Why does Putin have superfans among the US right wing?

The Russian leader is an autocrat with a homophobic and misogynistic worldview. No wonder he is admired by so many Republicans

Say what you like about Vladimir Putin; he may be slaughtering innocent Ukrainians, but, on the plus side, he has never once called the Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson a racist. Last Tuesday, Carlson, who is reportedly paid $10m (7.5m) a year for his piercing insights and analysis, told Americans that they had been brainwashed into thinking Putin was a baddie. Think critically, Carlson instructed his depressingly large audience. Ask yourself this, he posited: Has Putin ever called me a racist? Has he threatened to get me fired for disagreeing with him? ... Is he making fentanyl? Is he trying to snuff out Christianity? Does he eat dogs? These are fair questions - and the answer to all of them is no." To be clear: these are inane questions and the answer to all of them is: Turn off Fox News before the rest of your brain turns to mush."

Carlson, it should be said, has significantly toned down the pro-Putin rhetoric in the past few days. What is noteworthy, however, is the fact that Carlson is far from the only person on the US right to have a soft spot for old Vlad. While Donald Trump has called the Russian attack on Ukraine appalling", he has also called Putin's actions genius", savvy" and smart".