Just a note. (I'm sick. Would you like some mucus with your html? Bleh.) I put up more notes and photos from Kasparov's ABC News interview at ChessBase.com. There is also a link to the video itself. It was an excellently done piece, if short. Even Garry couldn't imagine where they had dug up some of the old film clips they showed. Several were simuls in his early 20's, one in Russia. Most game clips were against Short in 93 and the Deep Blue matches, the few chess events to be filmed.
Garry's NPR interview is online. On Monday he will do a long TV interview with Charlie Rose. (Check your local PBS station schedule.) A long NY Times piece will run next Sunday, I believe.
I saw the ABC piece live. Thanks for the heads-up, Mig. The footage of the younger Gary was great. And they got in the Social Security joke. I wish they hadn't used the clip of Gary denigrating the value of Deep Blue beating him the way they did (but on the other hand, Gary should have been very slightly less uncompromising in his presentation of the value of Deep Blue's victory). His English came across more as a second language that it has in other context, but I still give the interview my highest commendation.
Kasparov, as great a chess player as he might be, couldn't maneuver chess politics his way ... and now he is going to take on Putin?! What I'd like to see is odds from Betsson on how long before our dear Garik ends up in the Gulag, a la Khodarkovsky.
-ashish gives gk no more than three years on the outside
The gulag would be good for GK's chess -- look what it did for Scharansky. Plus it may introduce him to the till-now alien concept of humility.
I agree that Kasparov has zero chances of making it in politics in Russia. For one thing, the Russians are already bringing forth their own dissidents, refuseniks and opposition leaders, some of whom have been incarcerated by the authorities, giving them much more "street cred" than he can have. It's not like they're all stupid and/or dejected, waiting for his arrival to turn things around.
Instead, my advice to Kasparov is to live on his hard-earned money for the next couple of years and learn an entirely new line of work, maybe study for an MBA. Then start his own business (the painful lessons from his failed website still being fresh and useful) and make a success of it. Preferably not a chess-related business.
Play chess strictly as a hobby. Adjust to no longer being famous. If he still feels a need to go into politics after three years of this, it won't be too late then.
My impression of the NPR interview was of a man wound much too tight who doesn't have a very clear idea of who he is and what he wants to do; not very appealing qualities to most voters.
HLM, its very amusing to read about your advice. What? study MBA? then Business? after that what? I respect Kasparov has a desire to fight for his country. Yes, Russia needs democracy. Kasparov should fight hard. He is a great fighter and we need more like him in Russia. People should unite and throw this dictatorship. I am sure, one day, the democracy will prevail in Russia, China and other countries. Look, the Freedom is on the march......
Any idea when the Charlie Rose interview will air? I don't see anything on his web site.
Anyway, I'm TiVo-ing every episode until; it does ;-)
The GK interview will air on Friday, according to the Charlie Rose website. http://www.charlierose.com/