Putin's sexiness analyzed

I know it's wrong to still lust for a ruthless autocrat (who fishes shirtless, I must add), but there was just such a stark difference in these two guys. Take these two images of German Chancellor Angela Merkel (aka Honorary Vixen for boycotting the Olympic opener!) being greeted on her trip to Russia last month:

First we have president-elect Dmitry Medvedev, looking rather smurfish with that too-bright blue suit on his 5'4" frame. He looks like a 16-year-old giving flowers that he just bought at the 101-Melrose offramp to his prom date. Merkel's reaction looks decidedly lukewarm.

But then...

Das Put steps up to the plate with a beautiful, exotic bouquet (not a baby's breath in sight) plus some cozy hand touches at the floral handover. Confident smile, not goofy chuckle. Merkel's got a bit of swoon going on. Vlad's got it going on.