Quotable notes

"Ukrainian Prime Minister and presidential candidate Viktor Yanukovych wakes up on November 1 [the day after the presidential ballot] and sees all his campaign staff with campaign manager Serhii Tyhypko standing by his bed. 'Viktor Fedorovych,' the campaigners say, 'we have two pieces of news, one good and one bad. Which one do you want to hear first?' 'Tell me the bad one first.'

" 'Viktor Yushchenko won 51 percent of the vote.'

" 'Oh! It's not just a bad piece of news, it's terrible news. What's the good news then?'

" 'The good news is that you won 69 percent of the vote.' "

- A joke told to RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service by Ukrainian writer Oleksander Irvanets on September 28.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, October 10, 2004, No. 41, Vol. LXXII

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