News Nuggets 184

Manta rays in the Maldives -- from National Geographic

Iran: Rafsanjani Poised to Outflank the Supreme Leader from EurasiaNet

"There is great apprehension among people in the supreme leader’s [camp] about what Rafsanjani may pull," said a source in Tehran who is familiar with hardliner thinking. "They [the supreme leader and his supporters] are much more concerned about Rafsanjani than the mass movement on the streets."

This is the most interesting inside-the-tent news/gossip I've read concerning what the principles are up to in Iran.

The Iranian Leadership 'Has Lost its Legitimacy' from Der Spiegel [of Germany in English]

"Tehran is moving to stop massive protests in Iran, cracking down on the media and arresting hundreds of protesters. The Guardian Council, meanwhile, has said it will stand behind Ahmadinejad's re-election despite electoral irregularities. German commentators see a change coming -- possibly for the entire region."

Theocracy and Its Discontents (Fareed Zakaria) from Newsweek

An elaboration on what Zakaria said last week on CNN.

"We are watching the failure of the ideology that lay at the basis of the Iranian government. The regime's founder, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, laid out his special interpretation of political Islam in a series of lectures in 1970."

The Obama Method in the Middle East ... and at Home (Jonathan Chait) from the New Republic

I have LONG sensed that, as Chait argues here, Obama has been pursuing this approach, and Chait captures the dynamic very well.

"Obama assumes that, by demonstrating his own goodwill and interest in accord, Obama can win over a portion of his adversaries' constituents as well as third parties. Obama thinks he can move moderate Muslim opinion, pressure bad actors like Iran to negotiate, and, if Iran fails to comply, encourage other countries to isolate it. The strategy works whether or not Iran makes a reasonable agreement.  The results remain to be seen. But it eerily resembles the way Obama has already isolated the GOP leadership."

Lessons for the US as the Iranian Revolution Unravels (Robin Wright) from Time Magazine

"Who would have thought that Iran, a country that has been the nemesis of the past five American Presidents, might actually become a model for what Washington wants to see happen politically in the Middle East?"

Right-thinking Realism: Obama's Critics on Iran Are Wrong (Editorial) from the Washington Post

"[Obama's] approach to the crisis is derided as "realist" -- typically with quotation marks -- as well as cold-blooded and insufficiently committed to American values. But the president has struck the right tone in his public statements, calling on Iran's government to stop "all violent and unjust actions" and making clear that Washington and the world are watching. And he is right to avoid becoming more deeply involved in Iran's post-election political crisis, both practically and morally."

No Time to Act in Iran (Anthony Cordesman) from RealClearWorld

"It is hard to counsel patience, particularly in a climate of artificial deadlines, instant media, and steadily larger gaggles of squawking heads. So far, however, President Obama has shown the right degree of restraint, while laying the groundwork to react as the outcome of events in Iran become clear enough to decide on the best policy."

Iran's Next Problem? Egypt (Michael Crowley) from the New Republic

"Although Egypt and Iran have spent much of the past 30 years hissing at one another from afar, things have taken a recent turn for the worse."

Global Insight: Obama's Pragmatism Avoids Neocon Trap (Edward Luce) from the Financial Times [of London]

"Mr Obama would be wise to continue to comment very carefully on events as they happen rather than try to drive them with his words. Much like his response to Russia’s invasion of Georgia last summer, when he was still a candidate, Mr Obama’s reaction to the unfolding drama in Iran is based on pragmatism."

With the Marchers from the New Yorker

"A resident reports from the streets and the rooftops."

Iran Unrest Reveals Split In U.S. on Its Role Abroad from the Washington Post

"Iran's post-election tumult has exposed the sharply divergent ways in which the Obama administration and its Republican opponents view the nature of American power and the president's role in speaking to political dissent outside the borders of the United States."

Iran Unrest reveals Split in US on its Role Abroad from the Washington Post

I've been looking for someone to really look at this divide.

