December 2, 1995
Web posted at: 8:15 p.m. EST (0115 GMT)
From Correspondent Jim Clancy
MOSCOW (CNN) -- Two years ago, ultra-nationalist Vladimir Zhirinovsky stunned his critics by winning nearly a quarter of the vote in Russia's parliamentary elections. In those two years, Zhirinovsky has been hard to ignore, but his visibility may cost him and his Liberal Democratic Party when Russians return to the polls December 17.
Zhirinovsky campaigned on a plan to redraw the maps and restore the Russian Empire. He found friends in North Korea, Libya and Saddam Hussein's Iraq when western countries barred him for his radical, racist rhetoric.
And when rivals held up embarrassing aspects of his personal behavior, Zhirinovsky responded as the bad boy of Russian politics only could, hurling insults and orange juice on national television. (731K QuickTime movie)
It was the same old, familiar Zhirinovsky on center stage, but somehow, less amusing to most Russians. For all the seats won in the Duma two years ago, the Liberal Democrats have failed to get much done.
"They had to change because ... they had to show they were very good style, doing legislation with very serious faces," said television host Sasha Lubimov. "But they didn't, he couldn't."
Serious faces, no -- serious incidents, yes. Zhirinovsky's rough treatment of a woman legislator on the floor of the Duma further battered the image of a politician already seen as unstable.
And when serious action was called for, Zhirinovsky backed a Russian invasion of Chechnya. That scenario suited his ultra-nationalist politics, but as the conflict dragged on, people quickly saw the stark contrast between rhetoric and the real thing. (527K QuickTime movie)
Zhirinovsky faces competition from an array of nationalist and communist political parties that threaten to eat away the bloc of voters who propelled him to power two years ago. The soldiers who voted for him then can now choose generals who not only promise better pay, but are more likely to keep those promises.
As a result, some analysts predict Zhirinovsky is a fading force in Russian politics.
"He is kind of a supporting actor for the rest of his life," said sociologist Vsevolod Marinov. "He will never be the number one and he knows that." (706K QuickTime movie)
Or does he? Zhirinovsky already says he'll run for president next June. His picture now graces his own brand of vodka, and he is demanding a thousand dollars a minute for television interviews.
Some in Russia believe Zhirinovsky and his Liberal Democrats are heading for the history books. With two weeks to go before the vote, there is still time for some surprises. And if he is good at anything, Vladimir Zhirinovsky is good at surprises.
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