The TrumpPutin relationship is examined. Russia. Putin has an untrammeled authority. I dont see any checks on his power. He is able to make singular, rapid decisions. The absolutism there is unlike anything ive ever seen in russia. All that power is propped up by an astonishing Approval Rating, over 80 . And thats according to american pollsters. Donald trump wins the presidency. But when the United States elected a new president , it looked like russia had fallen for a new leader. There were toasts all over moscow. At the parliament, known as the duma. On talk shows. And at bars. [ laughter ] we are the champions of the world but one man seemed utterly unsurprised by trumps victory. Hes happy to take credit. And that means that he won the u. S. Election. The man who is simultaneously president of russia and in charge of the United States. At the heart of all this are some deadly serious questions. Does Vladimir Putin have some kind of hold over donald trump . We simply dont know. But one reality is now Crystal Clear american intelligence has established that putin interfered with our election in
order to help donald trump. Mr. Putin did not agree to answer questions about this. But his closest aide, dmitry pesk peskov, did. The answer is, no. Youre humiliating yourselves saying that a country can intervene in your election process. America, a huge country, a country the most powerful country in the world, this is simply impossible. We will get at the truth of all this. But to do that, we need to go back, to the final days of the country Vladimir Putin loved. I think that down deep in putin there is this sense of extraordinary humiliation over the collapse of the soviet union. Because it wasnt just the soviet union. It was the russian empire. Putin returned home from his kgb posting in 1990 to a country he did not recognize. The ussr had been transformed by Mikhail Gorbachev and his policy of openness, known as glasnost. A lot of things happened very quickly. Cocacola, cocacola. A romance with things western. Freedom came fast, and it exposed the rock at the heart of soviet communism. Across the soviet union, Hundreds Of Thousands of people began demanding democracy and national independence. It was once again what putin feared most. The people. Rising up. And finally, the people won. Tonight in moscow at the kremlin, the red flag of the failed soviet union at last came down, and the flag of russia rose. 300 years of history erased. Soviet institutions like the kgb simply ceased to exist. Vladimir putin views the breakup of the soviet union as he said himself, to be the greatest geopolitical tragedy of the 20th century. It was a traumatic time. And it sparked a profound change in Vladimir Putin. He became a politician, deputy mayor in his hometown of st. Petersburg. It was not a big job, but putin
clearly had big dreams. He commissioned this rarelyseen documentary, about himself. Presenting Vladimir Putin, the credits read, in power. Weirdly, the soundtrack is from the broadway show cats. The ambitious putin may have already been looking toward moscow, because the russian people were desperate for strong leadership. Under president Boris Yeltsin, the new democracy was a mess. The entire soviet system, it just collapsed. The oligarchs, the men who profited on the spoils of communism became fantastically rich. Mercedes benz is selling more of its Top Line Cars in russia than in all of europe. But ordinary russians were sinking into desperate poverty. They would die of food shortages, even starvation. I dont know how to feed my kids without milk. I just dont know what were going to do. President Boris Yeltsin was in charge, but he seemed increasingly unstable. His drinking. Hes barely being propped up. Russians began calling for a new leader. Theyre tired of the embarrassments of yeltsin. Waiting in the wings was
Vladimir Putin. He had taken a job in moscow in the kremlin hierarchy, and he had risen through the ranks with lightning speed. From City Bureaucrat to kremlin superstar. He had just become acting Prime Minister when it became blindingly clear the country needed a new president. Yeltsin was ready to topple over, and they settled on putin because they knew yeltsin could retire and not be put in jail. Boris yeltsin was notoriously corrupt, but kremlin Power Brokers wanted to protect him. So a deal was made. A deal was made. [ Bells Tolling ] december 31st, 1999. The Surprise Announcement from Boris Yeltsin that he is resigning as president and turning over power to his Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin. In the very first moments of the 21st century, Vladimir Putin became president of russia. His first words . We live in a competitive world, and we are not among its leaders. And right