Burying 'Trumpomania,' Kremlin TV says Trump scarier than North Korean leader

[webfact]

Burying 'Trumpomania,' Kremlin TV says Trump scarier than North Korean leader

By Andrew Osborn

REUTERS

 

U.S. President Donald Trump waits for the arrival of Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi at the White House in Washington, U.S., April 3, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Barria/Files

 

MOSCOW (Reuters) - As Russian hopes of swift detente under President Donald Trump have fizzled, state media, which hailed his election win, have made a U-turn. On Sunday, they said he was scarier than North Korea's Kim Jong-Un.

 

Trump's decision to launch a missile strike against Syria, a Russian ally, drop a giant bomb on Afghanistan, and stick with Obama-era policies on Crimea, mean Russian hopes of him befriending the Kremlin have been on the slide for a while.

 

If state TV is a guide, his tough talk on North Korea's nuclear programme and decision to despatch a naval strike force to the region appear to have buried any Russian hopes that he might intervene less in foreign affairs than his predecessors.

 

Dmitry Kiselyov, anchor of Russia's main weekly TV news show "Vesti Nedeli," on the Rossiya 1 channel, is widely seen as the top pro-Kremlin presenter. He had already began to dial back the Trumpomania and start criticising the U.S. president.

 

But on Sunday, his first broadcast since Rex Tillerson's maiden visit to Moscow as U.S. secretary of state, Kiselyov, who once praised Trump for his "independence" from the U.S. political establishment, removed the proverbial gloves.

 

"The world is a hair's breadth from nuclear war," said Kiselyov. "War can break out as a result of confrontation between two personalities; Donald Trump and Kim Jong-Un. Both are dangerous, but who is more dangerous? Trump is."

 

Kiselyov went on to say that Trump was "more impulsive and unpredictable" than the North Korean and to say both men shared some of the same negative traits: "Limited international experience, unpredictability, and a readiness to go to war."

 

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to say whether Kiselyov's views chimed with the Kremlin's, but said his opinions weren't necessarily always interchangeable with the official position. "His position is close, but not every time," said Peskov.

 

The fact that Kiselyov is being given free rein to use such tough rhetoric about Trump is nonetheless likely to reflect how deep the Kremlin's anger runs about what it sees as Trump's failure to deliver on his pledge of better ties with Moscow.

 

Speaking in front of a picture of the North Korean leader and military commanders juxtaposed next to Trump's image, Kiselyov said Kim Jong-Un was less scary than the U.S. president because he was ready for talks, had not attacked other countries, and had not sent a naval armada to the U.S. coast.

 

"He (Kim Jong-Un) is after all on his home territory. He doesn't plan to attack anyone just for the sake of it," said Kiselyov, who was a cheerleader for state TV's strong anti-American tone under the Obama administration and once said Moscow could turn the United States into radioactive ash.

 

Delivering a personal jibe, Kiselyov sarcastically told viewers that the North Korean leader's young daughter did not, unlike Ivanka Trump, have an office in her father's official residence.

 

Other state-controlled and pro-Kremlin media have walked back their initial euphoria for Trump in recent weeks too, but Kiselyov tends to set the tone for everyone else and his intervention is the most robust on Trump yet.

 

RUSSIANS GO COLD ON TRUMP

 

Polls suggest state TV's U-turn over Trump has filtered through to the public, most of whom get their news from TV.

 

A survey by state pollster VTsIOM showed on Monday that the percentage of Russians who hold a negative view of Trump has jumped to 39 from seven percent in a month, and that feelings of distrust and disappointment towards him have grown too.

 

"The U.S. missile strike on Syria was a 'cold shower' for many Russians," said Valery Fedorov, the pollster's general director.

 

"Donald Trump's aggressive behaviour has resurrected distrust and ill-will towards America, something that has characterised Russian society for the last two decades."

 

Despite annexing Ukraine's Crimea region in 2014 and continuing to back pro-Russian separatists in east Ukraine, Moscow has long criticised successive U.S. presidents for interfering in other countries' affairs.

 

Like many others, it bought into Trump's pre-election "America First" rhetoric. Though things have not worked out as it hoped, officials say they still want to try to improve ties with the United States, something they badly need to try to get financial sanctions imposed over Ukraine eased.

 

The Kremlin realises however, those same officials say, that the process will be harder and take longer than originally thought and the result is likely to be more limited in scope.

 

Officials privately say they regard many of Trump's policy positions as no different to, or tougher than, Obama's.

