Putin’s Peak? Last week was huge for Vladimir, climaxing with his puppet’s pronouncements at the base of Pikes Peak.
What a KGB dream: Russian influence in the spine of America. Colorado Springs is the home of NORAD, the Air Force Academy, Fort Carson, Colorado College and America the Beautiful.
Vlad Putin had to love Thursday’s Trump rally. There were the golden oldies like lock her up and the far right’s ritual glorification of guns.
My, how those Trumpsters love Russian Avtomat Kalashnikov (AK) 47s. There was some peculiar Trump rhetoric, like his call for Obama to be impeached. Holy ex post facto!
Trump ripped Neil Cavuto, A.B. Stoddard and Brad Pitt. There were new variations on Trump’s bigotry and deliberate divisiveness.
More movies like “Gone with the Wind” were requested as opposed to those subversive and sneaky South Korean films. POTUS caused me to rent “Parasite.” Wow, the Donald will hate this story of poor versus rich. Bernie will love it. The movie is memorable.
How rich for Putin that Trump’s triumphant speech happened in a hockey town. Vlad routinely scores 10 goals a game. Colorado Springs is home for two D-1 hockey programs and last week, even the NHL.
When the USSR suffered America’s Miracle on Ice, Vlad was a 27-year-old Commie law grad in the KGB. Forty years later, Putin got chilly revenge with Trump performing perfectly at the Broadmoor’s World Arena Ice Hall.
The Broadmoor is near America’s Olympic Training Center. The Olympics tell you all you need to know about Russia. Putin will cheat to win and when caught backing Sanders and Trump, will semi-deny, and then do it again.
READ: Colorado Sun opinion columnists.
Cheaters cheat; that’s what they do. Donald Trump’s a relentless cheater at golf, women and business. Putin loves cheating, too, and gladly plays both ends against the middle.
Vlad’s only a Bernie bro till it’s time for the big show. How can Americans trust elections now? Especially when Putin’s puppet promptly fires the Director of National Intelligence for daring to tell the truth about Russian election interference. Out goes American hero Joe Maguire. In comes inexperienced Trump sycophant, Rick Grenell. Putin wins again!
Last week started great for Putin and got better. Bernie Sanders drew another mammoth crowd in Denver where he attacked Michael Bloomberg relentlessly.
No Dem is coming close to Sanders. After Nevada, the Bern is on fire. Other Dems are in flames. Sanders the Socialist versus the incumbent Cheater in Chief is perfect for Putin.
Bloomberg’s meltdown at the Dems’ chaotic Wednesday debate may have made Bernie’s nomination inevitable, adding to Vlad’s winning streak.
READ: Cory Gardner goes all-in with Donald Trump, says the results for Colorado “are simply astounding”
Trump calls Bloomberg mini-Mike, but that former mayor of New York just set the record for the biggest bag of money blown that fast in Las Vegas history. What a giant jackpot for Vlad, Donald and Bernie!
The audacity of POTUS must make his patron Putin snicker. Last week, Trump tenderized America by telegraphing his next mob moves. The Blago commutation is a predicate to a Roger Stone exoneration. Pardons last week of Michael Milken and Edward DeBartolo pave paths for Manafort and Flynn, two Putin made men.
READ: A look at the Coloradans supporting Donald Trump and why they adore the president
Vlad had to especially enjoy Trump’s new puppet show starring Cory Gardner. Right there on a Colorado stage, Trump tamed this former harsh critic.
Gardner paid humiliating public homage. Once the determined sponsor of DASKA legislation harshly sanctioning Russia, Sen. Gardner’s now locked arms with Putin’s puppet. These Republican politicians are so simple to capture.
What an easy mark Trump was for Putin. Almost as simple as the NRA. Kleptocracy is attractive to kleptomaniacs. Rake and take other people’s money, and any woman you want. Trump’s been rescued by Russian money many times since he blew through his own Daddy’s money. Russian debts come due.
Putinism is one approach in this dog-eat-dog world. Cheat others before they cheat you. Punish squealers and critics. Seize permanent control of party and government. Neuter the legislature. Take over the criminal justice system. Proclaim yourself the chief law enforcement officer in the country. Declare yourself above suspicion, investigation and any form of prosecution. Reward and immunize loyalists.
Now that’s real power.
Putinism prevails when fair elections fail. Let’s not surrender yet. Wellesley Professor Katharine Lee Bates came to teach a summer course at The Colorado College back in 1893, rode up to Pikes Peak and was inspired to write America the Beautiful. “O beautiful for heroes proved in liberating strife, who more than self their country loved and mercy more than life!”
Heroes still exist, such as Colorado’s own Jason Crow. At the Broadmoor, Trump took aim at Crow’s fellow House Manager Adam Schiff, calling him crooked and corrupt. Trump’s obsessed by the size of Schiff’s neck. May all our necks be so brave. Schiff, Crow and many others have stuck theirs out in this dangerous time.
Nothing’s over yet. Let’s vote March 3, but not for Putin, Trump or Sanders. I’ll let you know my choice and why next week. Hold your ballots until then.
Surprising things happen every week. Remember late February 1980 when we beat the Russians at their own game. Miracles happen. We could use one now.
Craig Silverman is a former Denver chief deputy DA who also has worked in the media for decades. Craig is columnist at large for The Colorado Sun. He practices law at the Denver law firm of Springer & Steinberg, P.C.
The Colorado Sun is a nonpartisan news organization, and the opinions of columnists and editorial writers do not reflect the opinions of the newsroom. Read our ethics policy for more on The Sun’s opinion policy and submit columns, suggested writers and more to opinion@coloradosun.com.