away, putin began to change his country. He joined soldiers on the front lines of the war in chechnya. He reassured russians that better times were ahead. I think well get paid, and well have work. The country quickly fell in love with Vladimir Putin. The number one song in russia was called a man like putin. Hes just very, hes a beautiful man. But the Biggest Surprise . America also loved Vladimir Putin. President george w. Bush thought hed found a kindred spirit. I looked the man in the eye. I found him to be very straightforward and trustworthy. I was able to get a sense of his soul. Even hollywood fell for the new russian president. He bonded with stars at a charity dinner. But the honeymoon would soon come to a crashing halt. He was a kgb agent. By definition, he doesnt have a soul. How are you . So glad to see you. Next, when vladimir met hillary. Its important to remember how much he despised Hillary Clinton. Listerine® total care ps better than brushing alone. With 6 benefits in one, from Cavity Prevention to strengthening teeth. So instead of protection like this, you get protection like this. Listerine® total care. Bring out the bold. ™ its willingham, edge of the box, willingham shoots. Goooooooaaaaaaaallllllll that. Was. Magic. Willingham tucks it in and puts the championship to bed. Sweet dreams, nighty night. As long as Soccer Players celebrate with a slide, you can count on geico saving folks money. Fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more
on car insurance. Pressure, what pressure . The players on the. Its a hightech revolution in sleep. The new sleep number 360 smart bed. It intelligently senses your movement and automatically adjusts on each side to keep you both comfortable. And snoring . How smart is that . Smarter sleep. To help you lose your dad bod, train for that marathon, and wake up with the patience of a saint. The new sleep number 360 smart bed, from 999. Smarter sleep will change your life. Ancestrydna can pinpoint where your ancestors are from. And the paths they took, to a new home. Could their journey inspire yours . Order your kit at ancestrydna. Com. A book that youre ready to share with the world . Get published now, call for your free publisher kit today how many times will she leave her mark . How many times will she Light Up The World . This is the woman. At the heart of the Hacking Scandal that rocked the 2016 president ial election was an old grudge. Ladies and gentlemen, my mother, my hero, and our next president , Hillary Clinton. This is my fight song it went beyond ideology. It was personal. This is my fight song Vladimir Putin was not a fan of Hillary Clinton. Of course putin wanted Hillary Clinton to lose. He hated Hillary Clinton. Prime minister, we have a lot of problems. The tension between the leaders had been brewing for years. In 2001, another american leader, george w. Bush, vouched for putin. I was able to get a sense of his soul. Thank you thank you but on the Campaign Trail in 2008, hillary had a different take. I could have told him, he was a kgb agent. By definition, he doesnt have a soul. I mean, this is a waste of time, right . Translator ms. Clinton said that you as a former kgb agent by definition can have no soul. Putins reply . Statesmen shouldnt be guided by their hearts. They should use their heads. Clinton had a lot of tough words for putin over the years. Hes a very arrogant person to deal with. We have to stand up to his bullying. He is somebody who will take as much as he possibly can. But it was what happened in 2011 that marked a point of no return. It began with the arab spring protests early that year. The kind of Popular Uprising that putin dreaded. He begins to see himself through the eyes of hosni mubarak. Mubarak of egypt was facing prosecution. Syria Bashar Al Assad was on the ropes. Libyas strong man, Moammar Gadhafi met a particularly gruesome fate. Brutally killed after begging for his life. Putin may have feared the same
bloody fate for himself. Just a few weeks later, rebellion arrived in russia. Tens of thousands rallied in the streets of moscow. The biggest protest there since the fall of the soviet union. People were hanging off lampposts. People were in the streets. Really shocking. Putin was now living the same nightmare he had endured as a kgb officer in east germany in 1989. This time in his own backyard. And he wasnt even president at the time. He was Prime Minister. Having handed the presidency over to his associate, dimitri medvedev. As the winter got longer and longer and colder and colder, the protests got bigger and bigger. As putin saw people turning against him, Hillary Clinton weighed in. The russian people, like people everywhere, deserve the right to have their voices heard and their votes counted. When putin hears Something Like that, i imagine he hears bush talking about saddam hussein. He hears that as, theyre coming for me. Theyre trying to drive me from power. What the hell do you know about my people and whether they deserve to have their voices heard, like ill tell you if they should have their voices heard. Russians had a lot of reasons to be angry. That fall it was announced that putin would run for president
