ABC News Senior Congressional Correspondent Rachel Scott is being celebrated on social media for a memorable and direct confrontation with Russian President Vladimir Putin. While the praise is recent, the event itself dates back to a high-stakes press conference in June 2021, where Scott’s pointed questions highlighted the ongoing issues of human rights and political opposition in Russia.
The moment continues to be cited as a powerful example of journalism holding world leaders to account.
The 2021 Geneva Press Conference
The exchange took place in Geneva, Switzerland, following a tense summit between President Putin and U.S. President Joe Biden. During Putin’s solo press conference, Rachel Scott delivered a series of sharp, multi-part questions that stood out for their directness.
She pressed the Russian leader on his government’s treatment of political opponents, asking:
“The list of your political opponents who are dead, imprisoned, or poisoned is long… What are you so afraid of?”
When Putin attempted to deflect, Scott followed up, stating, “You didn’t answer my question, sir. If all of your political opponents are dead, in prison, or poisoned, doesn’t that send a message that you don’t want a fair political fight?”
Putin’s Deflection
In response to the questions, President Putin did not directly address the fates of his opponents. Instead, he employed a tactic of “whataboutism,” diverting the focus to issues within the United States, including the prosecution of individuals involved in the January 6th Capitol riot and the Black Lives Matter protests. He stated that Russia did not want a similar “disorder” to happen on its territory.
Scott’s refusal to accept the deflection and her persistence in seeking an answer earned her widespread praise from colleagues and international observers for her courage and tenacity on the world stage.
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