cbs 20080902 PUTIN

Putin running scared.  This is DR...from the Republican convenmtion in St Paul.

I was talking to Senator Orin Hatch here in St Paul Monday about the qualifications of Sarah Palin to be vice president -- and he was unequivocal.  She'd make an excellent vice president he said during our interview.  And when I asked him if she could step in and face down Vladimir Putin if she had to -- he said not only would she be ready but Putin would find himself with a very formidible adversary:

TAPE...handling."

Well it didn't take long.  Putin must have gotten the word.

Because there he is in the Times of London, dressed in camouflage,
taking down a tiger!  It was only a tranquilizer gun -- but still... I think he may be worried.

The story was about Putin blowing off Europe's threats to dismiss Russia from the G-8 for its invasion of Georgia. 

He seems to think that just because Europe gets more than a quarter of its gas supplies from Russia that they in fact will never kick Russia out.  Pretty safe bet.

But of course, depending on how the US election turns out, he could, before long, be face to face not just with some gauloise-smoking european, but a new American vice-president whose skills seem to be growing daily, and who is in fact a trained and armed member of the NRA.

Well mr putin, I've seen the picture, and It's a nice try, but I tell you what -- you what:
 
Go to Alaaska and take down a grizzly while raising five kids, Vladimir, then we'll be impressed.

Now this.