again, for a third time. That meant he could potentially rule russia until 2024. Some people said, oh my god, im going to die with this guy in power. A few months later, the elections for russias parliament were a farce. We do have serious concerns about the conduct of the elections. Hillary clinton called out the election, really. I dont think she realized quite how badly that was going to go down. With his back against the wall, putin turned the tables. He blamed the protests on Hillary Clinton. Claiming that she was the one who incited them with her complaints about the election. There are growing restrictions on the exercise of fundamental rights. Quote unquote, she sent a signal, that was his words. Putins strategy propelled him to victory. In march 2012, he won reelection handily. Fighting back tears after a tense fight to maintain his power. He may have won the day. Hillary hillary but Vladimir Putin never forgot about the woman who kicked him when he was down. Do you think he resolved, you interfered with my elections, two can play at this game . I think thats the line of
thinking that led him to the intervention. Beginning as early as 2015. Putin personally ordered a Massive Influence Campaign to sway the 2016 election towards trump. According to the cia, the fbi, and the nsa. Why . In part, because he holds a grudge against clinton for her actions in 2011. The alleged operation was sophisticated and multifacetted. An army of internet trolls, bankrolled by billions of dollars, launched attacks against clinton, in social media, using ads in key swing states. Theyre smart enough to know that social media is the way to touch americans personally. 13 russians have been indicted by special Counsel Robert Mueller in connection with the operation. And elite hackers linked to russian intelligence pillaged the emails of the Democratic National committee and the
Clinton Campaign, releasing embarrassing information, with devastating results. Wikileaks has released another round of stolen emails the Clinton Campaign knows this is a trump dream come true. Several more russians were indicted for that operation. Donald trump was delighted by clintons misfortunes. Russia, if youre listening, i hope youre able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing. Donald j. Trump will become the 45th president of the United States. D in the end, americas election went putins way. I just received a call from secretary clinton. Hillary clinton was quite negative about our country, her attitude. It Wouldnt Be Bad to get along with russia, right . Wouldnt be bad. And to the contrary, the
other candidate, donald trump, said we have to find some understanding. When people like me, i like them. Even putin. We like better. This was not the outcome we wanted. Hillary clinton suffered one of the most shocking defeats in american history. I know how disappointed you feel because i feel it, too. At least in part, because of the alleged hacking operation. This was painful. And it will be for a long time. Putin had apparently avenged his old grudge. So help me god. Congratulations, mr. President. And he may have achieved even more. The 45th president of the United States. If donald trump is in some way compromised. If the russian government has something that it feels it has on him in terms of leverage, thats a very serious thing. I dont suggest for a second that i have the answer to this question, but we cant just let this matter drop. Up next a Prominent Russian opposition figure has been shot and killed. Four of the shots hit him in the back. Right out in the open. Just blocks from the kremlin. The story Vladimir Putin might want the world to forget. It was here. I couldnt catch my breath. It was the last song of the night. It felt like my heart was skipping beats. They said i had afib. Whats afib . I knew that meant i was at a greater risk of stroke. I needed answers. My doctor and i chose xarelto® to help keep me protected from a stroke. Oncedaily xarelto®, a latestgeneration Blood Thinner significantly lowers the risk of stroke in people with afib not caused by a heart valve problem. Warfarin interferes with at least 6 of your bodys natural bloodclotting factors. Xarelto® is selective, targeting just one critical factor. For afib patients well managed on warfarin, there is limited information