Healthcare Reform Makes a Miraculous Recovery (Mike Madden) from Salon

"Obama gets drug companies to cut senior drug bills by $80 billion. Suddenly, his plan is no longer dead."

I never thought for a second that the plan WAS dead.  It never ceases to amaze me how little patience the MSM has for the legislative process when its actually functioning.  The horse race  stuff is SO MUCH more entertaining.

News Nuggets 183

A very distinct image of our excellent Secretary of State

MUST-SEE VIDEO NUGGET!

The Moment They Ran (Andrew Sullivan) from the Atlantic

The video clip posted HERE shows an AMAZING scene from Tehran on Saturday giving you a real sense of how tenuous the police's hold was on the streets.

Mousavi Will Destroy Ahmadinejad's Iran Regime if He Can (Martin Fletcher) from the Times [of London]

Fletcher has more optimism about this than I do.  To me, it is far more likely that Mousavi and his movement will be crushed OR he will cut a deal with the Supreme Leader -- but, who knows?

"Outraged by what has happened, and doubtless encouraged by his redoubtable wife, Mr Mousavi’s resolve has hardened. He has come to realise that the regime is far more tyrannical than he realised. If he can destroy it, he will."

Unrest in Iran Sharply Deepens Rift Among Clerics from the New York Times

"A bitter rift among Iran's ruling clerics deepened Sunday over the disputed presidential election that has convulsed Tehran in the worst violence in 30 years, with the government trying to link the defiant loser to terrorists and detaining relatives of his powerful backer, a founder of the Islamic republic."

Battle for the Islamic Republic (Robert Fisk) from the Independent [of London]

"The very existence of the Islamic regime may now be questioned openly in a nation ever more divided between reformists and those who insist on maintaining the integrity of the 1979 revolution."

Obama is Right to Stay Out of Iran (Editorial) from the [Manchester] Guardian -- Note* I've called this the Guardian [of London] until now because it IS published in London -- but historically it is the Manchester Guardian.  Thus the change beginning here.

"Obama's caution is the appropriate policy course for the US. What is essential in this situation is for Washington not to interfere, or even be perceived as interfering, in Iran's political process. There are six important reasons why."

Whose Side Are You On? You Have to Ask? (Peggy Noonan) from the Wall Street Journal

A good verbal fusillade against the hyperventilating critics of Obama's caution in dealing with Iran now.

"To insist the American president, in the first days of the rebellion, insert the American government into the drama was shortsighted and mischievous. ...  This was Aggressive Political Solipsism at work: Always exploit events to show you love freedom more than the other guy, always make someone else's delicate drama your excuse for a thumping curtain speech."

Democrats Vow Nonintervention, Urge Obama to Keep 'Fingerprints' Off Iran from Agence France-Presse via RawStory

"Democrats on Sunday defended President Barack Obama’s hands-off approach to the crisis in Iran, urging him to keep US “fingerprints” off the unfolding events despite pressure from Republicans for bolder US action."

The Next Explosion in Iran (Robert Dreyfuss) from the Nation

"The Chatham House analysis, while wonky and full of detailed charts, provides the clearest evidence yet that Ahmadinejad and Co. rigged the vote."

Further evidence that the election in Iran was rigged AND that it was done REALLY BADLY.

Leave Iran to the Iranians (Leslie Gelb) from the Daily Beast

"As experts clash on how to deal with Iran’s turmoil, Leslie H. Gelb says Obama is right to keep his distance—this is what Iranians want, and they have smart, sophisticated reasons for it."

Obama's Ally on Iran Policy: Pat Buchanan from the Nation

"When President Obama shied away from joining other world leaders who have aggressively criticized Iran's disputed election and condemned post-election violence, he got high marks from Buchanan."

The Public's Cautious Approval of Obama's Agenda (Charlie Cook) from the National Journal

"With his election, this youthful new president -- who, without any irony, is the author of a book called The Audacity of Hope -- has since embarked on an incredibly audacious regime of change that is unlike anything since Franklin Roosevelt's presidency.  Now, about 150 days into his term, the public has responded with what might be described as cautious approval."

