Lets talk Presidency, Kasparov?

[Mickey Brausch]

[ QUOTE ]
One of the smartest guys around.

[/ QUOTE ]Why would you say this? Playing brilliant chess doesn't necesarrily mean one is also smart.

Kasparov's reasoning, in the various issues he's been involved with, e.g. FIDE, has often been embarassingly poor. And for an aspiring politician, his social graces leave a lot to be desired, to put it mildly. He has also been significantly cavalier with the truth, in his former profession, and inexcusably careless in some of his chess writings. (Shades of Raymond Keene -- alas, Gary's business partner.)

By the way, does he still live with his mother?


Mickey Brausch

[kickabuck]

[ QUOTE ]
Does it say anything about our two countries when we had President Reagan and they might have President Kasparov? I mean this as a serious question?

[/ QUOTE ]

That in a democracy it is indeed possible for intelligent, thoughtful men from relatively humble beginnings to rise to power.

[JackWhite]

[ QUOTE ]
One of the smartest guys around.

Why would you say this? Playing brilliant chess doesn't necesarrily mean one is also smart.

[/ QUOTE ]

I've seen him interviewed a few times, and he struck me as being extremely intelligent, relatively soft-spoken, and possessing common sense (at least compared to other chess masters).



[ QUOTE ]
Kasparov's reasoning, in the various issues he's been involved with, e.g. FIDE, has often been embarassingly poor. And for an aspiring politician, his social graces leave a lot to be desired, to put it mildly. He has also been significantly cavalier with the truth, in his former profession, and inexcusably careless in some of his chess writings. (Shades of Raymond Keene -- alas, Gary's business partner.)

By the way, does he still live with his mother

[/ QUOTE ]

Can you help me out Mickey? What is FIDE? Could you give some examples of his being cavalier with the truth. You also said his chess writing was poor. What does that have to do with running for office? You said being a great chess player doesn't mean he is smart, but then you suggest that being a poor chess writer is a strike against him. You seem to want to have that both ways. If his chess writing was brilliant, would that make him more qualified to be President of Russia?

Even if he has all the flaws you mentioned, would he be better than Putin has been, or any other major contender would be? That seems to be the most important question.

[MelchyBeau]

FIDE is Federation International Des Echecs I believe. It is the most widely recognized international chess organization.

He has made claims that in Kasparov vs. Deep Blue II, IBM cheated against him

[Olof]

[ QUOTE ]

For those in the know, what is the reaction been of the Russian public concerning the recent tragic accidents and suicides of Russian journalists and Putin critics? Are they so accustomed to this type of tyranny that it is viewed as a normal thing?

[/ QUOTE ]

The Russian public doesn't seem to mind that much:





link

[HajiShirazu]

Lol at the US part of that poll about Vladimir Putin. 22% said DK but the reality is that probably 50% couldn't have told you who the president of Russia even was. Of course, the one thing most people from other countries even if they didn't know anything else would tell you about America is that "GWB is an idiot". Then again it's hard to argue with them.
Kasparov always seemed like a reasonable and intelligent guy to me, but I don't know all that much about him. But I would rather have a chess champion in charge than a laywer, a CEO, or someone with family ties to politics in any way.

[Taso]

lol Haji, considering he got another four years, I guess that makes the voters idiots as well?

What about Giuliani 08? A friend of mine was saying he doesn't have a chance to be even the nominee. As a New Yorker, you know where my vote is heading. That's not really the only reason though.

[fmxda]

[ QUOTE ]
lol Haji, considering he got another four years, I guess that makes the voters idiots as well?

What about Giuliani 08? A friend of mine was saying he doesn't have a chance to be even the nominee. As a New Yorker, you know where my vote is heading. That's not really the only reason though.

[/ QUOTE ]
Wait, you would actually vote Giuliani?

As a fellow New Yorker familiar with him, I am firm in my belief Giuliani was a bad mayor and would make a terrible president.

I'm pretty sure the general US perception of him based on mostly the 9/11 disaster is much more favorable than those of New Yorkers who've lived through his whole administration.

[Mickey Brausch]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
One of the smartest guys around.

Why would you say this? Playing brilliant chess doesn't necesarrily mean one is also smart.

[/ QUOTE ]

I've seen him interviewed a few times, and he struck me as being extremely intelligent, relatively soft-spoken, and possessing common sense (at least compared to other chess masters).

[/ QUOTE ]I agree that, compared to other chess masters, Kasparov is Demosthenes.



[ QUOTE ]
Could you give some examples of his being cavalier with the truth.

[/ QUOTE ]His statements, for example, about his great opponent Karpov have been cringingly embarassing. His whole demeanor has been a disgraceful display of small-mindedness. (Edward Winter has a plethora of information about this.) And his political pronouncements have been characterized by hyperbole and sometimes opportunism, e.g. his identification with Azerbaitzani irredentism.

[ QUOTE ]
You also said [Kasparov's] chess writing was poor. What does that have to do with running for office? You said being a great chess player doesn't mean he is smart, but then you suggest that being a poor chess writer is a strike against him. You seem to want to have that both ways.

[/ QUOTE ] Good point.

But I was not referring to the chess worth of his writing! Kasparov is, without doubt, one of the greatest players of all time. (Perhaps even the greatest.) The chess books he has written are inundated by his genius, as would be expected. But he has put them together in a hurried, haphazard and non-thorough manner. Given his status as one of the greatest chess masters ever, this is all the more unforgivable. It has been a hack job quite often.

As a chess author, e.g. "My Illustrious Predecessors", Kasparov seemed to be going for the quick buck. And if this has been the fault of the notoriously unscrupulous GM Raymond Keene, then so much the worse. An aspiring politician should be picking his associates more carefully.

[ QUOTE ]
Even if he has all the flaws you mentioned, would he be better than Putin has been, or any other major contender would be? That seems to be the most important question.

[/ QUOTE ]Well, theoretically, Gary Kasparov in power would be preferable to most western leaders I can think of!..


Mickey Brausch

[ilyasik]

okay, first i have to say that it's NEVER going to happen [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

kasparov and putin are antipodal poles. and the next president will be a putin's man for sure!
putin built-on a immense power in russia (also in political backgrounds) and after his term he will still rule russia through "his man".

and honestly i can't imagine how kasparov would lead russia!
you can't lead russia with "democracy" like it's in europe for instance.
the mentality ist totally different.