If millions of Americans (and especially American conservatives) are questioning The New York Times' credibility after it published a poorly sourced story about Republican Presidential candidate Senator John McCain, why should they be so trusting of the NYT when it comes to Russian politics?

NYT reports:

Some readers called it blatant propaganda from the West. Others viewed it as a depressing exposé that rang true. A third group said the facts did not matter, outsiders simply had no right to train a critical eye on their country.

Those were some of the reactions of Russians to an article in The New York Times that described the crackdown on democracy in Russia under President Vladimir V. Putin. The article was published Sunday, but in an effort to give readers a better feel for Russian opinion, The Times posted a Russian translation of the article on Friday morning on a Russian-language Web site and solicited comments.

The response was large. By Sunday night, nearly 3,000 comments had been made on The Times's Russian-language blog on the site, www.livejournal.ru, which is Russia's most popular blogging platform, with more than eight million users each month. The Times blog was one of the site's five most heavily trafficked blogs for much of the weekend.

The article focused on one region, Nizhny Novgorod, to show how Russia has essentially become a one-party state under Mr. Putin. Russians responded by engaging in intense debates on the blog over the political situation in the country, relations between Russia and the United States and other topics.

The Moscow bureau of The Times reviewed the comments in Russian and translated scores that were representative of the strains of opinion on the site. The translations in English were then posted in the comments section that accompanied the article on www.nytimes.com.

Please, read a few of the readers' comments:

February 23rd, 2008 4:04 pm
[Translated from Russian]

Yes, we have problems in this country, it is true. But there is not one country in the world where these same problems have not occurred, and I don't think I need to prove this. Yes, our infrastructure is practically fully destroyed with a few exceptions. Yes, we have a wild and decaying military industrial complex. Yes, our economy is tied to oil. Yes, we have problems with education. Yes, we have problems with medicine. Yes, we have problems with small business development. Yes, we have problems with corruption. Yes, we have problems with crime.

But, look at where these problems began: with the velvet democracy of the 1990's when the GOVERNMENT DID NOTHING FOR ANYONE. Even now, we are still really only living on what was left by the Great and Powerful Soviet Union.

Who was in power in the 1990s? Exactly those who are now in the opposition. Do you think anyone would vote for such an opposition? Doubtful. It follows that a movement is needed that can gather people under its wing, one that has a charismatic leader and ideas that people will listen to. Do we have such a movement? No. And it is unlikely to appear in the near future. This is because, in general, people really support the policies of the government that changed the vector since the election of President Putin. Do you know why? Because it became possible to live, and not just survive, and this is true. The government started to do at least something, and people see this.

I do not doubt that most or all of the facts in the article have a place, but they are a drop in the ocean. THERE IS NO ATMOSPHERE OF FEAR in the country, though the journalist is subtly painting the picture of a - bloody regime - that pressures its citizens.

We do have problems and we will solve them in time. Democracy is great when you live under a warm roof and have your piece of bread with butter for lunch. For now, the people do not need democracy, but the possibility to live humanely.

Please, do not teach us how to live.

- dmlord

-- New York Times, Moscow

Recommend Recommended by 91 Readers 2.February 23rd, 2008 4:32 pm
[Translated from Russian]

I think this article is PROPAGANDA. You don't really need the opinions of people, you need people to read your article and send in opinions that articulate your point of view.

- polinashepherd

-- New York Times, Moscow

Recommend Recommended by 19 Readers 3.All Editors' Selections » EDITORS' SELECTIONS (what's this?) February 23rd, 2008 4:53 pm
[Translated from Russian]

It is true that democracy in Russia is dubious and that the United States has more of it. But what are the results of this? It's not worth giving the masses much freedom. Our lack of democracy nurtures people better that American democracy. The more freedom we have the worse the masses become. Our lack of democracy is our own business. For the whole history of Russia (and then the USSR) we've lacked freedoms, and nothing bad has come of it. We can't use freedom anyway. Though, efforts to convey democracy and confidence that we have one are starting to emerge. But this is politics and politics has its own rules. But anxious foreign governments don't so much worry about us poor people. It's also just a political game. Statements about their concern for us, which veil their real interests, are no less ridiculous than our democracy.

