The political class has been hard at work this week coming up with bad opinions about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
SO WHAT
It’s no wonder Russian President Vladimir Putin thinks he can run his tanks over the international order, when these kinds of people are in charge of it.
WHAT THEY SAID
From Putin’s “long COVID” to “dark psychic forces,” here were 10 absurd takes on the outbreak of war in Ukraine — plus conservative commentary:
1. Matthew Dowd, an author and former politico
2. David Frum, an Atlantic staff writer and speechwriter for former President George W. Bush
3. Malcolm Nance, an MSNBC national security correspondent
4. Laurie Garrett, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist
5. Marianne Williamson, a self-help author and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate
6. AnnaLynne McCord, a Hollywood actress and activist
7. Markos Moulitsas, the founder of Daily Kos
8. Dave Portnoy, the founder of Barstool Sports
9. John Kerry, President Joe Biden’s climate envoy and a former U.S. senator
10. Cenk Uygur, the creator of “The Young Turks”
OK, BUT
Putin has also made some people in American politics look smarter in retrospect.
- Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, has been vindicated for his much-mocked 2012 warnings about the Russian threat.
- Former President Donald Trump has gotten new credit for his tough stance against Russian economic and military expansion.
- University of Chicago political scientist John Mearsheimer’s long-standing warnings that a denuclearized Ukraine would be “wrecked” by war with Russia have proved prophetic.