The Lighter, Bloggier Side of The Lackey

Oh, Good Christ.  Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, aka "The Lackey" has launched a video blog.

Here's one copy that's been translated into English.

The only question I have is...where was Putin during all of this? 

Behind the camera?  To Medvedev's left, off camera, feeding him the words?  Or did he simply have one of his staff write up the speech, send it over to Medvedev's office in the Kremlin, with the firm assurance it would be read as written? 

Curious.  Because if this was intended to introduce Medvedev as a leader in his own right, and establish his own connection with the people, separate from his mandate from Putin, well...I just don't think he achieved that goal. 

And that would, in general, be the trouble when you're the puppet and someone else is the puppetmaster: No one's going to believe the puppet has their own ideas, or can even speak without assistance.