Donald Trump admires Vladimir Putin for what he calls "strong leadership" — especially compared to Barack Obama. The President says "strong leadership" means cronyism, corruption and censorship, while healthcare, education and the economy are in decline. But polls show many Republicans, once warned by Ronald Reagan about an "evil empire," now look more kindly on Russia under Putin’s iron-fisted control. We talk with a reporter who interviewed Putin for two hours. What did he say about Donald Trump? What about trying to manipulate American voters? As Trump sings praises for Russia's leader, how strong is the appeal of Putin's authoritarian style to American voters?
The America presidential nominee and the Russian strongman
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Credits
Guests:
- John Micklethwait - Bloomberg News - @business
- Masha Gessen - staff writer at the New Yorker - @mashagessen
- Jonathan Weiler - University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill - @jonweiler
- Kurt Eichenwald - Newsweek - @kurteichenwald