10-26-2020, 10:49 PM
Looks as though Putin thinks Trump is going to lose:
[url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN27A0TA]Putin rejects Donald Trump's criticism of Biden family business[\url], Reuters.
Does this reduce the chances of a Russian-inspired October surprise? Might Putin release some of his Kompromat against Trump to ensure he doesn’t have to deal with a vengeful Trump for the next 4 years?
It’s so Shakespearean: Julius Caesar with a tinge of MacBeth.
[url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN27A0TA]Putin rejects Donald Trump's criticism of Biden family business[\url], Reuters.
Quote:MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday that he saw nothing criminal in Hunter Biden’s past business ties with Ukraine or Russia, marking out his disagreement with one of Donald Trump’s attack lines in the U.S. presidential election.But is he simply hedging his bets or withdrawing support from Trump entirely? If the latter, maybe all Russian interference in the election might cease. After all, Putin knows a President Biden will receive a briefing from the US intelligence agencies regarding election interference soon after assuming office (and perhaps soon after the election if those briefs are given to both the sitting President and the President Elect).
Putin was responding to comments made by Trump during televised debates with Democratic challenger Joe Biden ahead of the Nov. 3 election.
…
Putin appeared less friendly towards Trump in remarks broadcast by Russian state TV on Sunday. In what may be seen by some analysts as an attempt to try to curry favour with the Biden camp, he took the time to knock down what he made clear he regarded as false allegations from Trump about the Bidens.
“Yes, in Ukraine he (Hunter Biden) had or maybe still has a business, I don’t know. It doesn’t concern us. It concerns the Americans and the Ukrainians,” said Putin.
“But well yes he had at least one company, which he practically headed up, and judging from everything he made good money. I don’t see anything criminal about this, at least we don’t know anything about this (being criminal).”
Putin also reacted with visible irritation when asked about comments Trump has made concerning Putin’s ties to the former mayor of Moscow, and to an alleged payment made to Hunter Biden by the ex-mayor’s widow. Putin said he knew nothing about the existence of any commercial relationship between Hunter and the woman. Joe Biden says the accusation about his son is not true.
Does this reduce the chances of a Russian-inspired October surprise? Might Putin release some of his Kompromat against Trump to ensure he doesn’t have to deal with a vengeful Trump for the next 4 years?
It’s so Shakespearean: Julius Caesar with a tinge of MacBeth.