The recent presidential debate brought back memories of Leonid Brezhnev, the Soviet leader who, despite being only 75 at his death, was plagued by infirmities that contributed to the Soviet Union's eventual collapse.
A Soviet Joke Reflecting Brezhnev's Condition
Thursday’s debate reminded me of an old Soviet joke. During the opening of the Olympic Games in Moscow, Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev begins his speech with "O-O-O-O-O." An aide nudges him and whispers, "Comrade Brezhnev, these are the Olympic rings. The text of the speech is below." While exaggerated, this joke underscores Brezhnev's declining capabilities.
Brezhnev's Final Summit with an American President
Consider Brezhnev's last summit with an American president. In June 1979, during the signing of the SALT II arms-control accord in Vienna, Brezhnev struggled to engage in substantive discussions. He delivered his prepared remarks with great difficulty, and when President Carter introduced new topics, Brezhnev had to rely on reading from a set of cards provided by his interpreter
No comments:
Post a Comment