 

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov criticised Pyongyang for its "reckless nuclear actions" on Monday, but made clear Moscow wanted Trump to de-escalate.

 

"I really hope that the kind of unilateral action we recently saw in Syria won't happen (in North Korea) and that the USA will follow the line which President Trump repeatedly set out during his pre-election campaign," said Lavrov.

 

(Additional reporting by Maria Tsvetkova and Polina Devitt; Editing by Anna Willard)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-04-18

[rijb]

Warning!  Hacking an election can have unpredictable results.

[Credo]

Russia will have to learn that regime change does not always produce a positive result.   

[silverhawk_usa]

As usual, the headline is false and is not reflected in the article.   A newscaster on Russia TV made a stupid comment, as they do on Western TV. It was not made by "the Kremlin".  Just read the article.......

" Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to say whether Kiselyov's views chimed with the Kremlin's, but said his opinions weren't necessarily always interchangeable with the official position. "His position is close, but not every time," said Peskov. "

[janclaes47]

6 minutes ago, silverhawk_usa said:

As usual, the headline is false and is not reflected in the article.   A newscaster on Russia TV made a stupid comment, as they do on Western TV. It was not made by "the Kremlin".  Just read the article...

The lefties must get desperate

[boomerangutang]

Are Russian Trump fans smarter or stupider than American Trump fans?

 

Let's see:  a sizable portion of American voters got duped into getting behind a proven shyster. That culminated in Trump getting the nod in November 2016.

 

At the same time, sizable portion of Russians also thought Trump would be good for them.

 

Now, 5 months later, about 20% of US Trump voters are realizing what a dangerous dufus Trump is.  (btw, every other American knew that years ago, but that's tangential to my point).

 

And similarly a portion of Russian Trump fans are fading on him.  

 

Because the portion of Russians who are seeing the light is greater than the portion of Trump voters, then I guess that shows Russians are smarter than Americans.   

 

                   However, overall, it's a sad commentary on both Americans' and Russians' intelligence (and lack thereof) - that so many people were duped by the dufus.  Both the US and Russia, among other countries, will be sorely debilitated due to Trump's presidency.    America's Trump voters are more directly to blame, though Russian secret agents had a hand in the game.

[Srikcir]

39 minutes ago, silverhawk_usa said:

As usual, the headline is false and is not reflected in the article.   A newscaster on Russia TV made a stupid comment, as they do on Western TV. It was not made by "the Kremlin".  Just read the article.......

" Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to say whether Kiselyov's views chimed with the Kremlin's, but said his opinions weren't necessarily always interchangeable with the official position. "His position is close, but not every time," said Peskov. "

Or read this:

"Dmitry Kiselyov, anchor of Russia's main weekly TV news show "Vesti Nedeli," on the Rossiya 1 channel, is widely seen as the top pro-Kremlin presenter. "

[boomerangutang]

                  Will Trump stand in front of a mic and read the latest Kremlin TV message?  That's what Trump did during the campaign.  He would read articles verbatum, straight out of the Kremlin's Sputnik newspaper - to his adoring, gun-hugging, incitable fans.  

 

                Then he would close by saying, "maybe the second amenders can take care of her."   BTW, the Sputnik article that Trump read aloud several times was provably false.  He either didn't know it, or he purposefully read Russian propaganda to a wide audience of US rednecks.   Either way, he made himself look like the dufus shyster he is.

[blazes]

A lot of people voted for Trump partly b/c of the horrendous alternative in HRC.  But partly, if not mainly, cos they believed his pledge to "drain the swamp". 

 

No matter what your education, you know when someone has let you down badly.  "I will drain the swamp," Trump repeated, but he did not go on to say "Instead, I will re-fill it with different swamp creatures, but they will all come from the same grand-daddies,  Mr Goldman and  Mr Sachs."

[elgordo38]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Dmitry Kiselyov, anchor of Russia's main weekly TV news show "Vesti Nedeli," on the Rossiya 1 channel, is widely seen as the top pro-Kremlin presenter.

Your guarantee of a long prosperous life comrade. You will not need a food tester or someone to check your radiation levels. 

Edited April 18, 2017 by elgordo38

[elgordo38]

5 hours ago, rijb said:

Warning!  Hacking an election can have unpredictable results.

Politics friend today foe tomorrow. 

[Srikcir]

2 hours ago, blazes said:

A lot of people voted for Trump partly b/c of the horrendous alternative in HRC.  But partly, if not mainly, cos they believed his pledge to "drain the swamp". 

