Have people with such characteristics ever been popular in Russia? Validata conducted a separate study to pinpoint notions of the Russian character. The participants described Russians as open-hearted, generous, bold. But according to the study of Putin, the new leader displays traits opposite of that ideal. The only quality the participants commend him for is modesty. “He doesn’t show off,” they say. “He doesn’t take his wife everywhere.”
Validata tried to draw out the participants on Putin’s personality. It asked a role-playing question: “If all of our famous politicians were living in a communal apartment [occupied by different families], what would Putin be doing in it?” One answer: “He would be watching everyone and studying them.” Another group speculated: “He would shut himself up in a room and polish his shoes until they gleamed.” And if everybody worked in a factory? One of the Moscow focus groups had a consensus: “A typical head of a first department [a KGB-controlled personnel department in the Soviet era].”
Yet Putin’s voters like him that way–reserved and closed. Moscow pensioner Zoya Vasilyevna said: “So what’s wrong with our not liking a lot of Putin’s traits in [other] people? The president is a different matter.” Rimma Borisovna of Vladimir fully agreed: “Our people are sloppy and they drink. Let the president be different from us.” “Your Putin comes out resembling a German,” a questioner observed. “Hey, that’s true!” came the joyful reaction. “He did work in Germany, and probably picked up some habits there.”
Why would voters suddenly need a “German”? The focus groups had an explanation: as a contrast to Yeltsin. Now there was an authentic Russian personality. The voters recognized themselves in him–somebody who drank, caroused and fought. They said Yeltsin was unpredictable but comprehensible. Putin is closed and incomprehensible–“a real intelligence agent.” Bizarre as it may sound, Russians take this as good news.
