"Imagine, just imagine, if Barack Obama in any of his 8 years in office had proudly and publicly referred to himself as ‘the apple of [Putin’s] eye,'" he wrote Friday. "The right would have had an immediate and nonstop meltdown. Fox would have demanded impeachment and indictment 24/7."

Presidential historian Michael Beschloss took a more historical approach:

"Never heard Truman boast of being the 'apple' of Stalin’s eye," he said.