- big_noise

Read original comment in Russian
-- New York Times, Moscow

Recommend Recommended by 18 Readers 4.February 23rd, 2008 5:15 pm
[Translated from Russian]

Point by point. We don't like the fact that we are considered just a raw materials exporter and we try our best to do something to cease being one. But somebody may not like it, it's better to have us play the raw-exports role. Incidentally, such a country is not likely to dictate prices at the market.

The words "aboriginal, civilized" etc. Show very well the relation to this country, a country, incidentally with quite long, independent history and culture, no matter what they are.

As for 90 per cent of those who do not speak other languages. Are there many people in the States who speak other languages? No, seriously? I know that they treat with great respect people who even badly speak English only because they almost don't speak other languages themselves. And why should we speak English, there are translators, let them translate.

The fact that the "civilized" Americans watch the BBC and the CNN does not change much in America. Quite a domestic variant of the CNN is broadcast which mainly covers domestic events and as for the international ones -- it's kind of what's going on in Serbia. In Russia, the events in the States are more covered, sometimes too much, like scandals with Britney, why do we need them?

The American regime can be called a democratic one only with many "buts," though it is difficult to find real democracies, everything ended in ancient Greece. And it is interesting why do you speak Russian because by your word you are not in Russia any more? Or you, like many people escaped from "rashka" (is this how they call it) but then you keep living the way you got used to, buying food at Russian stores and following our domestic events?

- mda

Read the original comment in Russian

-- New York Times, Moscow

Recommend Recommended by 10 Readers 5.February 23rd, 2008 5:21 pm
[Translated from Russian]

My son was taken to Moscow from a university in another city for a United Russia event. Each student was paid about 800 rubles for the trip, I think. They were asked to vote for United Russia, but of course, no one was forcing their hands, and thus were able to vote as they pleased. It's just that the main political competition is represented by a bunch of clowns. The party of power seems to largely encourage this aberration with its own behavior. The students at Lobachevsky University were simply duped with money that the organizers of the trip had stolen.

Putin is completely innocent here (unfortunately). People in Russia have always been forced to go to demonstrations, to vote or to sign some kind of petition. These are the initiatives of local officials large and small, who maintain their thrones, not thanks to professionalism, but thanks to intrigues and brown nosing.

- dizaco

Read the original comment in Russian
-- New York Times, Moscow

Recommend Recommended by 17 Readers 6.February 23rd, 2008 5:23 pm
[Translated from Russian]

All of this is true, though why are we being taught democracy by those who are fighting in Iraq and maintaining a concentration camp in Guantanamo?

- trzp

Read the original comment in Russian
-- New York Times, Moscow

Recommend Recommended by 83 Readers 7.February 23rd, 2008 5:31 pm
Link
Once again I wonder what George Bush "saw" when he "looked into" Pres. Putin's eyes...
-- Jiggssma, Rocky Hill CT

Recommend Recommended by 23 Readers 8.February 23rd, 2008 5:31 pm
[Translated from Russian]

I read the first paragraph and it was enough. Sort out everything in your democracy first.

- temkkka

-- New York Times, Moscow

Recommend Recommended by 33 Readers 9.February 23rd, 2008 5:31 pm
[Translated from Russian]

Isn't it interesting? You are writing in our own native tongue, on a blog purchased by a Russian entity and you are writing how disgusting is everything in our country with democracy and freedom of speech. Paradox and nonsense! If there is not freedom of speech in this country, then why are we reading your stuff and we are we not in KGB (or what the hell it is called now) torture cells? Why then I can respond to your, pardon, rubbish instead of watching Vremya News program reporting how much grain had been harvested?

