That is the title of my latest Black Agenda Report column. I explain why Vladimir Putin is made a figure of fun, is accused of killing every Russian who ever met an unfortunate end, and is said to menace countries that are in fact threatening him. And in 2016 he is the foil for Hillary Clinton, whose unpopularity forces her to come up with new ways to demonize the already demonic Donald Trump.
Don DeBar and I discuss all this on CPR News. You can read my column here.