Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
IS HIGHLY ANNOYED.
THESE MAY BE DELICATE DIPLOMATIC
TIMES, BUT REACTION TO SALAD
PIER PUTIN'S OPEN LETTER TO
AMERICANS WAS AT BLUNT AND AT
TIMES GRAPHIC.
>> I ALMOST WANTED TO VOMIT.
>> I WAS INSULTED.
>> I THINK HE'S JUST LOOKING FOR
AN EXCUSE TO SHOW OFF HIS SUPER
BOWL RING.
>> Reporter: REMEMBER RONALD
REAGAN'S ROLE IN SOVIET
COMMUNISM CRUMBLING?
>> MR. GORBACHEV, TEAR DOWN THIS
WALL.
>> Reporter: SOME SEE PUTIN'S
SLAP AT PRESIDENT OBAMA AS
PINING FOR THE SOVIET SUPER
POWER.
>> IT WAS LECTURING TO THE
UNITED STATES.
YOU KNOW, I COULD HEAR REAGAN
TURNING OVER IN HIS GRAVE AS
THIS WAS GOING ON.
>> ONE OF PUTIN'S MOST IN YOUR
FACE LINES REFERENCED OBAMA'S
ALLUSION THIS WEEK TO AMERICAN
EXCEPTIONALISM.
>> THAT'S WHAT MAKES AMERICA
DIFFERENT.
THAT'S WHAT MAKES US
EXCEPTIONAL.
>> IT IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO
ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO SEE
THEMSELVES AS EXCEPTIONAL,
WHATEVER THE MOTIVATION, WROTE
PUTIN.
THE PRESIDENT'S SPOKESMAN TOOK
THAT ON IN THINLY VEILED
DIPLOSPEAK.
>> UNLIKE RUSSIA, THE UNITED
STATES STANDS UP FOR HUMAN
RIGHTS IN OUR OWN COUNTRY AND
AROUND THE WORLD AND WE BELIEVE
THAT OUR GLOBAL SECURITY IS
ADVANCED WHEN CHILDREN CANNOT BE
GASSED TO DEATH BY A DICTATOR.
>> Reporter: PUTIN BLAMED
GASSING SYRIANS ON REBEL FORCES,
NOT BASHAR AL ASSAD'S
GOVERNMENT, AS OBAMA OFFICIALS
INSIST.
>> ONLY IN RUSSIA AND IN PUTIN'S
PARALLEL ALTERNATE UNIVERSE
COULD YOU BELIEVE THAT.
>> BUT WAIT A MINUTE.
PUTIN IS THE GUY THE U.S. IS NOW
BANKING ON TO NEGOTIATE A WAY
OUT OF UNPOPULAR MILITARY ACTION
AGAINST SYRIA.
AS CHAIRMAN OF THE SENATE
FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE, DO
YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THE
FACT THAT WE ARE LIVING IN HIS
PARALLEL ALTERNATE UNIVERSE?
>> WHEN I SAY HIS PARALLEL
ALTERNATE UNIVERSE, LOOK, THIS
IS A GUY WHO GREW FROM THE KGB
TO BE THE HEAD OF IT.
AND HE IS STILL, FROM MY
PERSPECTIVE, STILL VERY
DOMINATED IN HIS MIND BY KGB AND
THE DESIRES FOR A GREATER
RUSSIA.
>> Reporter: AMONG DEMOCRATIC
LEADERS, SOME SHOULDER
SHRUGGING.
>> REAGAN SAID IT ALL.
TRUST BUT VERIFY.
>> BUT IS IT FRUSTRATING THAT
HE'S OUR NEGOTIATING PARTNER?
>> WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT, IT IS
WHO IT IS.
>> THAT LINE, "IT IS WHO IT IS,"
WAS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MIDWOST
TELLING OF THE DAY.
NO ONE IN WASHINGTON IS HAPPY TO
BE RELYING ON RUSSIA, EVEN LESS