What, actually, do you want? Do you love this country so much and you care so much about our future? Are you doing it for free or you are paid for it? If you do it for money, then you are not a free man either, because you have to express the corporate idea of those who is paying you...:-).

Actually, why do you think that all this is so amusing and we care to know what the West and the States think of us?

- seebas

-- New York Times, Moscow

Recommend Recommended by 24 Readers 10.February 23rd, 2008 5:31 pm
[Translated from Russian]

All this is possible, and probably a large portion is accurate. It's obvious that Putin has some kind of business and doesn't want anyone to mess with it. That's why any methods are adequate, though especially cheap ones. No one knows the true goals of this person and his team, and all this about patriotism is non-sense! He hasn't done one half of what a true patriot could have done in the same place. The only thing he's succeeded in doing is causing fear. You need to be pretty far gone to build your policies using that kind of awkward tool. Putin is a man from the 20th century that accidentally ended up among us.

- 5min

-- New York Times, Moscow

Recommend Recommended by 14 Readers 11.February 23rd, 2008 5:31 pm
[Translated from Russian]

Your text has one main idea: the authorities are restricting democracy and freedom of choice.

I've read about even scarier things, about horrors and misdeeds and monstrous violations in Russia. Though evidence of such harsh measures could hardly be discerned using the methodologies of American text books, and would likely not affect the majority of citizens.

This means that this issue of restricting democracy is based mostly on your opinion, presented in such a way as to look the most frightening. Of course, you can't be certain about this. Though, it is known for certain the some ballots from those elections were destroyed.

It's possible that some local authorities have over used their sticks. However, the incompetence of the democrats, their hatred of Russians, and the superficial discussions of freedom as a high value, taken along with all the evidence of corruption has left them without of drop of support.

If we speak in the language of Western values, then our democrats are typical losers, unable to fight, weak, smothered in hatred for the strong and more able.

- alivealex

-- New York Times, Moscow

Recommend Recommended by 3 Readers 12.February 23rd, 2008 5:31 pm
[Translated from Russian]

This article is good and hits the nail on the head. It is true, that at first there was a takeover of the information sphere, then a takeover of power, and now the threats have begun. It gives me goose bumps to think about what else these people will do before they calm down. What should we be expecting? In any case, what is going on now is a backward step to the 1970s at best or the 1930s at worst. In the first instance, the government will have serious problems as soon as oil prices drop. It is unlikely that those who now sit in the Kremlin will be able to fix the budget and the economic crises that will inevitably occur at the same time. In the 1980s, a similar situation led to the collapse of the Soviet Union and, at the same time, to the democratization of our society. I don't even want to speak about what would happen if we returned to the 1930s. Thank you for the article!

- Ferapontovo

-- New York Times, Moscow

Recommend Recommended by 39 Readers 13.February 23rd, 2008 5:40 pm
[Translated from Russian]

Well, many don't love Americans here, especially those who start to teach us how to live. We don't love them, probably, because our regimes are so similar. In both ours and theirs there are more words than deeds.

Russia has always needed to have a czar who tells people how to live and condemns things that are not right. It is wrong to threaten students and workers, but did everyone who voted against Putin's party get stamps on their foreheads? Everything is much simpler. Most of the people are content with this regime. It's, like, we're used to ours already, and your democracy, well, it's just another change, and for the love of God we don't want any more laws to follow. It's simpler to hand over a bit of money and solve all your problems on your own.

- victor_aka

-- New York Times, Moscow

Recommend Recommended by 4 Readers 14.All Editors' Selections » EDITORS' SELECTIONS (what's this?) February 23rd, 2008 5:40 pm
[Posted in English on the Russian-language discussion site]

I doubt you're looking for praise, so I'll skip straight to criticism. ;)

First, if the article was (perhaps, also) meant for the Russian audiences, it misses the mark. Glibly, your audience is split into three parts (of which you are quite certainly aware, but it bears repeating). There's the small, marginalized minority of "progressives" - en masse they already know, and are already outraged. There's the significantly larger minority of self-styled neo-fascist patriots, who are somewhat over-presented in this forum and will be intensely hostile to anything you say or do. And then there is your target audience - the majority, which generally doesn't give a crap due to either complacency or perceived impotence.

