Putin is the real mass murderer in this. Bout is Putin’s trophy. A prize that only a mass murderer would love. So now, Putin saves face in Russia and Biden looks like the one willing to make a deal – any deal.

The long game: Will this encourage Putin to come to the negotiating table re Ukraine and if so to what end? Biden has said it’s up to Ukraine to make any deal with Russia and Zelenskyy is adamant not to give up an inch of Ukraine, and why should he? His country was invaded and it’s being systematically destroyed. Putin blaming NATO was a ruse, as was his “de-Nazification” and his transparent excuses for military intervention in Syria, Georgia, Chechnya, Crimea, and Donbas.

I don’t see any downside for Putin or any upside for Biden in this trade. For Biden to make these apparent sides right-side-up again, Biden is going to have to pull a rabbit out of a hat. Biden’s best hat trick is that whenever he’s underestimated, he manages to surprise. I’ll hold my personal opinion a while longer. But that better be a ‘Harvey’ size rabbit.