 

No matter what your education, you know when someone has let you down badly.  "I will drain the swamp," Trump repeated, but he did not go on to say "Instead, I will re-fill it with different swamp creatures, but they will all come from the same grand-daddies,  Mr Goldman and  Mr Sachs."

Good points. People didn't vote for Trump for his very sketchy foreign policy but for domestic populist policies that would increase employment, improve income equality and provide for more affordable healthcare. To that degree supporters cared less to his fabrications and alternative truths.

[dunroaming]

Of course Trump is more dangerous than Kim.  They are both nuts but Trump is well ahead of his North Korean chum.

[Srikcir]

4 minutes ago, dunroaming said:

Of course Trump is more dangerous than Kim.  They are both nuts but Trump is well ahead of his North Korean chum.

Trump may be nuts but he's an American nut.

How many assassinations has Trump carried out to gain and keep power?

What countries has Trump declared war against and threatened with nuclear attacks?

Does the US military owe its allegiance to Trump?

Etc.

Thanks for the Troll.

 

 

[dunroaming]

18 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

Trump may be nuts but he's an American nut.

How many assassinations has Trump carried out to gain and keep power?

What countries has Trump declared war against and threatened with nuclear attacks?

Does the US military owe its allegiance to Trump?

Etc.

Thanks for the Troll.

 

 

Well I do concede that it is early days for Trump whereas Kim has been just continuing the North Korean tradition of threatening and then doing nothing when it comes to it.  Nothing much has changed in NK, it has been testing it's missiles and working towards nuclear power for years now.  Trump on the other hand is ranting and raving and dropping bombs without much thought of the consequences (or so it seems).  You rightly say that Trump is an American nut but does he represent the wishes of the American people?  

[Grumpy Duck]

5 hours ago, boomerangutang said:

Are Russian Trump fans smarter or stupider than American Trump fans?

 

Let's see:  a sizable portion of American voters got duped into getting behind a proven shyster. That culminated in Trump getting the nod in November 2016.

 

At the same time, sizable portion of Russians also thought Trump would be good for them.

 

Now, 5 months later, about 20% of US Trump voters are realizing what a dangerous dufus Trump is.  (btw, every other American knew that years ago, but that's tangential to my point).

 

And similarly a portion of Russian Trump fans are fading on him.  

 

Because the portion of Russians who are seeing the light is greater than the portion of Trump voters, then I guess that shows Russians are smarter than Americans.   

 

                   However, overall, it's a sad commentary on both Americans' and Russians' intelligence (and lack thereof) - that so many people were duped by the dufus.  Both the US and Russia, among other countries, will be sorely debilitated due to Trump's presidency.    America's Trump voters are more directly to blame, though Russian secret agents had a hand in the game.

I think many voters are having remorse for supporting the con artist in chief. but I also think many were just so sick of politics as usual they saw a difference and followed it... This was the worst election in US history. The worst choices provided ever.

[dunroaming]

7 minutes ago, Grumpy Duck said:

I think many voters are having remorse for supporting the con artist in chief. but I also think many were just so sick of politics as usual they saw a difference and followed it... This was the worst election in US history. The worst choices provided ever.

And now the worse possible outcome...

[silverhawk_usa]

6 hours ago, Srikcir said:

Or read this:

"Dmitry Kiselyov, anchor of Russia's main weekly TV news show "Vesti Nedeli," on the Rossiya 1 channel, is widely seen as the top pro-Kremlin presenter. "

"Is widely seen as" does not make him official.  You could say Fox News is widely seen as the top pro Trump presenter.  I stand by my quote which clearly states his quotes are not necessarily those of the Kremlin. 

[silverhawk_usa]

2 hours ago, Srikcir said:

Trump may be nuts but he's an American nut.

How many assassinations has Trump carried out to gain and keep power?

What countries has Trump declared war against and threatened with nuclear attacks?

Does the US military owe its allegiance to Trump?

Etc.

Thanks for the Troll.

 

 

Give him time..... :)

[blazes]

2 hours ago, Srikcir said:

Trump may be nuts but he's an American nut.

 

 

 

This reminds me of the American president (possibly FDR) who said of some Latin American dictator, "he may be a sonofabitch, but he's OUR sonofabitch".

[Dumbastheycome]

5 hours ago, Grumpy Duck said:

I think many voters are having remorse for supporting the con artist in chief. but I also think many were just so sick of politics as usual they saw a difference and followed it... This was the worst election in US history. The worst choices provided ever.

Now  isn't  that   interesting ?

Worst "provided "  choices !