Confidential Memo Reveals US Plan to Provoke an Invasion of Iraq from the [Manchester] Guardian

After a long respite, a "Dispatch from the Bush Posse" breaks through with this "Oh. My. God. They were capable of anything" item.

Obama's Political Play Should Shock No One (John Kass) from the Chicago Tribune

"It's amusing to watch the Washington political establishment feign shock, now that President Obama's reform administration has used a clay foot to vigorously kick one inspector general and boot another out the door."

Obama WIns Over Crowds as the Explainer-in-Chief (Al Hunt) from the Bloomberg News Service

"The administration is remarkably disciplined, one reason Obama is more effective at communicating than Bill Clinton. And unlike his predecessor, George W. Bush, Obama understands complex matters and revels in the explainer-in-chief role."

Padilla v. Yoo: Accountability for Torture? from Slate

"A week ago, Judge Jeffrey White ruled that Padilla's allegations were plausible enough to justify denying Yoo's motion to dismiss the lawsuit. ... White's decision is the first of its kind: Until now, although other lawsuits have been brought, no government official has faced personal liability for his role in the torture or deaths of detainees."

DOUBLE FATHERS' DAY NUGGETS!!

Hooray for Fathers! Hooray for Obama! (Carl Cannon) from Politics Daily

"Barack Obama spent this past week making Father's Day into one of the signature holidays of his presidency. ... Considering some of the sacred cows of modern liberalism, the president's emphasis was impressive. It even had a subtly subversive undertone"

Obama's Example: Putting Family First (Editorial) from the San Francisco Chronicle

"On this Father's Day, the American public should proudly note that our president takes his personal role as father (and spouse) as seriously as he does his job as father of the country. ... He also has spent hours wooing some key decision-makers closer to home, namely Sasha, Malia and Michelle, and invaluable lessons are to be learned from his example."

HIGH-SPEED RAIL NUGGET!!

Midwest, Calif. Front Runners for $8B in Rail Crash from BusinessWeek

"High-speed rail plans in the Midwest and California appear to be front runners in the race for $8 billion in stimulus cash based on federal criteria released Wednesday that favor projects with established revenue sources and multistate cooperation."

News Nuggets 182

A scene from yesterday's clashes in Tehran

An AMAZING number of good items in today's New York Times!

UP-FRONT "IN-CASE-YOU-MISSED-IT" NUGGET!!

I posted this earlier in the week -- but with all the commentary on the role of twitter in Iran, you easily could have missed this one.  When he's on, Kristof is really ON.  If you're wishing you could make a difference in Iran (and elsewhere), please check this out.

Tear Down This Cyberwall (Nicholas Kristof) from the New York Times

"Today, it is a group of Chinese supporters of Falun Gong who are the best hope for Iranians trying to reach blocked sites."

Today, the New York Times 'Week in Review' Section has a number of interesting articles on what's been happening in Iran such as:

Up-in-Arms: A Struggle for the Legacy of the Iranian Revolution and Gauging Obama in Iran from the New York Times

Showdown Builds in Iran (Robert Dreyfuss) from the Nation

Dreyfuss has been on the ground in Tehran through most of the crisis there.

"According to reports from various quarters, the demonstrators have added a new chant to their repertoire: "Death to Khamenei!" If so, another red line -- and an extremely explosive one -- has been crossed."

Cautious Response to Events in Iran Reflects Obama's Long-Term Approach from the Washington Post

"They say there is not much the United States can do to influence the situation -- except make it worse for the opposition -- but they have begun planning for the administration's response if the crackdown turns very violent."

Tehran in Turmoil from Mother Jones

Very interesting analysis and stories on events in Iran on Saturday.

"Iran was in chaos Saturday, as anti-government protesters defied a ban and rallied in major cities, including Shiraz and Tehran, the capital. Security forces struck back hard, dispersing crowds with tear gas, water cannons, and bullets."

