Putin versus Hillary: let me vent and get your opinion

I keep seeing these online videos of Trump supporters being asked if they’d rather live with Putin as president or Hillary; with Putin as president or Obama; with Putin as president or Biden: with Putin as president or Harris and each time they choose Putin.

Now I’m American born and raised so I’ve been fortunate to not have had to live under a true dictatorship (say what you will about America- yes we have A LOT of progress to be made, but still we are not a true dictatorship. Even under Trump we’re authoritarian-leaning at best for the moment). However I was in 9th grade when the Syrian civil war started and I’ve been keeping tabs on Syria since then (fyi- congrats Syria on your civil war being over! Please keep fighting the good fight!) and let me just say that life under true dictators is nothing to admire or choose.

My politics are more progressive leaning (think AOC, Bernie, etc) and I can very easily come up with a list of grievances for each of the establishment politicians here in America (Biden, Clinton, Harris, Obama, Bush, etc) just as I can come up with issues I have with progressive politicians as well, but to see people WILLFULLY CHOOSING Putin over someone like Biden or Hillary blows my mind.

Is this an issue with the education system? Did their classes just not spend enough time teaching them about forms of government? Is this the brainwashing of Fox News and other alt right platforms? Is this Russian interference again? Are these people just trying to be edgy? Are these people just trying to be contrarians? What is happening that people are choosing Putin and dictatorship??

Or do you think these people choosing Putin is valid? Please explain.