When I was a boy, we had a Republican president who stood ready, if necessary, to defeat the Russian Bear.

Now we have a Republican President who seems willing to kneel, if necessary, to fellate the Russian Bear.

I realize this is the punchline for a very old joke, but … WE WERE THANKFUL FOR WHAT WE HAD.

For further illustration between the two men’s dispositions where Russia is concerned, consider the following:

“Trust but verify.”

—  Ronald Reagan, repeatedly between 1984 and 1987, during nuclear disarmament negotiations with Mikhail Gorbachev.  The phrase is actually a Russian proverb; it had been taught to the president by a writer in Russia, Suzanne Massie.

“Well, I think it was Russia, and I think it could have been other people in other countries. Could have been a lot of people interfered. Nobody knows for sure.”  

“I strongly pressed President Putin twice about Russian meddling in our election. He vehemently denied it. I’ve already given my opinion …”

—  Donald Trump, 2017, about the FBI, CIA and NSA conclusions that Russia interfered in the 2016 Presidential election.  The latter quote was a tweet.

Let me close by sharing something a friend of mine from college said to me tonight:

“I miss Republicans. Family values, free trade, strong alliances against the Kremlin. Whatever happened to those guys?”