The American Spectator : The Spectacle Blog : Gorby Calls on Putin to Quit

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Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev has called upon Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to resign. Gorby has long supported Putin but in light of the controversial parliamentary election earlier this month he now come to regret his blessings.

Because the USSR dissolved under his watch, Gorbachev isn't exactly looked upon fondly in Russia. But as long as Putin doesn't step down, proceeds with his plan to run for President and continues his autocratic ways, it could give Gorbachev an opportunity to not only reestablish his credibility but expose a new generation of Russians to the man who brought about glasnost and perestroika.

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Bob K.| 12.26.11 @ 4:18AM

Gorby, who was good at quitting, left a grateful Russian populace behind when he took Communism and it's worn out ideas with him. Everybody in Russia agreed with that by then. That is why he is somewhat admired by the Russians.

Now they have a situation of whether or not to "stick with the devil they know" and not everyone agrees by any means!

JmsA| 12.26.11 @ 10:26PM

Gorbachev was an elite communist apparatchik who knew the gig was up, got much too much credit for the changes that brought about the downfall of socialism in Russia, which should have gone to Yeltsin (who, by the way, once referred to Bubba Clinton as nothing more than a socialist)--, and would otherwise strived to maintain the marxist leninist status quo.

JmsA| 12.26.11 @ 10:27PM

meant to write: would have strived...

Bob K.| 12.26.11 @ 11:08AM

And although the U.S.S.R. dissolved, Russia did not; and Russia still maintains "hegemony" over those old soviet republics. Russian nationalism still remains and Putin seems to understand this.