Presidential hopeful Mitt Romney joined CNN's Glenn Beck on the Glenn Beck Program yesterday, where the two of them waxed on about Time Magazine's decision to name Vladimir Putin as its newly minted "Person of the Year." And because The Glenn Beck Show is a venue where nothing ever, ever, ever has to make even the remotest speck of sense, the conversation soon ran to the hypocritical. Romney, who apparently got the news of Time's decision from Beck, just wasn't having it, calling the choice, "disgusting...to suggest that someone like that is the man of the year is really disgusting. I'm just appalled." He added, "I find it a truly appalling designation."

And hey that's okay! Putin, with his radioactive-sushi-assassins frankly scares the bejeezus out of us, too! But, remember, President Bush feels differently: "I looked the man in the eye. I found him to be very straight forward and trustworthy and we had a very good dialogue. I was able to get a sense of his soul. He's a man deeply committed to his country and the best interests of his country and I appreciate very much the frank dialogue and that's the beginning of a very constructive relationship." And while the White House took a diplomatic tone to Time's announcement yesterday, as recently as November 26, the White House continued to deflect criticism of Putin:

Q On Russia, does the President, having embraced Putin so early in his administration, does he feel that he misjudged Putin? Is he disappointed?

MS. PERINO: This is a question that the President has gotten over and over again over the past several months. Here's the President's point: He believes that the best opportunity for Russia is to have a democracy. And there had been some movement towards democracy in many different areas, including in the press and certainly in the economy. But there have been steps backwards, as well.

Democracies aren't developed overnight. We know that from our own history. The President has a good relationship with Putin and he treats him with respect, and that is the best in order to work with them. Remember, we are working with Russia cooperatively on many different issues, including Iran, and Russia is part of the Quartet that is working towards Middle East peace. So we have a relationship with them. We have, and continue to be in communication and dialogue with them. And of course our embassy officials had been in contact with the Russian government there in Moscow.

Q And he doesn't feel that he misjudged him? I mean, after the seeming embrace of Ahmadinejad and all these anti-democratic measures, he doesn't feel that perhaps he judged Putin too early?

MS. PERINO: No, the President believes that what he saw in Putin is what is there.

So not only is the Bush administration still insisting that their relationship with Putin remains one of "warm words" and "mutual respect," but that the relationship plays an active role in shaping foreign policy decisions. So, one wonders: when will Mitt be publicly be ordering himself to apologize to the Bush administration, as he did Mike Huckabee?

Comments for this post are now closed