Americans  need  to  think  hard  and  long  about    just  that!

[iReason]

4 hours ago, silverhawk_usa said:

As usual, the headline is false and is not reflected in the article.   A newscaster on Russia TV made a stupid comment, as they do on Western TV. It was not made by "the Kremlin".  Just read the article.......

" Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to say whether Kiselyov's views chimed with the Kremlin's, but said his opinions weren't necessarily always interchangeable with the official position. "His position is close, but not every time," said Peskov. "

Must read on:

 

"The fact that Kiselyov is being given free rein to use such tough rhetoric about Trump is nonetheless likely to reflect how deep the Kremlin's anger runs about what it sees as Trump's failure to deliver on his pledge of better ties with Moscow."

 

"A survey by state pollster VTsIOM showed on Monday that the percentage of Russians who hold a negative view of Trump has jumped to 39 from seven percent in a month, and that feelings of distrust and disappointment towards him have grown too."

[elgordo38]

22 hours ago, Srikcir said:

Good points. People didn't vote for Trump for his very sketchy foreign policy but for domestic populist policies that would increase employment, improve income equality and provide for more affordable healthcare. To that degree supporters cared less to his fabrications and alternative truths.

In this case there was no truth to set them free. Just free BS

[elgordo38]

11 hours ago, iReason said:

Must read on:

 

"The fact that Kiselyov is being given free rein to use such tough rhetoric about Trump is nonetheless likely to reflect how deep the Kremlin's anger runs about what it sees as Trump's failure to deliver on his pledge of better ties with Moscow."

 

"A survey by state pollster VTsIOM showed on Monday that the percentage of Russians who hold a negative view of Trump has jumped to 39 from seven percent in a month, and that feelings of distrust and disappointment towards him have grown too."

I think the words "state" pollster was the giveaway. 

[elgordo38]

19 hours ago, blazes said:

"he may be a sonofabitch, but he's OUR sonofabitch".

This has truly expanded since the days of FDR

[boomerangutang]

On 4/18/2017 at 0:08 PM, blazes said:

A lot of people voted for Trump partly b/c of the horrendous alternative in HRC.  But partly, if not mainly, cos they believed his pledge to "drain the swamp". 

No matter what your education, you know when someone has let you down badly.  "I will drain the swamp," Trump repeated, but he did not go on to say "Instead, I will re-fill it with different swamp creatures, but they will all come from the same grand-daddies,  Mr Goldman and  Mr Sachs."

I would give a 'like' to your opinion, except for you using the word 'horrendous' for HRC.  If you believe Trump's and Putin's lies about HRC, then I guess that would color your skewed view.  

More down to earth:  If you look at what HRC has done (and advocated for) during a decades-long career in public service, you'll see she's an upstanding statesperson. 

 

22 hours ago, dunroaming said:

Of course Trump is more dangerous than Kim.  They are both nuts but Trump is well ahead of his North Korean chum.

Potentially yes, Trump is more dangerous than Kim because the US has a more powerful array of weapons.  They're both nutzoid, tho in different ways.   Mental sicknesses manifest in various forms, including combinations thereof.  

 

Trump, to me, is like an American version of Mussolini.  Whereas Kim is more like Mao.

[jerojero]

Well Trump's love fest with and for Putin is officially over. After all public b's during the campaign and first month in office, Trump does another major about face. Surprise, surprise, surprise.

 

 

[boomerangutang]

7 hours ago, jerojero said:

Well Trump's love fest with and for Putin is officially over. After all public b's during the campaign and first month in office, Trump does another major about face. Surprise, surprise, surprise.

Who says it's over?  You?  They're both actors.  Trump is a card-carrying member of the Actors Guild.  Putin used to be head of KGB.  You think they're not capable of some role playing - to burnish their images?    Trump's primary aim, now, is to divert attention away from the probes into his treasonous activity.  Dropping big bombs and pretending to have a tiff with Putin are doing the trick.

[boomerangutang]

If there's anyone still in doubt whether Trump is a despicable person, try looking at this interview with him:

 

 

[jerojero]

Who says it's over?  You?  They're both actors.  Trump is a card-carrying member of the Actors Guild.  Putin used to be head of KGB.  You think they're not capable of some role playing - to burnish their images?    Trump's primary aim, now, is to divert attention away from the probes into his treasonous activity.  Dropping big bombs and pretending to have a tiff with Putin are doing the trick.

Trump isn't that smart to orchestrate such a ploy. He's not very shrewd. He's not that intelligent. Con man comes to mind.