Bullets and Barrels (Thomas Friedman) from the New York Times

Frieman's overview analyses of Iran the last week or so have been quite insightful.

"The popular uprising unfolding in Iran right now really is remarkable. It is the rarest of rare things — more rare than snow in Saudi Arabia, more unlikely than finding a ham sandwich at the Wailing Wall, more unusual than water-skiing in the Sahara. It is a popular uprising in a Middle Eastern oil state."

Moussavi's Message of Reform (Spencer Ackerman) from Firedoglake

A perceptive analysis of what Moussavi and the reformers are pushing for.

"What it means is that Iranians are working to redefine their Islamic Revolution, not abandon it, and do so in a way that favors openness and justice and freedom. "

The live-blogging of Andrew Sullivan yesterday was outstanding with really interesting analysis and extraordinary video HERE.

A Supreme Leader Loses His Aura as Iranians Flock to the Streets (Roger Cohen) from the New York Times

Roger continues to be in the thick of it in Tehran.  Great reporting on his part.

"The Iranian police commander, in green uniform, walked up Komak Hospital Alley with arms raised and his small unit at his side. “I swear to God,” he shouted at the protesters facing him, “I have children, I have a wife, I don’t want to beat people. Please go home.”"

Fareed Zakaria's analysis goes along similar lines with 'Fatal Wound' Inflicted on Iranian Regime's Ideology from CNN

"The regime's founder, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, laid out his special interpretation of political Islam in a series of lectures in 1970. In this interpretation of Shia Islam, Islamic jurists had divinely ordained powers to rule as guardians of the society, supreme arbiters not only on matters of morality but politics as well. When Khomeini established the Islamic Republic of Iran, this idea was at its heart. Last week, that ideology suffered a fatal wound."

As does the foreign press with Iran's Ayatollahs Are Doomed (Editorial) from Les Dernieres Nouvelles d'Alsace [of France in English]

"History will one day render its verdict on whether this was triggered by Barack Obama's outstretched hand. But to remain the masters, the theocrats need 'Great Satan' to be shouted at every gathering. … In any event, Europe and the United States have no option but that of virtuous condemnation. The implosion will come."

Top Cleric May Be Playing Role in Iran Unrest from the Associated Press

"Iranian TV has shown pictures of Rafsanjani's daughter, Faezeh Hashemi, speaking to hundreds of opposition supporters. And Rafsanjani, who has made no secret of his distaste for Ahmadinejad, was conspicuously absent from an address by the country's supreme leader calling for national unity and siding with the president."

Stay Out of It, Obama (Ben Sarlin) from the Daily Beast

"Critics have urged Obama to "go green," to side with Iranian protesters more vocally. But in an exclusive interview, one of Iran's most high-profile opposition clerics, Mohsen Kadivar, tells The Daily Beast that the reformers don't want any help. He also says the protests are about the presidential election, not about overthrowing the ayatollah."

Who'll Suit Up for the GOP in 2012? from the Washington Post

An interesting set of interviews addressing this question.

"In the wake of the revelation of Sen. John Ensign's extramarital affair, The Post asked politicians, former officials and others to take stock of the GOP field for 2012."

News Nuggets 181

A black jaguar from the Lima Zoo in Peru from Reuters

UP-FRONT ADMINISTRATION OVERVIEW NUGGET!

The Anxiety of Influence (Marc Ambinder) from the Atlantic

A VERY perceptive piece the takes on directly (and I think fairly accurately) the 'cautious Obama' meme that is out there -- particularly on domestic policy.

"These criticisms of Obama miss at least one fundamental aspect of his personality, one that was evident in his presidential campaign: Obama has an abiding faith in the institutions of government."

VIDEO NUGGET!

The Huffington Post has an AMAZING video with a moving poem.  It is at the 5:30 PM ET time stamp at Nico Pitney's live-blogging.

"Tomorrow is a day of destiny". Two Iranian-Americans send over the transcript. "Had tears in my eye while doing it," one wrote.

