How do Russians see Putin?
For generations they have defined their leaders through political jokes.
It's partly a coping mechanism, partly a glimpse into the Russian soul.
In the oft told anecdotes, Leonid Brezhnev(布里茲涅夫) was always the dolt,
Gorbachev(戈巴契夫) the bumbling reformer, Yeltsin(葉爾欽) the drunk. Putin,
in current punch lines, is the despot.
Here's an example:
Stalin's(史達林) ghost appears to Putin in a dream, and Putin asks for his
help running the country. Stalin says,
"Round up and shoot all the democrats, and then paint the inside of theKremlin(克林姆林宮) blue."
"Why blue?" Putin asks.
"Ha!" says Stalin. "I knew you wouldn't ask me about the first part."