on how xarelto® compares in reducing the risk of stroke. Dont stop taking xarelto® without talking to your doctor, as this may increase your risk of stroke. While taking, you may bruise more easily, or take longer for bleeding to stop. Xarelto® can cause serious, and in rare cases, fatal bleeding. It may increase your risk of bleeding if you take certain medicines. Get help right away for unexpected bleeding or unusual bruising. Do not take xarelto® if you have an Artificial Heart Valve or abnormal bleeding. Before starting, tell your doctor about all planned medical or dental procedures and any kidney or liver problems. Learn all you can to help protect yourself from a stroke. Talk to your doctor about xarelto®. And im the founder of ugmonk. Before shipstation it was crazy. Its great when you see a hundred orders come in, a hundred orders come in, but then you realize ive got a hundred orders i have to ship out. Shipstation streamlined that wh the order data, the weights of , everything is seamlessly put into shipstation, so when we print the shipping ll everythings pretty much done. Its so much easier so now, were ready, bring on t. Shipstation. The number one ch of online sellers. Go to shipstation. Com tv and get two months free. A man and woman walk across the bridge right next to the kremlin. A highlymonitored area, littered with surveillance cameras. All those cameras, but amazingly, this grainy, faraway video is the only footage that exists of a critical moment in recent russian history. Inside the circle of what a moscow tv station purports to be Boris Nemtsov and his girlfriend. Nemtsov was a force, the well known Opposition Leader who led the protests in 2011. The station says while this snowplow hides the two from cameras view, nemtsov was killed, shot four times in the back. A Prominent Russian opposition figure has been killed. Four shots, in the back. Just blocks from the kremlin. So who murdered Boris Nemtsov . Vladimir putin condemned the
killing, calling it shameful and impudent. And five chechens are currently on trial for murder, but the Court Case Plods along. In the meantime, doubts remain. The assassination was extremely professional. Reporter a russianborn journalist says that only one group could be that professional. Nemtsovs girlfriend, who he was walking with, didnt realize he had been shot until the car was already driving off. It was quick and professional, and nobody has that kind of training outside the government. Senator john mccain takes it one step further. Vladimir putin is a thug and a murderer and a killer, and a kgb agent. He had Boris Nemtsov murdered in the shadow of the kremlin. This is personal insult. This is lousy behavior from a political spokesperson. Its nonsense, its nonsense. Theres nothing to comment on. Over the course of putins time in power, his regime has been accused of involvement in the deaths of many of its critics, including the journalist anna politkovskaya, and a former kgb agent. Some experts say theres dozens more like them. And then, theres those that live to tell. The man seen in this surveillance foot only at a u. K. Convenience score is sergei schiphol, an exrussian spy. He moved here to salisbury, england, eight years ago, after being released from prison in moscow, where he was convicted of Selling Secrets to britains mi6. In march, schiphol and his
daughter, julia, were found unconscious on a bench in salisbury. Police concluded that the pair had been poisoned with a militarygrade nerve agent. While both survived, u. K. Authorities placed the blame squarely on one person. It is tragic that President Putin has chosen to act in this way. Putin shot back, calling the accusations complete drivel and rubbish. Tv went even further, blaming the former doubleagent himself. Back to that night, on the bolshoi moscow bridge, the allegations that putin might have played a role in borris nemsovs murder, may have been of the evidence that he had been
collecting. Nemsov was about to prove that there was involvement in ukrai ukraine. That was after his murder. But there was an earlier award that was published in 2012, this was also embarrassing for putin. It claimed the president had 43 planes, 15 helicopters and 4 yachts at his disposal, including one superyacht. Then, there are the palaces. His report says there were 20 president ial palaces available to putin at anytime. One of the palaces, known in the press simply as putins palace, was said to be worth 1 million. This is not true. This is actually perverted commenting of reality. His Spokesman Says every world leader, especially the leader of a Nuclear Power like
