Keep in mind that the Bushes are not texans, they're new englanders, they're Boston Brahmin types. Bush only worked in Texas, he's still a Yankee.

Oh stop freaking out about Putin people, he brought this dog to many meeting with different leaders and it's a Labrador - family dog, one of the friendliest breeds you could imagine.

Koni, whatever else Putin might be, he's not stupid. He also is not above using any tool to gain an upper hand, particularly when negotiating with a Western leader. I don't care how friendly the breed or the individual dog, nor how irrational Merkel's fear may be, neither indicates that Putin didn't with malice aforethought decide to give her a dog AND bring his own dog into meetings with her.

Besides, Putin is a jerk of the first order.

I know he's not stupid. Koni is the dog's name btw. I have a black Labrador myself so maybe that's why I feel some sympathy, it's hardly a dog you could use in KGB-style interrogation/intimidation, or I don't know what people here imagine, because their line of reasoning seems to be 'Putin brings a black Labrador to the meeting = he's a neo stalinist = he want's to reinstate the soviet union'

I don't think most people go "Putin brings a black Labrador to the meeting = he's a neo stalinist = he want's to reinstate the soviet union."

I think people (or at the very least me) go

Putin knows that he's meeting with another leader and that the other leader has an IRRATIONAL fear of dogs.

Putin brings his dog. His dog will make the other leader very uncomfortable, Putin obviously having the upper hand.

To the objections to bringing his dog he just goes "oh, he's perfectly harmless, very friendly."

Conclusion: Putin doesn't play fair and preys on the fears of his opponents instead of creating a friendly atmosphere where there is give-and-take in discussion -fair playing field-. He probably thinks it's really funny that the chancellor's afraid of -his- perfectly friendly and harmless dog.

Inconsiderate jerk.

If you believe that dogs have a sense of what kind of person someone is, Putin is high caliber. The internet is loaded with Pooty-poot loving on dogs. I have no sympathy for Merkel. The fact that she doesn't like a lab says plenty about her. She doesn't care much for poor people either.

Putin is a good role model for physical fitness for his people too. Considering he was able to grab the reigns and stabilize his country after yeltsin the drunk's fire sale. His social programs leave plenty to be desired but he's done a very good job foreign policy wise.

EW66, I suspect you have it exactly right, particularly given that -- the horse was a Palimino, a particularly feisty breed.

My Father's mare Palomino had a colt when I was about five, and gave him to me. King grew to be 17 hands high and of course knew me well, but I never did *really* completely break him. Getting him bridled and saddled alone was always "exciting" -- I could ride him bareback with a rope halter and he was just fine, but it's a bit difficult to rope even a yearling from the (bare) back of a horse with only a halter! Not that having him bridled and saddled made him any more useful; he was pretty much useless as a cow horse.

Anyway, given my experience's with King, whom I didn't retire until I was a freshman or sophomore in university, I'm not about to criticize President Bush for declining what was, no doubt, a well-meant offer on the part of the Mexican President.

The intelligence briefs prepared for him were covered with biblical quotes even taken out of context. This allowed Rumsfeld, Feith, Cheney, and Wolfowitz to manipulate him.
I remember when he called the French President, Jacques Chirac in March 2003 and tried to get him on board with the war of terror upon iraq.
He said "Gog and Magog are at work in the Middle East. The biblical prophecies are being fulfilled. This confrontation is willed by God who wants this conflict to erase his people's enemy's before a new age begins".

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/columnists/richard-ingrams/richard-ingramsrsquos-week-blair-must-be-quizzed-over-bushs-biblical-crusade-1855418.html

Russia doesnt know anything of good governance. Autocracy and corruption are so widespread and ingrained into the societal fabric that all the populace can hope for is a "generous king" instead of the "oppressive tsar.' Peaceful transition is not a staple of the Russian diet.