RUSSIA: RUSSIAN NEWSPAPER PRODUCES DECK OF PLAYING CARDS FEATURING US POLITICIANS

Record ID: 674972

  • Title: RUSSIA: RUSSIAN NEWSPAPER PRODUCES DECK OF PLAYING CARDS FEATURING US POLITICIANS
  • Date: 23rd September 2003
  • Summary: (L!2) MOSCOW, RUSSIA (SEPTEMBER 24, 2003) (REUTERS) LAURA BUSH CARD
  • Embargoed: 8th October 2003 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: MOSCOW, RUSSIA
  • Country: Russia
  • Topics: Entertainment,Quirky,Politics,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
  • Reuters ID: LVA4OE63EI6JU4GZSWB3D1A8JZX6
  • Story Text: A Russian newspaper has produced a deck of playing cards featuring U.S. politicians.
    When Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with U.S. President George Bush for a summit on September 25th, he now has one reliable guide for knowing just who is who in the Bush White House - the United Cards of America.
    Remember the U.S. military's Iraqi leaders playing cards? Now a Russian newspaper has come up with the latest spin-off of this idea with a deck of playing cards featuring U.S. politicians such as President George W. Bush as the Jack of Hearts, First Lady Laura Bush as the Queen of Hearts and National Security Advisor Condolezza Rice as the Queen of Diamonds.
    The pack contains 36 cards, the number of cards in a traditional Russian deck, and each suit has a particular meaning.
    The hearts are called the "family" and feature the Bush family and their trusted friends. George Bush senior, for example, is the Ace of Hearts. The clubs are "the careerists" and feature career politicians and diplomats who serve in the Bush administration. White House advisor Karl Rove, for example, is the King of Clubs. The diamonds are "the moderates" and feature political figures in the Bush administration who argue for a restrained foreign policy. Secretary of State Colin Powell, for example, is the Ace of Diamonds. The spades are the "the neo-cons ervatives" who are the hawks of the White House policy. Political lobbyist Richard Perle, for example, is the nine of spades.
    Each card also has a brief description of the policy-maker it represents.
    George W. Bush:
    "U.S. President since 2001. He is certain that God has a plan for him."
    Laura Bush: "Wife of President Bush, junior. She made her husband quit drinking."
    Richard Perle:
    "Prince of Darkness. Advisor to Rumsfeld, member of advisory board on defence politics.
    Most powerful lobbyist."
    Azer Mursaliev, foreign affairs editor for the daily Kommersant, helped devise the project. He says the cards can help Russians understand the faces and ideological battles behind U.S. policy and unmask the powers behind the throne.
    "We want to show our readers the various faces of the current U.S. political elite. We want to show them that there are not only the same five or six people who are well-known and who we see at the official meetings, events, summits, etc, but that it [the U.S. political structure] is a complex, living organism with many various and vivid personalities," said Mursaliev.
    The cards also seem to make for nice souvenirs. Printed in limited editions and going for 250 roubles (approximately 8.20 USD), the packs are quickly selling out at Moscow bookstores.
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