russia, or the United States, has access to stateowned homes and planes and helicopters that are safe and have secure communications. Of course, he uses this vehicles, this plane, this residences. But its not his property. The rumors about his wealth, the rumors about the palaces has nothing to do with reality. Just, just lies. The rumors of putins wealth . Well, some of them are simply staggering. And some people including myself believe hes the richest man in the world or one of the richest men in the world. Bill brado was one of the largest foreign investor in russia. Now hes one of Vladimir Putins toughest critics. We talked in 2015. You really think putin is the richest man in the world . I really think that. And im not just saying that crazily. Estimated net worth . 200 billion. Really . I believe that its 200
billion. That would make putin almost wealthier than the worlds healthiest, jeff bezos. All these rumors, all these accusations about billions and billions of dollars as his fortune, this is not true. Dont believe in them. Hes got nothing. Hes got what he writes in his personal financial declaration every year. Putins most recent financial declaration says that he personally owns less than half an acre of land, a roughly 900 square foot apartment and a 200 square foot garage in which maybe he puts the vehicle listed in that document, two vintage russian sedans, a 4x4 and a trailer like this one. The document does not say how much putin has in the bank or in investments. Top u. S. Treasury official adam szubin talked to the bbc. Im not in a position to give you figures, but what i can say is that he supposedly draws a state salary of Something Like 110,000 a year. That is not an accurate statement of the mans wealth. We may not know exactly how much putin is worth, but we do know this Vladimir Putin is remarkably popular in russia. Why . Well tell you, when we come back. Potentially fatal brain condition. Some serious allergic reactions can occur. Do not take stelara® if you are allergic to any of its ingredients. Man are you fed up with crohns symptoms following you . Talk to your doctor today, and learn how janssen can help you explore cost support options. Remission can start with stelara®. The most powerful man in the world is also the most popular. Vladimir putin. Vladimir putins Approval Rating has soared as high as 86 in recent years. Consider that american president s are happy when they break the 50 mark. How has he done it . Partly, its the cult of putin. He has mastered the art of the
manly photo op. He rides horseback bare chested, finds ancient treasures under water, rides a submarine to the bottom of the black sea, flies planes, fights forest fires. Theres something ridiculous about a middleaged world leader riding around shirtless on a horse like Conan The Barbarian after a dozen donuts. Who thinks this looks good . Everything we find ridiculous about Vladimir Putin is very appealing in a Media Universe that he controls absolutely. Perhaps the foundation of the Putin Juggernaut is a political truism no matter where you live. Its the economy, stupid. After the chaotic years of Boris Yeltsin, putin stepped in and stabilized the country, and he rode the wave of ever rising oil prices, which in russias resourcerich economy, translated into rising wages and soaring stock indices. Then in late 2014, the party stopped. Oil prices slumped. And soon after came western economic sanctions. Vladimir putin has Navigated Hard Times well. He has slashed social spending, implemented an austerity program, allowed the ruble to fall and the bank kept inflation in check. Putin is a fiscal conservative. The outward seeming ethic of wealth looks closer to dubai its an amazing transformation. Add to the economics, putins secret sauce, nationalism. And it surged in 2014 after an invasion that shocked the world. Bigger nations must not be able to bully the small. Vladimir putin grabbed a piece of ukraine for russia. The west was horrified. Thats the kind of thing adolf hitler did in the 1930s. We thought those days were gone. It looked different through russian eyes. I have never met a russian that accepted the notion of ukraine as a totally separate state. Many ukrainians deeply resented the invasion. But not russians. They see it as a revival of a deep sense of power and national destiny. Putin has given them their pride back. Russia is once again a great power. Putinism is an ideology of Social Conservatism of antiwesternism, but above all, of national power. Putin might say he has made russia great again. Sound familiar . We will make America Great again. Like putin, trump has used nationalism to boost his support. Many believe that donald trump is no Vladimir Putin. Putin is a much more practiced, subtle, cunning player. Hes playing in poker terms a couple deuces at the highest level. Hes reasserted russia on The World Stage from a