Time Magazine 2007 Person of the Year - Vladimir Putin

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http://www.time.com/time/specials/2...ticle/1,28804,1690753_1690757_1690766,00.html

Putin grudgingly reveals a few personal details between intermittent bites of food: He relaxes, he says, by listening to classical composers like Brahms, Mozart, Tchaikovsky. His favorite Beatles song is Yesterday. He has never sent an e-mail in his life. And while he grew up in an officially atheist country, he is a believer and often reads from a Bible that he keeps on his state plane. He is impatient to the point of rudeness with small talk, and he is in complete control of his own message.

He is clear about Russia's role in the world. He is passionate in his belief that the dissolution of the Soviet Union was a tragedy, particularly since overnight it stranded 25 million ethnic Russians in "foreign" lands. But he says he has no intention of trying to rebuild the U.S.S.R. or re-establish military or political blocs. And he praises his predecessors Yeltsin and Mikhail Gorbachev for destroying a system that had lost the people's support. "I'm not sure I could have had the guts to do that myself," he tells us. Putin is, above all, a pragmatist, and has cobbled together a system—not unlike China's—that embraces the free market (albeit with a heavy dose of corruption) but relies on a strong state hand to keep order. (much more plus pic at link)
 
1st Runner-up: Al Gore
2nd Runner-up: J.K. Rowling
3rd Runner-up: Hu Jintao
4th Runner-up: David Petraeus

They all have their own interviews at http://www.time.com/time
 
Oh well, it least we're soooo relieved that Al Gore didn't get it.

I don't understand your response Marthatex. Just curious.

I think Al Gore would be a great choice. I really don't know that much about Putin though.
 
I am not a fan of Putin and his policies, but I guess that would be a conversation for the political pavillion.
 
I don't understand your response Marthatex. Just curious.

I think Al Gore would be a great choice. I really don't know that much about Putin though.

I was joking -- for all the people who wouldn't have wanted it to be Al Gore:

What IRONY that Vladimir Putin would be chosen.

He's powerful, smart and NOT our friend, really.
 
I was joking -- for all the people who wouldn't have wanted it to be Al Gore:

What IRONY that Vladimir Putin would be chosen.

He's powerful, smart and NOT our friend, really.

Oh now I understand! Thanks Marthatex.
 
I was joking -- for all the people who wouldn't have wanted it to be Al Gore:

What IRONY that Vladimir Putin would be chosen.

He's powerful, smart and NOT our friend, really.

I wouldn't even say he is a friend to fellow Russians with the nonsense he demands over there.
 
I thought you knew me by now - I neglected to put the winking smilie or whatever.

Hi Marthatex! That's why I was surprised at your comment. I should have realised what you were really sayin'. Guess my mind was on "slow" at the time. lol
 

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