Former Russian TV host explains surprising Putin poll

Stanislav Kucher, a long-time former Russian TV host, explains the mindset of the Russian people after an independent pollster finds Russian President Vladimir Putin's approval rating to be over 80 percent. #CNN #News

73 comments

  1. Hitler and Stalin had very good opinion polls too. It’s odd that. 80% is just perfect, high enough to show overwhelming support but still appear there is some (unpopular) opposition. 90%+ would not be believed even by Russians.

    1. @Nobody Knows
      Uhmm…he’s already proven he’s better than anybody in the trans party hands down! Do you not see what’s goin on or is Trump still livin in that mt head of yours Rent Free??

  2. When I was in Cuba, I waited to be alone in the middle of the ocean with the cool guy who was sailing us to the snorkeling spot, to ask him a simple question about their government. And even then, he said with a warm smile that he didn’t want to talk about it, so I respected that, but it gave me an answer to one of my questions…

    1. @Cropper Copper Oh… oh… a metaphor, maybe the first I’ve seen as a comment in You Tube, if it was, when I love a parable. He had me at “warm smile”.

    2. @alex silent there is a big difference between not wanting to discuss politics and being afraid for your life, livelihood, and family for saying what you think.

    3. @James Gale I clearly don’t know how to convolute reality to shapeshift it into my bias.

      America is a Democracy, always has been. It’s also a Republic, always has been.

      There have been three eras of oligarchy, and we’re in one now.

      The bicameral system of government we have here is the best so far. It needs cleaned up though. The filibuster is not part of a democracy and it wasn’t in our Constitution. The electoral college was a compromise that gave the southern states 2/5ths of a vote for each owned slave (through representation in congress). That should have been jettisoned in 1865 when all adult males gained the right to vote. And finally partisan gerrymandering needs to go as does any money in politics (dark money PACS especially/citizen united)

      Aside from those four perversions American Democracy is as perfect a government can be.

    4. @Tomas Pita Yes, so radical lol. “Hodgkinson had participated in the Bernie Sanders presidential campaign during the 2016 United States presidential election, and was described by a fellow campaigner in Iowa as a “quiet guy, very mellow, very reserved”. Funny how that works sometimes…

  3. Dictatorships usually have very high approval ratings. North Korea’s approval rating is 100%. Think of that what you will 😉

    1. @M Hall luckily we are not Russia so we can take polls or leave them…we have her own way of speaking. It is called, voting! And we voted Biden in for office of the President of the United States of America!

  4. “His primary rules were: never allow the public to cool off; never admit a fault or wrong; never concede that there may be some good in your enemy; never leave room for alternatives; never accept blame; concentrate on one enemy at a time and blame him for everything that goes wrong; people will believe a big lie sooner than a little one; and if you repeat it frequently enough people will sooner or later believe it.” — A Psychological Analysis of Adolph Hitler: His Life and Legend,” the 165-page document, which was initially classified “Secret,” was declassified in 1968 and published in book form in 1972.”

  5. This polling shows just how effective state media’s propaganda can be, especially when all other media outlets are not allowed to broadcast.

    1. @Arnold Wartson I do have access to all that. Youtube isn’t the only way to access the world. Russian TV is still broadcast via the internet. Western IP addresses aren’t banned. My mother watches over 200 Russian, Ukranian, Israeli and even Russian-American stations, all in Russian, in New York.

    2. @Arnold Wartson You can call it “typical”, but have you considered that it also might be a fact? Look… any time a country restricts dissent, restricts access to information, and flat out lies about what’s happening, you have to understand that it does that to hide the reality. If you’d like, I can explain it all in Russian.

    3. Same in the US and Ukraine. We banned Russia media and Ukraine banned pro-Russia Ukrainian channels last year before the war. We know as much as Russians when it comes to the truth. Both sides have very one-sided mainstream opinions.

    4. @Ambrosiana S The difference is that other countries ban lies and disinformation from one source (Russian Government) but allows most others. While Russia bans all others and only allows it’s own and any few they approve of that repeats their message.

  6. Interviews with Russian people in the streets of Moscow lead to answers like “I don’t want to comment” 90% of the time.

    1. @George L What a great comment and I completely understand the term inalienable rights was a way in which to articulate a belief . However, I personally, don’t believe it requires a belief in our Creator to understand down deep that as a human on this planet you have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness regardless of whether you are allowed. I was taught that the Constitutions verbage was constructed to appeal to as many as possible, and rally the troops, naturally. I thought everyone was taught that. Our Founders were master propagandists and I am so glad. However, I really do believe that through evolution or God, whichever you choose, there are some things that you just know. I can’t think of a single culture that allows thievery within it’s group. We teach our children not to steal because we know deep down it is wrong to take something that doesn’t belong to you. And yet, who says it’s wrong? I would also put some of the other Big Ten in that category such as bearing false witness and committing murder. These things that are beneficial to the society as a whole are just mutually understood and perpetuated. You make such very good points about the intentions of some of our founders. What a bunch! But I will never forget that the signers and so many others have struggled and died so that I can openly discuss this with you without repercussions. Please bear in mind, this is just what I believe. Please have a wonderful day and thanks so much for your well informed thoughts. I really enjoyed reading them and they made me think!!!!

