No one told former President Bill Clinton’s Chief of Staff John Podesta that what happens in Moscow stays in Moscow. Mr. Podesta told Runner’s World magazine how the former president’s first meeting with Vladimir Putin in 2000 was parlayed into a “vodka shot” marathon.
“We saw Putin, and then we had the evening free. We went to the Cafe Pushkin in Moscow, and as is habit in Moscow, we started drinking vodka shots. I’m not much of a drinker, but I had plenty to drink that night,” the former Clinton aide said.
Mr. Podesta told Runner’s World that the next day, Mr. Clinton was supposed to meet with then-Russian President Boris Yeltsin early in the morning, Business Insider reported.
“I don’t know how I managed to get out of bed,” he continued. “I wouldn’t even describe myself as hungover; alcohol was still pouring out of my pores. Yeltsin and Clinton went off for a private meeting. Mrs. Yeltsin had made a Linzer torte. She doesn’t speak a word of English, and (former national security adviser) Sandy Berger and I sat there and ate Linzer torte, just hoping she didn’t notice the bloodshot nature of my eyes.”
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.