Russian president Vladimir Putin on Thursday quoted the wrong American president in answering a question as to whether Russia interfered in the election.
Speaking at a CNBC-sponsored panel at the International Arctic Forum in Russia, Putin was firm in his answer but bungled the interpretation.
"Ronald Reagan once, debating about taxes, addressing the Americans said, 'Watch my lips — no.' Watch my lips — no," Putin said in Russian.
It was actually George H.W. Bush at the 1988 Republican National Convention who said, "Read my lips — no new taxes."
Regardless, Putin said the repeated assertions coming out of the U.S. that Russia interfered in the election were "lies."
"All those things are fictional, illusory and provocations, lies," Putin said the forum. "All these are used for domestic American political agendas. The anti-Russian card is played by different political forces inside the United States to trade on that and consolidate their positions inside."
Putin also said he believes Russia has a sympathetic audience within the U.S.
"We said on numerous occasions and I reiterate that we are confident . . . and know for sure that opinion polls in the United States show that very many people are . . . friendly towards the Russian Federation, and I'd like to tell these people that we perceive and regard the United States as a great power with which we want to establish good partnership relations," Putin told the gathering.
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