John McCain has taken a page out of Vladimir Putin’s book just one week after the Russian president posted a biting op-ed in the New York Times, writing his own piece for the Russian news site Pravda.
McCain accused Putin of ruling through violence, intimidation and repression in a searing response to Putin’s own editorial last week in The New York Times.
McCain launched his attack from the first paragraph writing:
“Since my purpose here is to dispel falsehoods used by Russia’s rulers to perpetuate their power and excuse their corruption, let me begin with that untruth. I am not anti-Russian. I am pro-Russian, more pro-Russian than the regime that misrules you today.”
McCain went on to write:
“President Putin and his associates do not believe in these values. They don’t respect your dignity or accept your authority over them. They punish dissent and imprison opponents. They rig your elections. They control your media. They harass, threaten, and banish organizations that defend your right to self-governance. To perpetuate their power they foster rampant corruption in your courts and your economy and terrorize and even assassinate journalists who try to expose their corruption.”
He concluded by noting:
“I believe in your right to make a civilization worthy of your dreams and sacrifices. When I criticize your government, it is not because I am anti-Russian. It is because I believe you deserve a government that believes in you and answers to you. And, I long for the day when you have it.”
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