Vladimir Putin staged an elaborate charade—so why did some western media outlets play along?
There was no election in Russia last weekend. There was no campaign. There were no debates, which was unsurprising, because no issues could be debated. Above all, there were no real candidates, bar one: the president of Russia, Vladimir Putin, the man who has just started his fifth, unconstitutional term in office.
Russians did line up at polling stations, but these were not actually polling stations. They were props in an elaborate piece of political theater, a months-long exercise in the projection of power and brutality. While that exercise unfolded, Putin’s only significant political opponent, Alexei Navalny, died under mysterious circumstances in a prison north of the Arctic Circle. Two Russian presidential candidates collected the requisite number of signatures to stand, both said they opposed the war in Ukraine, and both were removed from the ballot. Three practically unknown people were allowed to remain on the ballot, but they did not criticize Putin and did not oppose him in any way. One of them declared that he hoped Putin would win. In Russian-occupied Ukraine, men in balaclavas forced people to vote at gunpoint.
Some Western media nevertheless covered this orchestrated drama as if it really were an election. Reporters interviewed voters, cited “exit polls,” even commented on the “results,” as if these things mean anything in a country whose leadership lies openly about everything: economic statistics, war casualties, Russian history. Reuters ran a headline declaring Putin had won “in a landslide.” The earnest coverage was exactly what Putin hoped he would get.
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In other breaking news today, water is wet and pigs can’t fly
The news isn’t so much Putin’s foregone “reelection”, it’s how many news agencies in the west just go along with the charade.
No news agencies in the west believe this was an election that I am aware of.
Here’s the alert I got from Reuters Sunday afternoon:
Vladimir Putin scores landslide victory in Russian election with 87.8% of the vote, exit poll shows: Follow our live coverage
This is phrased as if there was an actual election. You’re right that if I delve deeper into their coverage I will see mention of how Vlad had all significant opponents barred from running or reference to ballot stuffing and other obvious manipulation, but most people I know just take headlines at face value and move on. I don’t want despots to be able to farce their way into legitimacy.
Fair. It’s just been known that they aren’t actual elections.
I do get your point that we are too polite in even calling it that, but it’s no secret that it’s a sham democracy.
Many people believe the propaganda, reputable media outlets shouldn’t parrot the talking points, it helps support the lie.
The Dutch news agency NOS published it something to the likes of “Putin wins ‘election’”. Not sensationalised and not “follow for more” stuff, and a shitton of factual criticism.
Pretty good reporting, given that they’ll still somewhat lean in to the charade just as they’re calling Putin a president, whilst he’s a dictator.
I don’t know, me personally from that title I inferred the “election” part of it because what democratic election, even actual landslides, win nearly 90% of the fucking votes lmao???
Clearly this is proof that the Russian election was free and fair
That pig looks pretty chill about the situation
Water isn’t inherently wet, it makes other things wet
Water molecules make other water molecules wet
Oh my
They do
but they’re still being made wet by the other water molecules and have no inherent wetness of their own
So… Water is wet, unless it’s water vapor and not in contact with other water molecules.
Kinda, water vapor is still water
but the water has no wetness of its own, it isn’t wet unless it’s in contact with more waterDo you often deal with lone molecules of liquid water?
Can’t say I do, but the water is only wet because it’s in contact with the rest of the water— it has no quality of wetness on its own, it can only make other things wet.
(is it even possible to get a lone molecule of liquid water? Like I thought the main three states of matter are decided by how molecules/atoms interact)
I don’t expect there are a whole lot of people to whom this is actually “news.” Russia barely even tried to hide the fact that this wasn’t an election, it was just an empty gesture. Everyone knows that.
The networks that played along did so for one of two reasons. First, a shocking number of western media outlets, generally the right-wing ones, are outwardly very Pro-Russia, and want to prop up the idea that Russia is somehow if not superior then at least well-functioning. This allows them to point at Biden’s presidency and say “Look how far we’ve fallen, while Trump’s best friend has risen so high!”
The rest of them, if not overtly pro-Russia, just wanted something to feed the 24 hour news cycle. They’ve got deadlines looming and need to grab those views, so to hell with credibility, push the story.
Almost like some kompromat is looming over their head
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I don’t agree with all your points but yes, the core of the GOP is heavily compromised and they’re using Kremlin tactics because they’re getting orders from the Kremlin.