Kissinger: Obama is Handling the Situation in Iran Well from CNN via ThinkProgress [with video]

"Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) criticized President Obama’s approach to the turmoil in Iran, saying that he shouldn’t be concerned about being seen as “meddling” in Iran’s affairs. But on Fox News last night, former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, noting that he was a McCain supporter, said that he thinks “the president has handled this well”:"

Andrew Sullivan has a good response to David Brooks' editorial from yesterday.

Thoughts on Khamenei's Speech (Andrew Sullivan) from the Atlantic

"I fear deeply what is about to happen. But I also sense that the Gandhi-strategy of the majority is a winning one. "

Iran Leadership 'More Divided Than Ever,' Analyst Says (Anthony Cordesman) from the Los Angeles

"Everyone in Iran, the Middle East, and the world now has reason to question the legitimacy of every element of Iran's leadership and the Iranian revolution. The Iranian leadership now has to realize that it is more divided than was ever apparent before and that Iran's people and the world know it."

How Iran's Clerics Can Undermine Ahmadinejad from RealClearWorld

"In 1979, the clergy were behind the Islamic revolution which overthrew the Shah.  In 2009, the silence of some of the clergy in Qom against the current crisis is deafening to the supporters of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad."

Another variation on the same theme:

Why Iran's Supreme Leader Could Be the Protest's Ultimate Victim from the Daily Telegraph [of London]

"For the past two decades, the 69-year-old has been the ultimate source of power in Iran. ... But when he delivers today's sermon at Friday prayers in Tehran, which is normally broadcast nationwide, he will be fighting as much to save his own position as that of his beleaguered president."

Engage Iran, Not Ahmadinejad (Editorial) from the Washington Post

Up to a point, I like the way this analyst is thinking.

"President Obama appears to face a poisoned set of choices: Either shun the regime, harden his position and be led down the path of conflict, or go ahead with his stated goal of dialogue with the Ahmadinejad government and provide implicit recognition to a violent usurper.  There is, however, a third option -- one that recognizes America's unique place in Iran's future and can advance our national security interests in a manner consistent with our values. Call it option "Ignore Ahmadinejad.""

Worrying About Iran as the New Hungary (Thomas Ricks) from Foreign Policy Magazine

Ricks, who some of you may know from his excellent books, Fiasco, and The Gamble, is one of the most knowledgeable reporters on events in Iran and Iraq.

"I think people should think twice before shooting off their mouths about "unqualified support," like Rep. Mike Pence (R., Ind.) did this morning on Fox "News ... I just hope that Iranian protestors know not to take this clown seriously."

Thank God Obama Favors the 'Old' Mideast (Editorial) from the Daily Star [of Lebanon in English]

"Ignoring the lessons of history, and dismissing warnings about the hurdles facing a campaign to implant Western-style democracy at gunpoint, the Bush administration inadvertently helped to give birth to a "new" Middle East in Iraq, Lebanon and Palestine, that was in some ways, less peaceful, less tolerant, and less democratic than the "old" one. And these efforts all had the effect of strengthening Iran.  The recent good news has been that President Barack Obama seemed to favor the more realistic US approach towards the Middle East that assumed the need for American diplomatic engagement with the existing regimes in the region."

US Pursues a New Way to Rebuild Afghanistan from the Washington Post

The opening story in this article SO represents the Bush effort in Afghanistan.  Obama seems to have taken some interesting lessons from the experience.

""It was a total waste of resources," said Frauke de Weijer, a development specialist who worked with USAID contractors building the farm. "It was a diversion of reconstruction money from other more effective and beneficial projects."  The barren farm embodies some of the challenges confronting President Obama as he tries to fulfill a campaign promise to turn around the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan.

Members of his national security team have concluded that the country requires not just more money and personnel for reconstruction but also a fundamental overhaul of the U.S. approach to development."