    2. @George L not just a fine… I’ve seen them getting deported to jail …god knows the torture going on inside those jails

  7. Bring that guy on again!
    Give him more time!
    He knows what he is talking about.
    Especially when he made the analogy of clothes and said that education and information is what is needed.
    Bring him back!

    1. @Blue Cheese Has Mold In It your posts are some of the best I have seen for a long as I can think. Its good to keep the things you mention in mind when debating with others, thanks for the reminders

    2. @Ghl Scitel you are being so pretentious…. and yet so wrong. There’s no such thing as free will. Your environment and biology are what dictate your thoughts and actions.

      eg. You got to travel the world; not everyone has the opportunity to do that. Whether because of money, or circumstance; maybe they were born in North Korea and cant leave? Maybe they were born with a disability that prevents easy mobility. Maybe they did travel the world, but their experience wasn’t the same as yours. And even if it was the same, you have different neurochemistry, which effects how you both experience the world.

      I’m sorry to say, but you, like me, are nothing more than biological robots; at the mercy of a biology we didn’t choose and born into a time and place we didn’t choose.

    3. Why do interviewers interrupt and make clear to the speakers that they are taking too long in answering. They must think the number of questions they ask are more important than the speakers answers. I am tired of the sound bites.

    1. That would make a good tv series just talking about Russian issues from a critical Russian perspective. Usually always just get talking heads to talk about Putin and how corrupt/bad he is as if we didn’t know from a western foreign policy perspective. Be good to know long-standing issues that affect Russia that Putin has either failed to address or made worse or even better in some cases.

  8. This guy gave a very good perspective on the mindset of the Russian people, and gave a great insight on the other matters presented. I really hope to see him again and will be looking for him.

    1. @Niko…. Lol. I sped through your comment and thought Niko is looking forward to seeeing Putin again…. I didn’t have to share this but I owe you an apology and need to work on reading it in its’ entirety. Dyslexia isn’t fun.

    2. For an even better perspective, watch Oliver stone’s interviews of Putin. The first 15 mins will clarify beyond any reasonable doubt why Russians admire Putin.

  9. OMG! This guy said what I have been saying about America . Education, access to information and debate are the remedies for fixing the situation.

    1. #1 Economy in the world for the last 100+ yrs and only superpower in the world. Has the most allies in the world and leader of the free world. Nobody’s perfect, but not too shabby!!!

    2. Our education system is now coming back to haunt us. Funding for it is so bad that you can make more money by being a store clerk than being a teacher.

  10. How would you answer a question: “Do you approve Putin’s Government?” when you can be arrested for holding a blank paper sheet in Russia?

    1. @alexander wernette Look for: “Russian police arrest man holding up blank sheet of paper” on YouTube.

    2. ​@panabanana That had happened in Moscow recently. Also, that was happening during soviet era rule. The soldier who have stopped the protester with blank sheet of paper in the center of Moscow (in late 60-s), actually asked the protester “Why this sheet is blank?” The protester answered “What do you want me to write? Here, even without scribbling, everything is clear that everything is bad” So, I think ​ @panabanana you kind of troll.

  11. “Independent Poll” in russia.
    That was a good one, not heard that before.

    Seriously though, stop reporting anything from russia as if it were not completely made up.

    1. Well the poll could have been “independent”, but the people who were questioned were definately not.

  12. He is right ! The same thing in Vietnam , China and North Korea, you will never see any polls that are under 80 % to support the government or any politicians in that matter.

    1. @Nicu Rosca
      That is incorrect.
      He was leader for a long time and one voice brought his regime to ruin.

      You can see that moment on YouTube

    2. @Hootaro Setagaya
      Umm…false equivalency.
      Bush in your case is Ukrainian President (funny how your bash Bush attempt was flawed)

    3. @Aisha bint Abu Bakr
      600.000 civilians and 110.000 soldiers lost their lives in Iraq War according to the Lancet.

  13. Now this was insightful. Have him breakdown the Russian news on they are presenting this “special operation” to the masses.

    1. @Davey Too bad you can’t legally call it by what it actually is, a war. Have a potato, товарищ: 🥔 Enjoy!

  14. If you’re handing in a form to the government saying that you disapprove, there is fair reason to be scared to do so. If the votes ARE real, then it’s clearly people scared into not being truthful seeing the recent crackdowns the government has done onto those dissenting

    1. Making a political choice is time consuming, stressful, and morally draining. Trying to convince others of your own revelation would require them to turn their backs on their own conviction. Hence the saying. A 50/50 vote seems to be what freedom looks like. There is always room for movement one way or the other but the voice of the people is what keeps us free. A simple vote in your life is what people fight for every day. Be grateful you have this option, or be prepared to fight for it.

  15. Considering that people were/are getting arrested for protesting his war, I wouldn’t be surprised if they thought they SHOULD approve of him or it’s bye-bye.

  16. We want to hear more from Stanislav Kucher! This guy knows what he is talking about! Bring him back! Hire him if he wants!

    1. When he explained that (a lot of) people wear their ideas like clothes.. A very clever way of explaining some very complicated problems in this world. A good explainer, smart guy. Yeah, could be a recurring guest if you ask me.

  17. Wow! Just wow! I’m Russian and I know this guy. I mean I watched a lot of his TV programs in the past and he’s very professional. I’m not surprised he had to move from Russia, because now there is no place for professionals like him. Beautiful interview and amazing English. Also he is so confident. Really great interview!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.