Second, comments to the tune of "Look in thine own eye first lest you find a log there" are likely amusing to you, given that in the 99% of the time the American press does not concern itself with Russia, that's exactly what it does. However, to most of your readers it would be new news had they cared to find out. They truly don't have an idea that most intelligent Americans are quite aware of how messy/downright disgusting the reality of operating a liberal democracy can get. If you want your opinions to pull heavier weight with the Russian audience, you'd do well to make that awareness travel. One of the major ways a Russian judges another's intelligence is by the degree of appreciation for the other's own shortcomings.

And third, you're facing an uphill perception battle. Your article is a piece of investigative journalism; to you - but not to your audience. Most of what's published in this genre in Russian are thinly veiled, slanted opinion pieces masquerading as reporting. Your work, to a greater or lesser extent, will be read in the same vein. American audiences have developed a degree of innate trust in the quality of what ends up in a major newspaper. Russian, conversely, have developed a degree of innate distrust. You can probably appreciate how a largely anecdote-driven critical piece written by a foreigner (worse, an American) would be seen in that light, regardless of its factual accuracy.

Hope this helps.

- muphta

-- New York Times, Moscow

Recommend Recommended by 187 Readers 15.All Editors' Selections » EDITORS' SELECTIONS (what's this?) February 23rd, 2008 5:40 pm
[Translated from Russian]

Democracy in the States ended several dozen years ago. Without belonging to one of little more than one hundred families, it is unrealistic to get to the Senate or to become a governor. Currently there is financial-political aristocracy there. With a trend to the obviously hereditary transfer of power to the much more narrow than one hundred of families, circle of clans. Father and son Bush are a reality, husband and wife Clinton almost became a reality. How can they talk about democracy at all.

- strah4

-- New York Times, Moscow

Recommend Recommended by 37 Readers 16.February 23rd, 2008 5:49 pm
[Translated from Russian]

As for the article, it is bad. On the one hand, it is similar to the majority of the translations published on inosmi.ru. You tell us about the free speech we don't have and teaches us democracy. It seems that you should be more objective and consider any problem from all angles, while giving different evaluations of one or another event. And here, all we have is propaganda, or will this just be published in the "Comments" section. Or do you simply divide your work in this way: One journalist criticizes Putin, while the other says something bad about SPS.

As for the facts you raise in the article, I won't argue. It's possible, that workers from the GAZ factory were truly forced to vote for United Russia. I don't know this for sure, but most likely this happened. But it's worth remembering that we still have one democratic achievement: secret ballots. Regardless of what the head of the factory told a worker, he can go to the voting station and vote for whomever he wants and the factory head will never know who he chose. One thing I know for sure is that SPS used the same methods during the 2003 Duma elections. An acquaintance of mine works at the Nizhny Novgorod branch of United Energy Systems, a company that belongs to Anatoly Chubais, a member of SPS. The workers at this branch were also forced under threat to vote for SPS. I told her then the same thing about secret ballots. Write your article about that.

- x_perience

-- New York Times, Moscow

[Translated from Russian]

Nobody is against you sorting everything out yourselves. Just a journalist of a respected newspaper from a civilized country expresses his opinion on the aboriginal "democracy" in a cold country which lives by export of raw materials, where 90 per cent of population for some reason still consider their country an important player on the international arena. Though in fact it is clear why -- same 90 per cent do not speak any language except the native one (with mistakes) and have never seen either the CNN or BBC or The New York Times.

That's it.

P.S. The United States is not ideal of course. But let there better be such democracy as there is in the States than the one that there is in Russia. Though only an illiterate can call Russian regime a democratic one.

