As relations with Russia worsen, Bush asks Putin to family retreat

[TexasLawyer]

Source: Washington Post

As relations with Russia worsen, Bush asks Putin to family retreat
Peter Baker, Peter Finn, Washington Post

Thursday, May 31, 2007

04:00 PDT Washington -- President Bush opened a high-stakes campaign to repair the dramatically deteriorating U.S. relationship with Russia on Wednesday by inviting President Vladimir Putin to visit the Bush family compound in Kennebunkport, after weeks of rhetoric reminiscent of the Cold War.

The White House has grown increasingly alarmed at the harsh tone coming out of Moscow and its hardening positions on issues that include Iran's nuclear program, Kosovo statehood and missile defense. Bush administration officials said privately that the situation has reached a crisis stage and needs to be reversed before it gets worse.

Although the president's aides do not expect to resolve the stickiest issues dividing the two countries during the July 1-2 visit to the family retreat on the rocky Maine coast, they hope the relaxed setting will restore a constructive footing to U.S.-Russian relations. During more than six years in office, Bush has never asked a foreign leader to join him at his parents' seaside home until now, and aides hope Putin will be impressed with the show of intimacy.

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Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2007/05/31/MNGEDQ4A5I1.DTL&type=politics

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The good old "charm offensive." Works every time!

[no_hypocrisy]

1. "Aides hope Putin will be impressed with the show of intimacy."

Make that aides hope Putin will be too stupid to resist *'s attempt to manipulate him.

[NeedleCast]

2. Putin isn't any better

than G-dubs. I wouldn't be surprised at all if these two had a nice little phone call where they agreed to talk tough to each other for awhile so they can milk a few more percentage points of income for defense spending.

[DemoTex]

3. Both should bring tasters.

Know what I mean, Vern?

[TexasLawyer]

25. LOL!!!

[maddezmom]

4. Is he going to look into his eyes again?

:eyes:

[Pastiche423]

23. Like he did when he saw Pooty Poot's soul?

[htuttle]

5. A "Family retreat"?

Hey, I think I saw a scene like that in the Godfather. It didn't end well, IIRC...

[Giant Robot]

6. You're my brother Vlad, I would never hurt you

And then off for a fishing trip.

[tom_paine]

7. Bushler is going to let Putin "in on the game"

Now, don't get me wrong, Bushler and Putin are BOTH BAD GUYS. However, it may be that the Royal Bushies are having Pooty-Poot up their in the sanctum of evil to let Pooty-Poot know "he's one of them".

Of course, Comrade Putin will see through them, being an ex-KGB man makes him uniquely qualified to deal with State Gangsters (like the KGB which he was a part of) like the Royal Bushies, but it may not matter if Pooty-Poot is sold on getting an economic piece of the crumbling US Treasury.

He may sell his own peasants out as easily as the Royal Bushies sell US out, or he may be interested in furthering the New Cold War for his own ends, or like any criminal, he may chafe at taking orders or even advice from other criminals like the Royal Bushies.

Putin is going to be made an offer "he can't refuse", but of all the Bush Victims in the world, Pooty-Poot is already a Master Crminal in his own right and may decide to take his own way rather than be second banana to the Bushies.

[TheLastMohican]

14. Are you kidding me?

Putin has nothing to gain from Bush briberies.

Russia is 400 billion in surpluses while US is 69 trillion in debt. Russian business started to aggressively pursue economic assets in North America. It is the survival of the fittest and the russians learned well from the past mistakes. But Putin can sure as hack sell Bush the rope to hang.

[ejbr]

8. It seems as if Putin wants * to change things,

then he should refuse the invitation until * CHANGES things! (I love this asterisk thing, who thunk it up?)

[ramapo]

10. Will Daddy be there?

I guess it is actually Daddy's house. It would be good to have an adult present when Junior stares deep into Putin's eyes. Will Putin tell Junior to get our f'ing bases off the Russian doorstep?

[ejbr]

11. I HOPE Daddy's there!

Gosh, I never thought I would hope for the presence of Bush 41, but by golly where the f*ck is he?!!

[Nickster]

9. Does that meand that Dubya is going to hold hands with Puti-Poot like he did for the Saudis?

[druidqueen]

12. Oh, no!!!!!!!!!

Well, since I both live and work in the Kennebunk area, July
1st & 2nd will be an absolute nightmare as "W"
races through town well above the speed limit in his armored
black suburbans with secret service hanging out the open
windows with rifles at the ready!!!!

Over 12,000 Mainers (me included) have signed & presented
an impeachment petition to our state legislature in Augusta,
Maine.  "W" is not very welcome in these parts!!! 
Roads are closed & traffic stalled or diverted many miles
out of the way to make room for him to come speeding through
town.  With gas prices in excess of $3.05 per gallon, I just
love having to either be stopped in traffic for 45 minutes or
forced to drive 20 miles out of my way so he can ignore the
speed limits!!!  When daddy was the prez, we didn't have to go
through this; but then "W' is a bit paranoid......

[cliss]

18. Hi, Druidqueen and

welcome to the DU!!!:smoke:

Really nice job with the impeachment petition. Really, really awesome. Thanks on my behalf who can't be there (in Portland OR)

[MetaTrope]

13. Wonder if he'll make the same threats that have brought the Democratic senators to heel

I remember all those "intimate" meetings he had with them in the early months of his grab for power...

[truthisfreedom]

15. "Family retreat" is an euphemism.

bush crime family.

[tanyev]

16. Oh, he wants to get another sense of Putin's soul.

That Dubya, he sure can read people, huh?

[TheLastMohican]

19. I doubt Bush can see anything

Putin is leaving office soon with all-time highest rating in the office by a Russian politician. Something Dubya can only dream about.

[Doctor_J]

17. Someone suggested (I think it was Malloy)

that Pooty-poot has already been to the Pig Farm and Camp David. By going to Kinnebunkport he will have completed the tour of Bush Compounds, one of the few to do so. I think maybe you get a mug at each stop, and when you've collected all three they're worth more on e-bay.

[MisterP]

24. yeah, Putin took his saddle and was horrified to find not a single horse on 1,600 acres!!!

he reported the Tsarevitch was actually AFRAID of them! Vicente Fox was disappointed in an idential way in '01.

[kitty1]

20. Let's just hope he doesn't thump his chest yelling I'm the President

like he did recently in front of his Texan friends.
I guess some Maine Lobster and lemon Cellos should keep Putin happy and in line.

[gulfcoastliberal]

21. Golly, I'd say test firing new ICBMs could indicate a slight decline in relations, huh?

Putin did say it was a direct response to the *co "new" star wars plans.

[kitty1]

22. Putin is pissed that Bush is not honoring the CFE treaty which...

limits the use of heavy non nuclear weapons across the continent. While Russia has abided by these terms and ratified the treaty so far, The U.S. is going full steam ahead with plans to install missile installations all over Eastern Europe.
Putin can't be expected to just sit around and do nothing in return.
I wonder what Georgie is planning to bribe Putin with to lay off a bit. Maybe the same package they offered Tony.