Putin: One of a Kind

Vladimir Putin is a man of few words. However, when he does speak, he does it with conviction and determination. Even though he is only 5′7″ tall, his presence is overwhelming. His most powerful weapon, apart from his brain, is his eyes. Even on television his eyes have been known to mesmerize and demand attention from his audience. But apart from these things, what makes him so special? What makes him the likable person that most Russians know today? What sets Putin apart from other politicians? Observing Vladimir Putin, one can see that aspects from both his political and personal life have captured the heart of a nation.

It is not often that we see politicians in the media spotlight for something other than politics. However, Putin breaks this mold. He is often the target of the media during his Judo lessons. He even has his own instructional Judo video. Since Judo literally means “a gentle way to victory,” Vladimir Putin likes to compare it to his political style. He implies that there is no need to take the more difficult route when you have nothing to gain from it. This year he proposed to give Judo lessons to French President Nicholas Sarkozy. Sarkozy never responded, and it is safe to think that he never will. The Russian citizens knew their President was tough, but they solidified that claim even further when their President saved the lives of two reporters from a Siberian Tiger.

The tiger escaped from a nearby zoo, and charged at the reporters, but caused no damage because Putin was able to tranquilize him before he had the chance to attack. The Russian media had a field day with the story. It was reported on every Russian news station, as well as news stations around the world. Ironically, for his last birthday which was on October 7th, he received a tiger cub as a present. Putin decided to keep his new pet at the zoo, rather than at his house. However, this does not compare to his previous birthday present, when Putin was named the 2007 Person of the Year by Time Magazine for his outstanding work as the Russian President. Time Magazine went even as far as to call Putin “Russia’s new Tsar.”

For the magazine, Putin posed shirtless while fishing in Siberia. While Putin was 55 years old, he still had the confidence to show off his body, and he had nothing to be ashamed off. His biceps looked to be those of a professional body builder, while his chest was firmly toned for a 55 year old man. This showed yet another side of Putin which everyone knew existed but never really saw. The pictures made Putin even more favorable amongst the Russians. To them he was truly a one of a kind. He was surging with confidence, and this confidence symbolized his Russia. Putin cleverly used this confidence in his politics and made Russia a major power in the world once again.