Russia, Trump and flashy sneakers: Corey Flintoff @ Brown!

This past Thursday, Brown welcomed Corey Flintoff, a recently-retired NPR political journalist famous for his dulcet, perfectly-modulated voice (not to mention his groundbreaking reporting on Alaska, Russia, and other international politics and events, such as the Exxon-Valdez oil spill). Flintoff, who was based in Moscow for many years, spoke on topics ranging from a changing Russia, to international relations under a Trump administration, to his own humble beginnings in Alaskan journalism.Should we be afraid? What should we expect from Russia? And is the prime minister of Russia actually a sneakerhead? Flintoff explains it all. Here's what he had to say:...on riding in armored Humvees: "NPR correspondents live outside the green zone," Flintoff explained, referring to a heavily fortified zone in the Iraqi capital where the US embassy is located--the extent of what most visiting politicians see of Iraq. Sometimes, he rode in a regular car through the streets of Iraq; other times, he rode in a Humvee with a bulletproof vest on his back."Staring out of a guarded Humvee with a gunner on the roof makes you suspicious of everyone," he said. "Even a guy on the street on his cell phone looks suspicious." Is he going to set off a bomb? Is he calling in the Humvee? Flintoff wondered if this view, which soldiers and politicians got of Iraq, affected their judgement: when you're focused on protecting yourself, it's a lot easier to imagine everyone else is out to get you.... on public opposition in Russia: In 2008, Vladimir Putin was barred from presidency for a third time by the Russian constitution. Soon after, Dmitry Medvedev was elected President of Russia, with 73% of votes, and appointed Putin as Prime Minister. In 2011, Medvedev proposed that Putin be president again, and the two switched power--suggesting that Medvedev's presidency was nothing more than a sneaky way for Putin to get around the term limit.Flintoff explained how opposition at this time was not powerful, consisting mainly of small, middle-class groups that were easily suppressed by the Kremlin. One protestor told him, "I feel like I've seen all these faces before," referring to how the same group of older Russians came to all of the protests. Why weren't younger people protesting?... on how flashy sneakers are causing chaos in Russia: Younger people are protesting now. Why? One reason is that corruption is too obvious to hide anymore. In an hourlong documentary called "He is not Dimon to You", filmmakers exposed Medvedev's corruption--all based on his sneakers.Medvedev has been constantly seen with fancy yachts, homes, and, yes, sneakers. One curious investigator traced the fancy sneakers, via invoice, and found that they had been delivered to a friend. That friend's business was then traced to several shell companies linked to shell properties where Medvedev had been photographed. This discovering of undeniable corruption is what finally angered and alarmed the Russian people. The economy is in shambles, and the infrastructure is crumbling--and the Prime Minister was spending dirty money on Nikes!... on Putin's ambitions for Russia: "Putin believes that Russia is under threat," said Flintoff. Putin, according to Flintoff, believes that the United States has been attempting to undermine Russia since the fall of the Soviet Union. The NATO expansion frightened Russia, which then sought to engage neighboring entities Georgia and Ukraine in battles to prevent them from being able to join NATO. Being in Russia is like being in an armored Humvee: everything outside seems suspicious.So what does Putin want? "The restoration of the Soviet imperial empire," Flintoff stated, plainly. Putin considers the Baltic and Ukraine "not countries at all", and has the idea that if sanctions are lifted, oil prices will go up, foreign investors will return, and return Russia back to its glory days. Or maybe even something bigger.... on Putin and Trump: "Trump does not share the interest in policy that made Putin so powerful," Flintoff explained. Putin--described by the journalist as a short, charismatic man whose manspreading is off the charts, evolved as a leader. He learned from his early mistakes and quickly grew to consolidate his power by replacing his old cronies with new, young technocrats that had only known a life under Putin. Trump, on the other hand, has a sellable name but not the cleverness that Putin used to solidify his rule.... on his advice to aspiring journalists: "I wish I had started earlier," said Flintoff, who, out of college, wanted to write his version of the Great American Novel. He found himself living in Alaska and sought a job to keep him occupied and earn money while he spent his real effort on his work of fiction. When he asked locals where to go to get a job, they told him--"Oh, go to the radio station! They always need someone down there." The rest, as they say, is history.However, Flintoff, now retired from NPR, is finally back to pursuing his lifelong dream of publishing a work of fiction. We hope to see it on shelves soon, Corey!Images via, via, and via.