Obama's Latest Miniseries (Howard Kurtz) from the Washington Post

"The screaming Drudge headline makes it sound like a major network had become a wholly owned subsidiary of the White House: "ABC TURNS PROGRAMMING OVER TO OBAMA.  The reality: Charlie Gibson and Diane Sawyer will be interviewing the president about health care next week.  You know of any journalists who would turn down that opportunity?"

Obama's Brother to Release Book from the Daily Nation [of Kenya in English]

"A memoir by George Obama, US President Barack Obama’s half-brother who lives in Huruma, Nairobi, is set to be published.  The book, tentatively titled Homeland, which gives the life story of George, will be published by Simon & Schuster in January 2010."

FATHERS DAY NUGGET!!

Tough Love from the Father-in-Chief from The Root

"Barack Obama, whose father abandoned him when he was barely two, has come out swinging on male "responsibility" this Father's Day."

News Nuggets 180

Western Australia -- from the Daily Telegraph

UP-FRONT BLOG NUGGET!!

I have found that the Guardian has a very good live-blogging website on events in Iran HERE.  It includes easily accessible radio commentaries and news from on-the-ground people in Iran.  This nicely supplements the coverage provided by Nico Pitney's live-blogging over at Huffinton Post HERE.

A Different Iranian Revolution (a student in Iran) from the New York Times

This piece reflects a VERY interesting perspective.

"In important sectors of the American press a disturbing counternarrative is emerging: That perhaps this election wasn’t a fraud after all. That the United States shouldn’t rush in with complaints of democracy denied, and that perhaps Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is the president the Iranian people truly want (and, by extension, deserve).  Do not believe it."

Protests Are a Real Threat to Iran's Rulers (David Ignatius) of the Washington Post

"What's happening on the streets of Tehran is a lesson in what makes history: It isn't guns or secret police, in the end, but the willingness of hundreds of thousands of people to risk their lives to protest injustice. That is what overthrew the shah of Iran in 1979, and it is now shaking the mullahs."

The Dead Are Mourned - But the Fight Goes On (Robert Fisk) from the Independent [of London]

""President" Mahmoud Ahmadinejad – and the quotation marks are becoming ever more appropriate in Iran today – is in real trouble. There are now three separate official inquiries into his supposed election victory and the violence which followed, while conservative Iranian MPs fought each other with their fists at a private meeting behind the assembly chamber."

Why Now? from the Guardian [of the UK]

"It may feel as if the discontent among young Iranians has blown up out of nowhere, writes Azadeh Moaveni, but they have been growing steadily more angry for years now."

"Khamenei Has Never Seen A Crisis Like This" from Salon

"This week's protests in Iran are truly unprecedented, says Iran expert Afshin Molavi in the following interview. The demonstrators come from all walks of life and from across the country. Discontent with Tehran's hardline leadership is widespread."

Can He Do It? Does Obama Have the Strength to Resist US and Israeli Interests (James Zogby) from Aljazeera Magazine

"While there is widespread admiration for Barack Obama and appreciation for his spoken word, daring to have confidence in any U.S. President or to believe that peace may be possible requires a “leap of faith.”"

Fragile at the Core (David Brooks) from the New York Times

Very interesting analysis of events in Iran.  I've had some similar thoughts -- AND I think he might be more optimistic than I am in this moment.

"Most of the time, foreign relations are kind of boring — negotiations, communiqués, soporific speeches. But then there are moments of radical discontinuity—1789, 1917, 1989—when the very logic of history flips."

For Now, Silence is Still the Best Policy (Editorial) from the Financial Times [of London]

"Whether he likes it or not, Mr Obama may have to do business with Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad. Entangling the US in Iranian politics, moreover, would be unlikely to serve the interests of the regime’s opponents. It might well strengthen its leaders and provide an excuse for greater brutality."

Who Hates Who in Iran: An Insider's Guide from Salon

"Based on what we can discern from afar, we've done our best to piece together rumor, gossip and expertise into something like a coherent picture of Iranian factional politics."

