The blackout related to the Sochi speech is because Putin is the world's leading statesman, and he is absolutely reviled here for that. (And, yes, the words are VERY strong, and forthright, and simply don't parse easily to the criminal political class of the West.) Putin hasn't restored my faith in politics, but he's definitely wearing the white hat in that strata of human civilization, and his example puts all the others--PARTICULARLY in the West--to shame.