- hola12

-- New York Times, Moscow

Recommend Recommended by 9 Readers 18.February 23rd, 2008 5:49 pm
[Translated from Russian]

I have been to the States and even lived there. I communicated with local people and till now I have followed their politics. But when I talk with local people I never allow myself to criticize America -- it's in bad taste. The same kind of bad taste to criticize my country. We will sort out everything ourselves.

Maximum that I can allow a foreign journalist is to present facts. Without conclusions. It would be desirable not to forget to present the facts how American companies in the 90s and till now, despite the FCPA [Foreign Corrupt Practices Act] calmly give bribes and to the large extent they themselves facilitated the corruption of officials. It is also desirable not to forget about the growth of our industry, about how our companies (not only ones that deal with raw materials) buy businesses in other countries. In general, everything is not that bad here, this is why it would excellent to see not only the negative features.

- mda

-- New York Times, Moscow

Recommend Recommended by 7 Readers 19.February 23rd, 2008 5:49 pm
[Translated from Russian]

There is one adequate comment for the one hundred idiots who are commenting, who have never been in the States and who get all their information about it from the Kremlin zombie-box. As they said in the USSR: "Everything is excellent here and there the blacks are hanged."

- hola12

-- New York Times, Moscow

Recommend Recommended by 30 Readers 20.February 23rd, 2008 5:49 pm
[Translated from Russian]

It fully applies to everything. I can criticize my friends, relatives but if someone dares say the same I will tear off his head.

- chebureka

-- New York Times, Moscow

Recommend Recommended by 3 Readers 21.February 23rd, 2008 5:49 pm
[Translated from Russian]

We criticize our own government with pleasure as well as the way of life that they impose on us. But we will never allow non-Russians to criticize our Motherland. Even Pushkin noted that.

- 3rd_world_kid

-- New York Times, Moscow

Recommend Recommended by 8 Readers 22.February 23rd, 2008 6:05 pm
[Translated from Russian]

Unfortunately, this is how it is. Those whose brains are still not awash with meth, are unable to do anything since the brainwashing technologies here work superbly and the majority is susceptible to it. Those who are independent and free thinkers simply cannot do anything in this country. The only thing that remains is to take care of one's self. This won't last for long, though. As soon as the gluttons empty out and sell off all of our resources, the situation will be come impossible because of the lack of these resources. Then everything will change.

All will be well, simply not in the near future. The world is like that: history always repeats itself.

- kerrygun

-- New York Times, Moscow

Recommend Recommended by 15 Readers 23.February 23rd, 2008 6:05 pm
[Translated from Russian]

Finally someone from abroad has written honestly about Russia. Normally they just right some bit of nonsense, but here is some serious investigation, though it still has some failings. The author visited us in Nizhny and personally met with the figures appearing in the article. I know the teacher, for example. It was about elections for a "children's parliament," when parents with their children were forced to attend. And about the Union of Right Forces, and the confiscation of publications from any little opposition organization--that's exactly how it was. Great job!

- nbnzz

-- New York Times, Moscow

Recommend Recommended by 20 Readers 24.February 23rd, 2008 6:05 pm
[Translated from Russian]

No, they're simply interested in how it has been possible to have all the great things you listed and still constantly mess everything up.

- foxynose

-- New York Times, Moscow

Recommend Recommended by 5 Readers 25.February 23rd, 2008 6:05 pm
[Translated from Russian]

The problem with America's teenaged complexes and those of its European vassals when it comes to Russia has for a while been one of genetics and civilization. What kind of relations can you expect from the political elite of a country that for more than a dozen generations has looked upon the richest and largest global empire on the European continent and failed understand the principles of its success.

It's envy!

From generation to generation, envy has been festering in the subconscious of the Anglo-Saxon: How can these Russians rule the largest territory in the world?

Read the rest of the comments on the NYT website