Henry Hale , an international affairs professor at The George Washington University specializing in Russian politics , said on the whole , the polls reflect the reality on the ground of popular support for Putin . ` The U.S. economy is roaring and the Russian economy is sagging . President Obama is in an economic slump , but Vladimir Putin is in a popular surge .
The U.S. economy is roaring and the Russian economy is sagging . President Obama is in an economic slump , but Vladimir Putin is in a popular surge .