position of relative weakness like nobody i can think of. Thats an amazing feat of geopolitics. I was just finishing a ride. I felt this awful pain in my chest. I had a Pe Blood Clot in my lung. I was scared. I had a dvt blood clot. Having one really puts you in danger of having another. My doctor and i chose xarelto®. Xarelto®. To help keep me protected. Xarelto® is a latestgeneration Blood Thinner thats. Proven to treat and reduce the risk of dvt or Pe Blood Clots from happening again. In clinical studies, almost 98 of patients on xarelto® did not experience another dvt or pe. Xarelto® works differently. Warfarin interferes with at least 6 of your bodys natural bloodclotting factors. Xarelto® is selective, targeting just one critical factor. Dont stop taking xarelto® without talking to your doctor, as this may increase risk of blood clots. While taking, you may bruise more easily, or take longer for bleeding to stop. Xarelto® can cause serious, and in rare cases, fatal bleeding. It may increase your risk of bleeding if you take certain medicines. Get help right away for unexpected bleeding or unusual bruising. Do not take xarelto® if you have an Artificial Heart Valve or abnormal bleeding. Before starting, tell your doctor about all planned medical or dental procedures and any kidney or liver problems. Learn all you can. To help protect yourself from another dvt or pe. Talk to your doctor about xarelto®. Its a hightech revolution in sleep. The new sleep number 360 smart bed. It intelligently senses your movement and automatically adjusts on each side to keep you both comfortable. And snoring . How smart is that . Smarter sleep. To help you lose your dad bod, train for that marathon, and wake up with the patience of a saint. The new sleep number 360 smart bed, from 999. Smarter sleep will change your life. No, what . . I just switched to geico and got more. More . Got a company i can trust. Thats a heck of a lot more. Over 75 years of great savings and service. You cant argue with more. Why would ya . Geico. Expect great savings and a whole lot more. Finally, here are my thoughts on he whom we have called the most powerful man in the world. Let me explain the title. The United States and china for that matter are more powerful countries than russia, of course. The power of a Head Of State is determined both by the countrys strength and the capacity he or she has to exercise that power unilaterally, unconstrained by other institutions, parties or political forces. And combining those two metrics, its easy to see why Vladimir Putin rises to the top. He has created what he calls a vertical of power, unlike any we have seen in other great nations. As the russian chess grand master has noted, himself a harsh critic of putin, the entire structure of russian political power, now rests on one man. When the tsar died, you knew the process by which his successor his son, would be elevated. When the general secretary of soviet communist party died, his Standing Committee and polit bro would select his successor. But when putin dies i almost said if what will happen . No one knows. To understand putin, you have to understand russia. The last 100 years for that country has seen communism, democracy, collapse, and then comes Vladimir Putin, ushers in two decades of stability and increases standards of living, and increases prominence in the world. Russians have immense national
pride. Russia is, after all, the largest country on the planet. 48times larger than europe. It emcompasses 11 time zones. Straddles europe and the middle east. It claims a prominent place on The World Stage. After the strange summit in held hins helsink helsinki, putin has established that goal. Donald trump gave perhaps the most embarrassing performance by an american president i have witnessed or read about. His efforts to talk his way out of his troubles even make this more absurd. I dont see any reason why it wouldnt be russia, sort of a doublenegative. What has been obscured by this disastrous and humiliating performance, is the strain in
his russia narrative. He always said that being friends with russia would be a good thing. Wouldnt that be a great thing . Hes not alone, barack obama and Hillary Clinton embraced what he said in increased relations with russia. It was one of efforts of conciliation, including one from george w. Bush russia is not the enemy of the United States. But every reset failed. Its time to recognize that russia is not seeking to integrate itself into if american system of international order. It seeks to undermine that order. As putin seeks to destabilize the west, he seems to understand the vulnerabilities of free societies. The internal divisions and discord and the gaping openness. He understands the frigidity of