Putin/Trump: A Tale of Two New Year Addresses

By Finian Cunningham

January 07, 2019 "Information Clearing House" -     Russian President Vladimir Putin gave an intelligent, heartfelt and generous address to all Russians for the New Year. His words contained wisdom and original inspiration, spoken eloquently and at length, seemingly without cue cards.

By contrast, US President Donald Trump gave a churlish, selfish and shallow greeting to “some” of his citizens, a partisan address that was replete with divisiveness, militaristic jingoism and a few token words of cheer thrown in.

The two contrasting styles, and substance, say everything about the two political cultures. Russia’s is mature and intelligent. America’s, especially under Trump, has become openly self-centered, superficial and aggressive.

For starters, Putin gave a nationwide televised address in which he spoke from the Kremlin fluently for nearly four minutes without a single word misplaced. He was speaking from outdoors as could be seen from his exhaled breath touching the frigid air.

For his part, Trump didn’t actually give a nationwide New Year speech. The nearest thing was a 20-second soundbite from the White House lawn in which he wished everyone to have a “good party” while, in self-pitying tone, he added that he would be working in the Oval Office.

Later, the US president gave a phone-in interview to his favorite TV channel, Fox News, whose anchorman was reporting from reveling in New York City’s Times Square. The interview lasted for nearly nine minutes.

So, we may deduce that for all those American citizens who don’t tune into Fox, they didn’t receive a New Year greeting from their president. Not a propitious beginning for the year ahead.

Then there were the issues of style, substance and tone. Putin spoke from the heart beginning with his inclusive opening, “Dear Russians, dear friends.”