News Nuggets 174

A really great spring day in Manhattan.

AMAZING coverage with liveblogging, video and photos of what's happening in post-election Iran at Huffington Post HERE and HERE, and an interesting story about protesters shouting "Death to the Dictator, Death to Ahmadinejad" HERE.

Iran's Ex-Foreign Minister Yazdi: It's a Coup (Robert Dreyfuss) from the Nation

Dreyfuss has been on the ground in Iran for several days covering the election and has been providing excellent coverage of things there.

"The aftermath of Iran's rigged election, in which radical-right President Ahmadinejad and his paramilitary backers were kept in office, has left Iran's capital steeped in anger, despair, and bitterness."

Iran Setback? Or Not? from First Read at MSNBC

""[W]hen it comes to foreign policy or particular issues involving the United States ... chances are unelected officials and bodies will have the most significant influence," the official said.

He noted that there appear to be different opinions amongst the leadership in Iran about how to approach President Obama's overtures, which could be a good sign for the U.S."

Time for Obama to Show a Hint of Steel from the Times [of London]

"The Obama approach has begun to shift the debate. But he is starting from a long way back. On the two-state solution for Israel-Palestine, he is not yet at the point Bill Clinton reached in the 1990s. On the bigger Middle East picture, the Iranian election has made a difficult task even harder."

Overall, a fairly clear assessment of the depressing situation that has emerged in Iran.  Although, what 'steel' Obama should be showing I cannot guess from the analysis.

Ahmadinejad Reelected - But Outcome Doesn't Change Goals for Obama (Juan Cole) from Salon

"If the government really has descended to the level of fixing the presidential elections, it is a sign of deep insecurity and fear of change, as Tehran is challenged by the Obama administration's outreach and by reformist stirrings among youth and women."

Don't Lead, Don't Follow, and Instead Get Out of the Way (Spencer Ackerman) from Firedoglake

"I think it's wise for the U.S. government to keep its distance," Ghaemi says. The White House can and should "show concern for human life and protesters' safety and promote tolerance and dialogue." But to get any further involved, even rhetorically, would "instigate the cry that the reformers are somehow driven and directed by the U.S., whether under Bush or under Obama, and there's no reason to give that unfounded allegation" any chance to spread."

Global Finance Chiefs Cite Signs of Stability from the Washington Post

"Financial chiefs from the Group of Eight industrialized nations yesterday offered their most optimistic assessment yet of the global crisis, noting encouraging signs of economic stabilization and calling for an "exit strategy" from the policies that have been used to stimulate growth around the world."

The Typecast Party: Aiming for a New Identity, the GOP Misfires (Eleanor Clift) from Newsweek

"The Republicans are a party in search of an identity, and the incendiary language surrounding the nomination of Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court has shown just how far off track they've gone. "

GOP-Leaning Majority Seen Fading in US from the Washington Post

"For the past few months, political analysts and demographers have been poring over the results of the 2008 election and comparing them with presidential results from the last two decades. From whatever angle of their approach -- age, race, economic status, geography -- they have come to a remarkably similar conclusion. Almost all indicators are pressing the Republicans into minority status."

Two related stories from the Larry Saboto's Center for Politics HERE and HERE.

They STILL Think He's a Muslim from the Daily Beast

"A recent Pew Research Center poll shows that 11 percent of Americans still believe he is Muslim. What the hell is going on?"

HIGH-SPEED RAIL NUGGET!!

Getting Up to Speed from the New York Times Sunday Magazine

A great primer on the development of high-speed rail as proposed by Obama and the bigger picture as well.  Very interesting!

"The train will go from L.A. to San Francisco in just under 2 hours 40 minutes and from L.A. to Sacramento in about 2 hours 17 minutes. Judging by the experiences of Japan and France, both of which have mature high-speed rail systems, it would end the expansion of regional airline traffic as in-state travelers increasingly ride the fast trains. And it would surely slow the growth of highway traffic."

Related Item: The Times Sunday Magazine also does an interview with Obama's Secretary of Transportation, Ray LaHood HERE.

"The way I characterize it is America is one big pothole, and Americans are ready for their streets and roads and bridges to be fixed up."