” sock puppets?
I’ve seen the discrimination with my own eyes. What a liar.
I saw the anti-georgian hysteria two years ago with my own eyes as well. I don\’t know if it was instituted by Putin himself, but he clearly contributed.
On the other hand, I can easily accept that both views co-exist in Putin\’s mind. His comment about Georgian culture becoming a part of multinational culture of Russia (anyone has the Russian text to see if he really said России) smacks of the \”younger brother\” concept so prevalent in the USSR.
From this concept, the nature of current behaviour of Georgia is that of a prodigal son at best or is bordering on Oedipus at worst.
As for CNN in general, they are famous for hatchet jobs as far as I am concerned. Their recent documentary on McCain is so transparently biased it is pathetic. Heck, I have no dog in the Vlad vs CNN fight. Either way if one kicks butt, I will cheer.
Just what Cyrill said, Putin edition is nothing. Look what they are doing against the Republicans.
Those CNN people are truly nefarious. Don’t trust them ever again, Sean (especially their attacks against McCain/Palin).
Don’t trust them ever again, Sean (especially their attacks against McCain/Palin).
I don’t and never have. As for McCain and Palin, there really is nothing anyone can say that would make me vote for them anyway. You can put lipstick on a pig . . .
“Никому нельзя верить, даже себе. Мне – можно” (с)
Transcript was on CNN web site from the beginning. But! How many people read it? Kalle and ivanov?
PS. Still in love with Sarah, Candide? Have you seen Paris Hilton’s clip about McCain? I would vote for Paris – so far she is the best option
Sean! Shame on you! Where is your politcorrectness?
Next time better to use “You can put pig in high hills….”
I didn’t see the interview but did read the transcript. Too bad about the editing. As Tim said, though, what Vesti did with the interview of the girl was considerably worse: they not only cut stuff, they added (invented) stuff that was not there.
CNN is still much better than FOX, even though for the sake of ratings they are becoming more like Fox.
In the few weeks I worked for CBS News in Moscow (year ago) I was surprised not by how much stuff is edited out (I already knew that the overwhelming majority never sees the light of day), but by how much GREAT stuff is left out. TV being a visual medium concentrates primarily on attention grabbing images, even if it means tossing out most of the stuff with any substance.
mAss media – is in fact Weapons of Mass Destruction. It blows up brains of whole countries completely
So the difference between CNN and Fox is same as between ground and air nuclear explosions.
Ivanov, no, the transcript was NOT available from the beginning, it was published the day after the interview was aired on CNN. (The Russian transcript was available from the beginning at Putin’s site.)
I’d still like to know whether it is true CNN did not air the whole interview. I know the whole interview is not available as a video file on the CNN web site, but that doesn’t mean it never was aired.
“You can put lipstick on a pig …”
But can you, really? Did you ever try such a feat? What makes you think it’s even possible? Because Obama said so? See how naive you are now, parroting Obama lines? How many pigs Obama ever put lipstick on, himself?
Besides, what’s wrong with pigs? Are you some kind of pig hater (like those, you know, Islamic terrorists)?
But can you, really? Did you ever try such a feat?
I think the pig would eat the lipstick.
Correction!!
below it should be “YEARS AGO”
“In the few weeks I worked for CBS News in Moscow (year ago)”
Years ago indeed. Before most of you, regular commentators, ever went to Russia.
”I saw the anti-georgian hysteria two years ago with my own eyes as well. I don\’t know if it was instituted by Putin himself, but he clearly contributed.”
Georgians WITH valid residence in Russia were literally hurded onto planes out of Russia. I asked my Russia nationalist wife what she thought and she basically said ”fine. There are too many of them in Moscow anyway and they own too many businesses”
And it struck me, I said to her I wonder what the Russians would think if Ireland shunted the 50,000-odd Russkii immigrants we have here onto planes for Moscow and booted their arse out of here (it’d be a good idea now actually, as unemployment is up and it would reduce the ‘face-like-a-spanked-arse factor’ in pubs and restaurants by an order of magnitude). Oh no, she said, you dont understand, its not the same etc, Georgians are this, that, the other blah blah blah.
Funny, that.
”Besides, what’s wrong with pigs? Are you some kind of pig hater (like those, you know, Islamic terrorists)?”
A pig is an animal which lives in its own faeces, which is considered by some cultures and individuals to be repulsive. And it is perfectly possible to put lipstick on one. A handkerchief of chloroform would put it to sleep and the aforementioed lippy could be then applied with ease.
By the way I’d love to spank Palin’s ass Candide. Just after she loses the election would be nice
Knowing how insulting they can be in Moscow about those dark “Caucasian types”, I find it ironic that, judging from what I see on the web, ethnic Russians are in love with their Ossetian brothers. “A noble and brave people we admire and with whom we have complete solidarity.” I wonder how many Georgians and Chechens living in Moscow are trying to pass as Ossetians.
”Knowing how insulting they can be in Moscow about those dark “Caucasian types”, I find it ironic that, judging from what I see on the web, ethnic Russians are in love with their Ossetian brothers. “A noble and brave people we admire and with whom we have complete solidarity.” I wonder how many Georgians and Chechens living in Moscow are trying to pass as Ossetians.”
In fairness to Russians not all of them – I would think you as well Kolya – are anti ‘chyorniye zhopi’ as the Kavkaz people are unfortunately called sometimes. But a lot of Russians are, including educated ones whose involvement with Georgians may be limited or non-existent. I know that in the mid 1990s there was media campaign in Moscow that blamed Kavkaz people, especially Chechens, for everything that was going wrong. I read a stat in a book about Chechen War One that said that much less than a quarter of gangsters at the time in Moscow were actually from the Caucuses. I do know that Russians are a little bit frightened by Chechens and unless they are forced to know them (eg at work or as classmates) they try avoid them at all costs and maybe all Caucasians are getting tarred with that same brush. At the same time, its not without justification entirely -Chechen men will pester Russian women, especially blondes, relentlessly if they get acquainted and have trouble taking no for an answer. It is ironic though that Russians are ‘in love’ with their Ossetian brothers at the moment. I wonder would that love remain if vast numbers of ‘liberated’ South Ossetians were suddenly to set up shop in Moscow. We’d see brotherly love then I’m sure.