Russia: The Election Season Shapes Up

Events in Russia this week offered a glimpse into how the country's election season may play out. On Oct. 18, socialite-turned-journalist Ksenia Sobchak announced her intent to run for president against incumbent Vladimir Putin. Sobchak's father, Anatoly, was mayor of St. Petersburg in the 1990s and mentored Putin before his move into politics. He is considered responsible for promoting many of Russia's leaders to their current positions. His daughter, now entering the arena, has vacillated between political stances in the past, occasionally involving herself in protest movements but at other times refusing to criticize Putin....