And if people can call someone the next greatest emperor after Peter the Great, in an elected country, well, the man should not look further than not spoiling the message mesez.
The article leaves a lot of gaps - many of Russia's secrets. But anyone can read the ruthlessness of Putin between the lines. No one can rise to power as simply as described.
And how many people would have 'joked' like the following dedicated to them?
Putin and Bush are fishing on the Volga River. After half an hour Bush complains, "Vladimir, I'm getting bitten like crazy by mosquitoes, but I haven't seen a single one bothering you." Putin: "They know better than that."
What must it be like to be in a country ruled by a powerful persona, one you can admire, look up to or, simply, hate from the bottom of the heart? One powerful enough to make you fear him, and not his party, or his allies, or his frnd. Just him, alone.
So the article only tries to define their reasoning (subtly, very subtly) and strengthens their choice, but yes, its also a pathbreak - what better way to bring Russia back with a bang into media than from the cover of Time magazine?