The Kremlin Balanced 'Between Two Chairs': Iran': Iran's and the West's from Gazeta [of Russia in English]

"It is this very acrobatic feat which, evidently, embodies the essence and uniqueness of Russian foreign policy. ... The West, most notably the U.S., is now keen for Russian not to reject its more dubious partners like Iran. On the contrary, thanks to these special connections, it could become the mediator for a dialogue with them."

Who Do Americans Trust on Health Care? from MSNBC

"A couple of points from the poll: Almost three-quarters (73%) of Americans trust doctors to make the right decisions regarding reform. The Obama administration seems to understand this, given the president’s outreach to the American Medical Association. A majority -- 58% -- trust Obama to make those decisions."

Echoes of TV's First Lady from the Washington Post

"Michelle Obama also fills a role that is not of her choosing but that may, in fact, be the most influential: She serves as a symbol of middle-class progress, feminist achievement, affirmative-action success and individual style.  And she has done all this on the world stage . . . while being black."

MEDIA NUGGET!! [depending on your point of view]

The Washington Post Fires Its Best Columnist.  Why? (Glenn Greenwald) from Salon

For those of you who liked Dan Froomkin at the WashPo, he got canned yesterday.  Glenn Greenwald weighs in on the topic.  For myself, I LOVED Froomkin's analysis -- last year.  This year, I'll have to say that he hasn't caught my attention very often.  But then again, his blog was relocated on the WashPo website AND was of late rarely showcased in their opinion section.  

Andrew Sullivan of the Atlantic responds to the same topic HERE.

ANOTHER MEDIA NUGGET! [somewhat in the same vein as the first]

Sabato's Program Earmark Dries Up from Politico

As regular visitors know, I really like the analysis that Larry Sabato's Center for Politics provides and have linked to their stories often.  It looks like his program is getting the axe.  

"With [Rep. Virgil] Goode’s defeat, that funding abruptly dried up. This year, Perriello rejected the center’s application for $1 million, and Sabato’s aides are scrambling to find an alternate source of money."

Regrettable -- but Virgil Goode was a conservative wingnut of the first order, and I'm glad he's gone.

News Nuggets 179

Spinner Dolphins off the coast of Hawaii -- from the Diary Rescue at Daily Kos

UP-FRONT BIG-QUESTION-OF-THE-DAY NUGGET!!

Questions Grow as Ahmadinejad Stays Out of Sight from the Guardian [of the UK]

Now where did he go?!

"Speculation is intensifying about the whereabouts of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who claimed victory in the Iranian presidential election but has not been seen in public since Monday, when he was in Russia for a conference."

VIDEO NUGGET!!

Opposition Supporters March in Tehran from the BBC

Interior Police Scared and Covering Their Faces (Nico Pitney) from live-blogging at the Huffington Post

"12:41 AM ET -- "Basaji scared and cover their faces." The tide turns:

The Basij have now begun to cover their faces, whereas previously they hadn't. This indicates they are becoming more scared of retaliation from the general public. Also, we have heard that cell phone service is cut off at night. There have been efforts to identify members of the Basij who have used violence against demonstrators, through facebook and other social networking websites.  It's interesting to see some in the feared militias themselves becoming afraid of retaliation."

My Name is Iran (Roger Cohen) from the New York Times

Cohen, of course, is on the ground in Tehran.

"At the immense opposition demonstration earlier this week, I asked a young woman her name. She said, “My name is Iran.” A nation has stirred. Provoked, it has risen. “Silence equals protest,” says one banner. The vast crowds move in a hush of indignation, anger distilled to a wordless essence."

Iran Arrests Reformers as Huge Protests Continue from the Wall Street Journal

"Two rival forces are competing for the upper hand in Iran's postelection dispute: public demonstrations in the streets and waves of quiet arrests of dozens of prominent reform and opposition figures.  The Iranian government, meanwhile, accused the U.S. for the first time of interfering in the postelection dispute."

Tear Down This Cyberwall! (Nicholas Kristof) from the New York Times

"The unrest unfolding in Iran is the quintessential 21st-century conflict. On one side are government thugs firing bullets. On the other side are young protesters firing “tweets.”"

