Ahmadinejad, Rev. Wright, and Palin v. Letterman
It’s election day in Iran and tensions are almost as high as they were in the U.S. in 2008. According to polls, current Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad leads slightly over his main opponent Mir Hossein Mousavi. Amazingly, the candidates are not only acknowledging the importance of women voters, they are actually competing for their support. The Wall Street Journal reports:
TEHRAN, Iran — For the first time in Iran’s 30-year history of presidential elections, candidates are going all out to win over female voters, making a flurry of last-minute appeals before Friday’s balloting.
Today’s campaigns are a departure from the past, when candidates spoke of women voters in general terms, mostly centered on their respect for a mother’s role in society or through economic assistance to widows.
In this election, the three candidates challenging President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, whose tenure has included a crackdown on women’s-rights activists, have tried to set themselves apart from the incumbent by focusing on female voters.
Iran is certainly not a Western style democracy, but it’s not nearly as oppressive as Saudi Arabia and many of its other neighbors. Unfortunately, this distinction is rarely made in the Western media. Instead, we’re treated to video of the usual “Death to America” gatherings which do not represent the Persian population as a whole. It’s akin to filming a typical college protest in America and ascribing the beliefs to the entire population. For an interesting look at modern Persian culture, try reading The Ayatollah Begs to Differ: The Paradox of Modern Iran
It seems that this campaign has been pretty nasty as well. According to the BBC:
There has been ferocious criticism between candidates, hurling insults and strictures about fraud and dishonesty.
In his final TV appearance, Mr Ahmadinejad accused his opponents of conspiring with Israelis to falsify documents and graphs to discredit him.
So , there you have it. If Ahmadinejad loses it’s the Jews’ fault.
Reverend Wright Returns
President Obama’s former preacher, Reverend Jeremiah Wright, is back in the news. When asked recently if he had spoken with President Obama since his inauguration, the Reverend replied:
“Them Jews aren’t going to let him talk to me. I told my baby daughter, that he’ll talk to me in five years when he’s a lame duck, or in eight years when he’s out of office. …
Being Jewish must be an exhausting task. Seriously, where do they get the energy to run interference between Obama and Wright while simultaneously obstructing Ahmadinejad’s re-election bid? Add to that the arduous task of forwarding the New World Order agenda and pulling the purse strings of the world’s financial institutions and it barely leaves time for planning 9/11 type terrorist attacks.
Palin v. Letterman
Sarah Palin (who never left the news) is not at all happy with Late Night Host David Letterman after a string of barbs that many say crossed the line. According to ABC News:
Letterman’s “Top 10” list Tuesday night focused on Palin’s recent trip to New York, and included several cracks: “Bought makeup from Bloomingdale’s to update her ’slutty flight attendant’ look,” Letterman said.
But it was a line in Letterman’s monologue that set off a firestorm: “One awkward moment for Sarah Palin at the Yankee game, during the seventh inning, her daughter was knocked up by Alex Rodriguez.”
Palin was in New York with her 14-year-old daughter, Willow.
Nice. Honestly, leave the kids out of of it. And if you really want to make Sarah Palin look bad, just give her a microphone and let her do the work for you.
Should Letterman apologize? I say yes.
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About the Author: Randall H. Miller is an American college educator/blogger. He is also a former U.S. Army officer (82nd Airborne) with a M.A. in Diplomacy (focusing on International Terrorism) and a B.A. in Criminal Justice. Use the form on the right to sign up and receive notifications of new content. The words and ideas expressed here are 100% his own and not those of his employers or affiliated organizations.
dickmill | Jun 11, 2009 | Reply
The only criticism I have of Letterman is that he violated a rule: you should never interfere with the self-destruction of your opponent.
(Please Sarah, please — go on all the talk shows you can. Note to Republican National Committee — please fund Sarah’s tour. Let her speak on the record every day for the next almost-8 years!)
adrielle | Jun 11, 2009 | Reply
I love Letterman but it defintly was a cheapshot. Should he apologize? Maybe. But it wouldn’t change anything.I say let him take his cheapshots-he’s hilarious!(And she’s too touchy)
L Eaton | Jun 12, 2009 | Reply
I might agree that family is not “fair play”–except that Palin has used her family as part of her political machinations since day 1. She accepted the invitation to be Rep VP candidate, knowing that her underage/unmarried daughter was pregnant (while accepting federal funding and advocating for abstinence-only until marriage education for public schools)…then when it comes out, she throws her daughter into the spotligh saying that “See, she’s not going to abort–she’s a good person and yes, of course my daughter is going to marry and not give birth to a bastard–just like the good Christian way for you Evangelical voters”–of course, the “true love” story was quickly aborted (pun intended) once they weren’t so much in the headlines (though it’s curious to speculate if the daughter would have gotten married if McCain/Palin won)….
If she’s going to use her family for political gain–which she has even done with her autistic child–then, they’re fair game…
BW | Jun 12, 2009 | Reply
I’m with L Eaton, ’nuff said…
gpalmer | Jun 12, 2009 | Reply
Letterman cheap shot? yeah, probably… Poor taste? Definitely… but, he’s just trying to keep up. Apology? No way… If you choose a public life, you’re fair game.
RHM, you mentioned New World Order… since I’ve been frequenting this blog, you haven’t talked alot about this (or I missed it)… what about the American Union, the Bilderberg group that recently met, etc.. you buy it? A group of global elite’s setting the course for the rest of us sheep?
RHM | Jun 12, 2009 | Reply
@ gpalmer,
Yeah, I’ve read and seen the same junk. It’s all junk. Bilderberg is just a meeting of elites, Bohemian Grove is a camp for rich people, etc. That’s about it. These conspiracy people also buy into the 9/11 “Truth” arguments (which are complete bunk).
A lot of the time it’s all tied back to the Freemasons. I’ve been a Mason for 17 years (33rd Degree, believe it or not) and if there’s a conspiracy they haven’t let me in on it yet.
RHM
Kara | Jun 12, 2009 | Reply
Since being married to one, I’ve been privy to their secret world and can vouch for the bottomless pit of energy the Jews seem to have. They aren’t the ‘chosen ones’ for nothin. Oy, what is it with picking on these people? Ever since the beginning of their existence it’s like they’ve had a huge neon target strapped to their backs with the words “blame me” in the center. The world needs lay off already.
As for the Letterman joke: If Letterman has to stoop to playground antics and tease a child then boo on Letterman. Palin using her own children for her political gain does not give others cart blanche to smear them.