Russians Look to Putin for National Rejuvenation

"You should not speak to her. Go home and talk to your own old folks," the middle-aged woman snapped at a reporter interviewing a 71-year-old pensioner who begs at Novy Arbat Street not far away from the Kremlin. In a sense, the woman's mentality crystallizes the current Russian mindset: too ashamed of the country's woes and too proud to show it to an outsider.

Many believe that the military campaign against rebels in Chechnya has contributed to the enormous popularity of acting President Vladimir Putin, but the runaway favorite in Sunday's presidential elections also owes much of his support to the hope that he would bring order, and eventually, revive Russia's dented national pride.

A stroll Friday along Novy Arbat left one little doubt that Putin will be the victor in Sunday's balloting. Of the 18 people interviewed, 10 said they would vote for Putin, four said they had not made up their mind or wanted to keep their choices to themselves.

Putin, who was appointed prime minister last August and automatically became the acting head of state on New Year's Eve following the abrupt resignation of Boris Yeltsin, has risen from relative obscurity to an approval rating of 55 to 60 percent. Tikhomirov Alexei, a salesman at the Tian Ke Long shopping center, plans to vote for Putin because "he is forceful, courageous and has nothing to do with the corrupt ruling establishment and the oligarchs."

"Putin is young, energetic and pragmatic and gets things done," Alexei said.

His view was echoed by Nikolai Nikolaivich, a policeman who has lived through the years of Josef Stalin, Nikita Krushchev and Boris Yeltsin.

"I will vote for the president!" He has long since shed "acting " from Putin's official title. Nostalgic of the Krushchev days, Nikolaivich believes Putin would institute a strong state as Krushchev did.

"Under Putin, the economy is recovering; social stability has returned and crime is down." "I don't see any other choice," he said. Alla, another Putin supporter, said she would vote for him because he "represents the future of Russia." G. E. Gurchrminova, a retired college professor, said she would vote for Putin, because he is pragmatic and "says less but does more." And as president, Putin would bring predictability to Russia, which under Boris Yeltsin's reign saw five prime ministers in a space of some 18 months.

Karameisheva Natalia, who wears two placards promoting a beauty salon as "a walking advertisement" along Novy Arbat and earns 10 rubles (0.35 U.S. dollar) per hour, will vote for Putin in the hope that he would improve her life.

She and her husband and son have lived in Moscow as temporary residents for two years, but life is hard and jobs are scarce. "I hope that Putin would bring good fortune to Russia," Natalia said.

Still there are those who are disillusioned by politics and want to vote against all candidates.

A young man who works also as a "walking advertisement" alongside Natalia but refused to give his name said he would not even show up in the polling station on Sunday.

Reirynikov Illya described himself as a government employee. He said he does not trust any of the candidates and would vote against them all. As to Putin's mounting approval rating, he believes anybody in his capacity as prime minister and acting head of state would be able to reach the kind of popularity Putin enjoys.

Over the past few weeks, Putin toured the regions and made a surprise visit to Chechnya aboard a Su-27 fighter jet as a co- pilot. The media gave almost blanket, and mostly positive, coverage of his activities.

That young, energetic image is a far cry from his predecessor who in Nikolaivich's words, "stayed in and out of hospital and could not tend to state affairs most of the time." And whom will the 71-year-old pensioner vote for? "Putin," she said. "Because he is the only candidate that I know," although not far away were two billboards urging Muscovites to vote for two of the ten other presidential hopefuls -- Umar Dzhabrailov, a wealthy hotel owner, and Alexei Podberyozkin, leader of the Spiritual Heritage party.

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