Gorbachev says Obama will bring ‘perestroika’ to US: report
Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev welcomed Barack Obama’s victory in the US presidential election on Wednesday, saying he would bring “perestroika” to the United States, ITAR-TASS news agency reported.
“I am very happy. Two or three years ago I said America needed perestroika, and this was greeted with cheers in the US,” Mr Gorbachev was quoted as saying, using the term for his 1980s liberal reforms that helped end the Cold War.
“It is no accident that the whole world followed these elections, including in Russia, where they were followed like never before. This shows there is hope that the arrival of a new administration will bring changes,” he added.
Mr Gorbachev, a winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, added that the election of the United States’ first black president was a “lesson” for other countries and showed “a very strong side of America.”
Perestroika - a Russian word that translates roughly as “rebuilding” - was the name given to the liberal reforms Gorbachev introduced in the 1980s as he opened up the markets of the former Soviet Union.
The book is titled “Perestroika“
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6 responses so far ↓
1
Burrowowl
// Nov 8, 2008 at 2:58 pm
For such a decidedly mellow president-elect, people sure do seem to be frothed up about Barack Obama. We’re far more likely to see a lot of sedate maneuvering towards reasonable-sounding policies than anything dramatic coming out of the Obama administration.
2
May
// Nov 8, 2008 at 5:52 pm
I totally used to have a cat named Perestroika. She ran away…
True (boring) story!
3
m.v.
// Nov 8, 2008 at 6:10 pm
I can honestly say that I am not frothed up. First of all I didn’t expect any other outcome, and secondly, data apparently shows that democratic presidents are better for economy ( I was surprised to see graphs, but the numbers were real). What bothers me is how some people think they just elected some super-president i.e. completely irrational and emotional to tears. These people scare me as unstable. Some caricatures I post are just to show Russian reaction which you may not otherwise read on your own.
4
Burrowowl
// Nov 8, 2008 at 6:43 pm
My apologies. I meant that people both pro-Obama and anti-Obama were getting all worked up inappropriately. You’ve been quite clear all along that you are in neither camp, Meesha.
5
Donna W
// Nov 8, 2008 at 9:08 pm
Hey Meesha: I’m actually between Buckner and Lexington, just off 224. West of Wellington.
We often ride the motorcycle in the area you’re talking about; 23 is a great bike ride!
6
af
// Nov 10, 2008 at 8:25 pm
I, for one, completely enjoy the Russian characters which I for sure, would not see elsewhere. Please continue doing so. =)
I have read that he is already planning on replacing the funding to stem cell research as his first act as president. I think that’s a pretty fucking big deal.
He is “super”
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