Russian Presidential "Election" - March 2, 2008

[Silent Hunter]

When does Medvedev actually take office?

[Tender Branson]

I´m wondering who will get more votes this year: Medvedev or Obama (if nominated) ?

With 1/3 of the vote in, it´s clear that Obama would get more votes than Medvedev.

[Harry Hayfield]

When does Medvedev actually take office?

May 7th 2008 (according to Russia Today)

[GMantis]

And since the middle word spells "protokolov", I would assume it's polling stations reported.

That's right.

[StateBoiler]

And since the middle word spells "protokolov", I would assume it's polling stations reported.

I'd love to learn Russian.

I assume center-left is Zhirinovsky and center-right is the communist. Who's the guy on the far left?

Here's the Economist's profile of Medvedev. http://www.economist.com/daily/news/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10789035

[Hash]

And since the middle word spells "protokolov", I would assume it's polling stations reported.

I'd love to learn Russian.

I assume center-left is Zhirinovsky and center-right is the communist. Who's the guy on the far left?

Here's the Economist's profile of Medvedev. http://www.economist.com/daily/news/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10789035

Andrey Bogdanov, candidate of the "Democratic Party" which is officially liberal but looks like another of the Kremlin-created parties to me.

[ag]

The guy on the left is a Mason. Seriously. I guess, they needed someone to represent a Jewish-Mason conspiracy

Actually, the DP is an old group, dating back to the early democratic elections. Back then it was somewhat respectable, if minor. It has been all but defunct, but still a legally functioning shell.  They took it over and got some joker nominated on its line as an ostensible "democrat". Not clear why they bothered: if they didn't, their refusal to register more respectable, if still unlikely, candidates on various grounds would have looked more plausible (Bogdanov's "getting" the requisite signatures is a butt of many jokes).

[Colin]

And since the middle word spells "protokolov", I would assume it's polling stations reported.

I'd love to learn Russian.

I'd suggest it, great language I thoroughly enjoy it.

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The far left is Andrei Bogdanov, the centre-left is Zhirinovsky, the centre-right is Zyuganov, and the far right is Medvedev.

Bogdanov is from a small "liberal" party that won about a half of a precent in the last legislative elections. He was supposedly running as the liberal candidate but I have heard that he is actually promoted and funded by the Kremlin.

[Robespierre's Jaw]

70% of the vote for Medvedev. He'll be pissed off.

[The Mikado]

Well, I don't know about you all, but this has been quite the barnburner, complete with the twist ending.  Those Russians sure know how to have dramatic elections.

Seriously, though, is it horrible of me to say I'd have voted for Zyuganov?  I can't stand commies, but...you know, Medvedev is more Putin, Zhirinovsky scares the excrement out of me, and...look at that guy on the left!  Seriously!

[ag]

The "guy on the left" makes cold pizza look hot in comparison. Aside from having the appearance of a surgically desnouted crocodile and ideological views of a senile dinosaur, he immediately gives the impression of what he actually is: someone too dim to make a decent carreer even in the old Soviet Communist Party.  He wound up the head of the party almost by default, when nobody wanted it post-collapse, and has been kept around for lack of better alternatives. His only known skill is in pushing those smarter and/or more charismatic than himself (that means, nearly everyone) out of the party leadership. He's been quite useful for the powers that be at the head of the Commies though: as long as he is around, Commies will continue shrinking into insignifficance.

Granted, if I were dragged to the polls by force and threatened into casting a valid vote, I'd, probably, vote for him this time.  But casting a vote in this parody of an election would be too distasteful to be done, unless forced to.

[StateBoiler]

Bogdanov is from a small "liberal" party that won about a half of a precent in the last legislative elections. He was supposedly running as the liberal candidate but I have heard that he is actually promoted and funded by the Kremlin.

Well, it's good to hear that Russian elections are as respectable as American ones.

Well, I don't know about you all, but this has been quite the barnburner, complete with the twist ending.  Those Russians sure know how to have dramatic elections.

Says the Democrat from D.C.