Obama Says Putin is Suspicious About U.S.

Obama says Putin has a practical bent and is not sentimental in his view of the world.
On Palin, Obama says she has a fiercely loyal constituent and he respects her decision to do what's best for her family.

On Joe Biden's "misreading" of the economy, Obama said the administration didn't misread, rather they didn't have all the information. 
On Michael Jackson, he said historically, black entertainers and sports figures have helped to create a comfort level with African Americans.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Obama also spoke to Jake Tapper on GMA this morning. Jake asked about the focus on Michael Jackson's memorial and Obama said that's the way it is. Soon everyone will get back to thinking about nuclear weapons.
I don't know about that. Americans like being distracted and in the dark. It's why we get candidates like Sarah Palin, who tout "values." 

Russia's Own Limbaugh Ready to Pounce on Obama

There are blowhards the world over.

In his prime-time slot on state-controlled Channel One, Mr. Leontyev, equal parts Rush Limbaugh and Oliver Stone, has derided the United States as “a great power with a broken back,” “a country where armed psychopaths regularly roam educational establishments” and “a parasite that owes the world $53 trillion.”

Now, though, there is a sense of uncertainty here about what lies next in the Russian-American relationship. In sync with the Kremlin, Russian news media have reflected this state of suspended animation, muting their criticism of Washington and especially of President Obama. That is not good news for Mr. Leontyev.
....
“There is a pause, I would say,” said Vladimir Solovyov, a prominent talk-show host. “A lot of people are not willing to blow this big horn. I think for guys like Leontyev that have made it their profession — anti-Americanism is sort of their profession — I think they are just waiting.”

“It’s extremely tough for us to change 180 degrees, because for the last couple of years we have been very tough on American policy, especially when it comes to Georgia, Iraq, Iran,” Mr. Solovyov said. “It’s sort of like, ‘O.K., so, we’ll see.’ ” Read the whole thing at NYT.

Hillary Meets With Russian Foreign Minister

VOA: U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has wrapped up talks in Brussels, where she attended a meeting of NATO foreign ministers. She is now Geneva for discussions with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. It seems the two sides have much to talk about.

Secretary Clinton was among those NATO ministers endorsing a resumption of high-level talks with the Russians, despite serious reservations expressed by some East European members.

In the end, those in favor won out and formal contacts within the Russia-NATO Council are to resume and a ministerial level meeting was announced as likely in the coming months.

Her speech on the meeting:

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Obama to Russia: Help Us And We'll Help You

Update: Obama clarifies letter, which he said was lengthy and talked about a range of issues. He said the missile defense is not directed toward Russia but Iran. He essentially says what I summed up below but I guess the letter (leaked?) was characterized as a quid quo pro:

Now that's diplomacy. Plus, it makes sense. The U.S. doesn't need to deploy a missile defense system in Eastern Europe if it can get stop Iran from building nukes.
I'm hoping the letter was meant to be exposed.

NYT: President Obama sent a secret letter to Russia’s president last month suggesting that he would back off deploying a new missile defense system in Eastern Europe if Moscow would help stop Iran from developing long-range weapons, American officials said Monday.

Moscow has not responded to the letter that was hand-delivered to President Dmitri A. Medvedev, above, three weeks ago.
The letter to President Dmitri A. Medvedev was hand-delivered in Moscow by top administration officials three weeks ago. It said the United States would not need to proceed with the interceptor system, which has been vehemently opposed by Russia since it was proposed by the Bush administration, if Iran halted any efforts to build nuclear warheads and ballistic missiles.

The officials who described the contents of the message requested anonymity because it has not been made public. While they said it did not offer a direct quid pro quo, the letter was intended to give Moscow an incentive to join the United States in a common front against Iran. Russia’s military, diplomatic and commercial ties to Tehran give it some influence there, but it has often resisted Washington’s hard line against Iran.

“It’s almost saying to them, put up or shut up,” said a senior administration official. “It’s not that the Russians get to say, ‘We’ll try and therefore you have to suspend.’ It says the threat has to go away.”

A mixed response from Russia:

“No one links these issues to any exchange, especially on the Iran issue,” Mr. Medvedev said at a news conference in Madrid, where he was visiting to boost economic and political ties. “We are working very closely with our U.S. colleagues on the issue of Iran’s nuclear program.”

He added, however, that Russia remained open to American proposals on the issue and said he was encouraged by signs from Mr. Obama’s administration.

“What we are getting from our U.S. partners shows at least one thing: Our U.S. partners are ready to discuss the issue,” he said. “It’s good, because several months ago we were getting different signals — that the decision has been made, there is nothing to speak about, that we have done everything as we have decided.”

I Want Obama Across the Table From Putin

Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty asks on Face the Nation: Who do you want sitting across from Vladimir Putin? John McCain, who sees KGB in the eyes of Putin?
Why would I want someone who already sees the enemy?
That leads me to believe that all McCain will do is poke Russia in his way every chance he gets. He's not even in office and he's already provoking Russia.
We've seen McCain get irritated. It happens frequently. Putin already is using Georgia to get back at Bush and would likely continue to do the same with McCain with his "We're all Georgians" talk.
McCain can talk but he can't walk the walk on that one and he shouldn't have meddled to the extent he did.
I want Obama to be sitting across the table Putin or Dmitri Medvedev.
Obama will be tough and smart. He's clearly the person with better judgment. That's what we need. Not a war hero. We want to avoid wars not start them.
McCain is too black and white. Obama can think in the gray areas and he can do it with a calm head.
The problem is many Americans will run for the John McCain lever when the Bush administration plays the terrorist card near election time. Bush WILL play that card. No doubt.

Now I'm convinced that Obama needs a vice president with big national security credentials. Vice presidents usually don't matter but this is not your typical election. Obama's choice needs to be someone that Americans trust. Americans won't vote on the economy, despite what they say and despite what pollsters say. We'll be voting on national security, no matter how much we complain about the economy. 

Russia's Forced Elections

as contentious and sometimes caustic that our presidential election process is in the U.S., at least we're not being forced to vote for a president. in russia, employers are making their workers vote for president vladimir putin's chosen successor, dmitri medvedev. what's the point of elections? anyway, this is a reason why we should be voting our heads off.