People Who Live In Glass Houses...

Rice Worried by Putin's Broad Powers

MOSCOW -

The Russian government under Vladimir Putin has amassed so much central authority that the power-grab may undermine Moscow's commitment to democracy, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Saturday.

"In any country, if you don't have countervailing institutions, the power of any one president is problematic for democratic development," Rice told reporters after meeting with human-rights activists.

You wouldn't think that she could say that with a straight face.