Kasparov says he was blocked from race
Backers couldn’t nominate him
By Mike Eckel, Associated Press December 14, 2007
MOSCOW – The Kremlin appears to have checkmated chess genius Garry Kasparov, eliminating the internationally known figure from the presidential race.
Kasparov said yesterday that his bid collapsed because supporters were blocked from renting a meeting hall to nominate him – part of President Vladimir Putin’s campaign, he said, to snuff out any viable opposition and turn Russia’s March 2 ballot into a virtual one-man contest.
The move makes it impossible for Kasparov to challenge Putin’s chosen successor as a candidate. But even if his supporters had nominated him, Kasparov would have faced formidable barriers, such as a Putin-era law forcing independent candidates to gather 2 million signatures – nearly one out of 50 Russian voters – for a spot on the ballot.
Kasparov has said that requirement would be impossible to fulfill. “We all knew I wasn’t running . . . because we don’t have an election,” Kasparov said in an interview yesterday. “It just shows that this game is fake at each stage.”
Under Russian law, independent candidates can run for president only if a group of at least 500 supporters meets formally to vote on the nomination. Yesterday was the deadline for notifying the Central Election Commission of such a meeting.
Source: Boston Globe
Isn’t this old news?
Garri come back. The chess world has need of you.
his excuses are getting ridiculous. next time he will mention hedache or traffic jams.
LOL. if he had played in Corus, 100 000 would have been watching his games all over the net. now, he cant gather 500 supporters in the whole city of Moscow
Well President Bush thinks Putin is a great leader.
What does that tell us?
I am voting Democratic this time.
…………….
Gary had the 500 people but every time he rented a hall 2 days later he was told he could not use the hall by the owner of the hall. There were no halls thus available. He was always turned down 2 days after renting the hall numerous times.
Gary said he could not get a hall. He did not say he could not get the 500 people.
kasparov was a leftist wing nut. His polical ideas were nuttier than Bobby Fishers.
However he had some good points why the oil producing nations were supporting the terorists and supporting conflicts – ie it keeps the price of oil high.
if he had people who DID want to endorse him, he would have found a hall. don’t tell me that the government checks every hall with a capacity of 500 in Moscow area. It’s plain ridiculous.
the largest gathering of “his” movenment ever was 1500 and out of that crowd there might have been 50 Garrys’ supporters. Kasjanov has already collected his 2mil signatures (hopeless task for GK)
**Well President Bush thinks Putin is a great leader**
to early to say whether Bush is right. in 5 years maybe… but…. He’s much a better leader than George W. if we had such a “leader”, the country would have just decomposed.
actually bush is one of the greatest presidents ever.
Kasparov`s rallies gathered at least several thousand marchers in Moscow nad in St.Petersburg and twice more militiamen.
Putin`s dictatorship is afraid even of a slightest sign of discontent in Russia. Apparatchicks are afraid that their fortunes stolen from Russians will be taken from them.
Surely Kasparov is no ‘leftist wingnut’. If anything he is a rightist in the Bush – Cheney mold.
Gary Kasparov would be better President than Putin any day of the month!
Can not Russians see how much harm Putin is to their liberties?
Has an elephant stepped on the ears of the Russians?
It is a shame when people choose “false safety” with a dictator over “uncertain optimism” with GM Kasparov.
The Russian people deserve Putin in any case. People who choose to give up freedom for safety deserve neither.
George Bush’s reign of terror is coming to an end. We should all be thankful!
**Kasparov`s rallies gathered at least several thousand marchers in Moscow nad in St.Petersburg and twice more militiamen.**
apparently, you attended a different march 🙂 i gave a brief overview in one of the postings before the parliament elections. there are no “his” marches. rather he is one of the organizers and the least popular among them. the point is we those who dislike the “bears” dont see him as a reasonable candidate. being a “nut” isnt by itself an advantage 🙂
PS if GK had any popularity, he could have gathered 500 russian voters in New York and no problems with a hall 🙂
**People who choose to give up freedom for safety deserve neither**
that’s right. but… it has no relevance to Russia and LOTS of relevance to the US of today.
“Anonymous said…
**People who choose to give up freedom for safety deserve neither**
that’s right. but… it has no relevance to Russia and LOTS of relevance to the US of today.”
Freedom is not an American invention. The Russian people deserve freedom too! Just because we don’t have big American mouths or big celebrities coming to our cause does not mean Russians do not want to live lives free from unhappiness and free from government FSB spys who like to push us small people around.
America did not invent freedom!
of course america didnt “invent freedom” what a silly comment every human being yearns to be free. socialist and communist want absolute control over peoples lives. america system of government offers freedom although freedoms are eroding here and going to get worse as the sick whack job democrats get back in power. hold on to your wallet
“safety vs freedom” is not an issue in Russia (here, people don talk or think much in terms of “safety”). it’s am issue in America. how you guys dont notice is a mistery to me.
** what a silly **
it is
** america system of government offers freedom although freedoms **
no “system of government” can ever offer freedom. period.