Medvedev's role as the Yosemite Sam of the Putin Regime

It's easy (and fun) to dismiss Medvedev as a ranting drunk, but - his role as the most insane mouthpiece that's formally within their gov't has a purpose. He is the barking attack dog, meant to make Putin look like a sober statesman by comparison. At a personal level, Medvedev is also trying to stay alive in a petromafia dictatorship by voicing homicidal support for the boss, and minimizing his own potential as a rival replacment that might threaten Poots.