Quote from AAAintheBeltway:
Putin's appeal to the American people is audacious, to use a term Obama likes.
I think it is unprecedented, both in its very audaciousness and in the reaction. For most of our history, th eonly people who would have responded well to an appeal from the Russian leader would have been the Hollywood left, university dopes and members of the media. Ordinary rank and file citizens would have rejected it out of hand and would have been offended at what would seem an appeal to ddisloyalty.
Obama has managed to change all that. Many Americans actually trust Putin more than Obama. We know Putin is a KGB killer and thug, but at least he is rational. With Obama, you can't be sure.