Just finished watching former president Petro Poroshenko in flak gear making his appeal for equipment, and we've all seen how President Zelensky has projected a "casual Churchillian" image that other leaders like Macron are now openly imitating. Raises again the question: 1/
What's wrong with Putin? Americans overemphasized the famous bare-shirt horseback riding image and some of the other stunts (deep-sea diving, polar bear rescue), but Putin for years gained social capital by his "regular guy" appearances. 2/
Watch any of his "going to church in rural areas" footage--you'd never see a U.S. president allowed to be in similar circumstances, even with complete screening of the attendees. Watch him driving a truck across the Kerch bridge when it opened. Watch him at the dedication ... 3/
of the Alexander III monument. Contrast that with Christmas (old calendar January 7, 2022)--the freakish isolation in the chapel. The long table. No walkabouts. No visit with the troops. Chechen president Kadyrov is playing that role, not Putin, for the Russian side. 4/
Putin understood that after geriatric leaders like Brezhnev and alcohol-impaired figures like Yeltsin, these appearances would bolster his image. A younger, more vigorous Zelensky has outclassed him, but he's not even in the Poroshenko league now. 5/
Even Trump, a notorious germaphobe who doesn't like close contacts, still has managed public rallies where he's on stage and interacting. Putin's televised interactions appeared pre-recorded and perhaps even edited. 6/
I have no health information or any special insights. Just wearing an analyst's hat. For years, there have been fan youtube videos playing up Putin's vigor and "hard hat" appeal. That it is not happening now especially in context of very successful Ukrainian IO campaigns ... 7/
is puzzling. Also clear that apart from Kadyrov, no senior member of the military or political establishment playing this role either. END
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