[UA] Russian Demagoguery

[Maksim Stseglov]

De-lurking here...

Zhirinovsky is one of the strangest characters in the Russian politics.

On one side, his actions cause wild laughter - he's been carousing with an 
Italian porn star to increase his appeal to general public, has hit another 
member of Russian parliament in the face and pulled her hair. He has been 
known to promise that when he comes to power, he will wash his feet in the 
Indian Ocean (not sure what he means by that). His appearances on Russian TV 
are watched with interest as all are waiting to hear the next hilarious 
thing he will say.

On the other side, he's holding some rather scary views - he's a radical, if 
you believe his press statements. He said that Russia should take back by 
force all the republics that fell away in early nineties, should isolate 
itself from the West, should wipe out Chechnya etc.

On a completely different note, his party is the political prostitute of the 
Russian Duma. When somebody needs a law pushed through, they come to him, 
give him money and his party (10%) votes the way they should, while 
Zhirinovsky himself wheels and deals with the other parties' members. This 
is how he keeps himself in the money, according to Moscow rumors.

Overall, he really screams for publicity, frequently contradicts himself, is 
held as the Joker of the court in parliament, personally led a party 
demonstration under the slogan "Good chechen is a dead chechen" and yet 
manages to win enough votes to have 10% of the parliament.

Avatar of Fool? Two-Faced Man? Demagogue? Somebody who's failed a lot of 
Self checks? Or a very intelligent man doing it all for the show?

Hmm... He could be an un-believing Avatar of any of these, I guess.

Favorite true story about him -

Zhirinovsky appeared on Russian celbrity version of "Who Wants To Be a 
Millionaire?". He was asked what type of power stations provided Russia with 
most energy - hydro-, nuclear etc. His answer was incorrect and when the 
presenter informed him of it, he shrugged and responded :

"Just one phone call, and my answer will be correct. Do you want me to make 
it?"

Maksim.
"Reality is stranger than fiction, because fiction has to sell."

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