MOST OTHER REPUBLICANS WOULD
SIMPLY LIKE TO MOVE ON.
>> GARRETT HAAKE, GET READY FOR
ANOTHER BUSY WEEK, MY FRIEND.
THANK YOU.
>>> VLADIMIR PUTIN WITH A
LANDSLIDE VICTORY AFTER THREE
DAYS OF VOTING THAT OFFERED IN
REAL ALTERNATIVES.
WHILE THERE WERE SOME PROTESTS,
HE USED HIS VICTORY SPEECH TO
DECLARE RUSSIA IS UNITED BEHIND
HIM.
NBC’S CHIEF INTERNATIONAL
CORRESPONDENT KEIR SIMMONS IS IN
WASHINGTON AGAIN.
HE WAS AT THAT NEWS CONFERENCE.
HE QUESTIONED PUTIN DIRECTLY.
KEIR, GOOD MORNING TO YOU.
>> Reporter: CRAIG, GOOD MORNING
TO YOU.
LATE LAST NIGHT PRESIDENT PUTIN
RESPONDING TO A QUESTION FROM
NBC NEWS DESCRIBING THE DEATH OF
HIS OPPONENT ALEXEI NAVALNY AS,
QUOTE, AN UNFORTUNATE INCIDENT.
SAYING HE WON THE ELECTION WITH
87% OF THE VOTE, A RESULT
CRITICIZED BY WESTERN LEADERS AS
UNDEMOCRATIC.
THIS MORNING, PRESIDENT PUTIN
BEGINNING ANOTHER SIX YEARS IN
POWER, AFTER AN ELECTION THAT
SAW DYE POURED INTO BALLOT BOXES
AND DRONE STRIKES RUSSIA BLAMED
ON UKRAINE.
PUTIN WON THE BIGGEST VICTORY OF
HIS LEADERSHIP, RUSSIAN
OFFICIALS SAY, AFTER YEARS OF
CRUSHING OPPOSITION LEADERS LIKE
ALEXEI NAVALNY, WHO TOLD US HE
VOTED BY WRITING INITIALS ON THE
BALLOT.
NBC NEWS WAS THE FIRST
INTERNATIONAL NEWS ORGANIZATION
TO QUESTION THE LEADER AFTER THE
ELECTION.
>> JOURNALIST EVAN GERSHKOVICH
SPENT THIS ELECTION IN PRISON.
BORIS WASN’T ALLOWED TO STAND
AGAINST YOU.
AND ALEXEI NAVALNY DIED IN ONE
OF YOUR PRISONS DURING YOUR
CAMPAIGN.
MR. PRESIDENT, IS THIS WHAT YOU
CALL DEMOCRACY?
>> THAT’S LIFE, PUTIN SAID.
AND THEN HIS ANSWER SUGGESTED HE
AGREED TO RELEASE NAVALNY ON THE
CONDITION HE NEVER RETURNED TO
RUSSIA.
DAYS LATER, HIS OUTSPOKEN CRITIC
WAS DEAD.
HIS WIDOW JOINED A PROTEST IN
BERLIN SUNDAY AS RUSSIANS
DEMONSTRATED AT POLLING STATIONS
BY SIMPLY STANDING IN LINE.
>> THERE COULD NOT BE ANY
NEGOTIATIONS AND NOTHING WITH
MR. PUTIN BECAUSE HE’S A KILLER.
HE’S A GANGSTER.
>> Reporter: THE KREMLIN
SPOKESPERSON REJECTING CRITICISM
OF THE ELECTION.
ALEXEI NAVALNY’S WIDOW IS
CALLING ON LEADERS AROUND THE
WORLD NOT TO ACCEPT THIS
ELECTION.
>> YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE PEOPLE
WHO ARE -- GET THEMSELVES
DEPRIVED OF THEIR MOTHER LAND
AND THEY’RE STAYING ABROAD.
>> HER HUSBAND DIED IN PRISON.
>> THE LONGER THEY STAY ABROAD,
THE LONGER THEY STAY ABROAD, THE
LESS CONNECTION THEY HAVE WITH
THEIR OWN COUNTRY.
>> Reporter: THIS MORNING
PRESIDENT PUTIN BEING
CONGRATULATED BY COUNTRIES LIKE
IRAN
IRAN, CHINA AND NORTH KOREA.