Iran Treads Lightly in a Culture of Martyrs from the Los Angeles Times

They may tread lightly today.  Tomorrow?  Who knows?

"A Tiananmen-style massacre there would create a new set of heroes for the protest movement."

Turmoil in Tehran (Editorial) from the Nation

"What accounts for the extraordinary spirit of opposition among a population that until recently seemed to have given up on electoral politics? Part of the answer lies in the peculiar nature of Moussavi's coalition. One wing of it consists of key sectors of the business community and veterans of the Islamic Revolution, many of them former stalwarts like Moussavi himself, or establishment figures like former president Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who have lost patience with Ahmadinejad's belligerent posturing on the world stage and his incompetent management of the economy. "

Iran's Women's Revolution from the Daily Beast

"An underreported part of the Iranian protests is that women are leading the way. Dana Goldstein on why Iran’s feminists decided they’d finally had enough."

Twitter Counts More Than Armouries in the New Politics of People Power (Timothy Garton Ash) of the Guardian [of the UK]

"Iran's green drama combines the energy of a dissatisfied youth with the rivalries of a fragmented regime."

A Friend in Need: Obama Gets Tough on Bibi (Jacob Weisberg) from Newsweek

"Since the first stirrings of the Arab-Israeli peace process after the Yom Kippur war in 1973, America's relations with Israel have been characterized by a paradox: those presidents regarded as the least friendly to the Jewish state have done it the most good. Its strong allies have proved much less helpful."

Nobel Lauriet: I Will Stone Obama if He Visits Nigeria from Baobab Magazine [of Nigeria in English]

THAT'S RIGHT!  Barack and Michelle are going to Ghana soon.

"The message he is sending by going to Ghana is so obvious, is so brilliant that he must not render it flawed by coming to Nigeria any time soon,” said Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka."

Obama's Choice to Visit Ghana and Not Nigeria Should be a Lesson to Us (Editorial) from This Day [of Nigeria in English]

Disappointing as the America's decision is, what it suggests is that Nigeria should stop sulking over the neglect it has suffered and work on its obvious deficiencies."

GOP Posts Lowest Ever Favorable Numbers in NYT Poll from MyDD

"With the Democrats being viewed more favorably than the Republicans by over a 2-to-1 margin, consider this: As bad as the political environment has been for the Republicans over the past four years, it's only getting worse."

Dem. GOP Centrist Meet in Secret on Health Care Reform from The Hill

"Centrist House lawmakers from both sides of the aisle are working together privately on healthcare reform.   The talks have been so secretive and politically sensitive that some members interviewed by The Hill refused to name other legislators involved in the bipartisan effort."

Michelle Obama to Daughters: More to Music Than Hip-Hop (Lynn Sweet) from Politics Daily

"There's a certain formula emerging from each speech or set of remarks that First Lady Michelle Obama delivers. The part I wait for usually comes at the middle or end, when she brings up some story from her own life that relates to the matter at hand. She did that Monday when she talked about the role of jazz in her life at the debut of the White House Music Series."

FATHER'S DAY NUGGET!

Obama and the Black Daddy Dilemma from the Nation

"I suspect that had the elder Barack Obama remained married to Ann Dunham and present in the young Barack's life he would not now be the President of the United States. President Obama's particular life experiences, his challenges, his search for self-identity, and his exceptional achievements were possible, in part, because his father was absent. "

HISTORY/RELIGION NUGGET!

In German Birthplace of Reformation, a Revival of Interest from the Washington Post

"The presence of organized religion is so limited in Wittenberg that some U.S. Lutheran organizations are trying to fill the void. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America established a ministry here 10 years ago to cater to the thousands of American pilgrims who visit annually. "

News Nuggets 178

Protests in Tehran earlier today from the BBC

For those who missed my special mini-nuggets special from earlier, Nico Pitney has been live-blogging events in Iran for Huffington Post.

THIS came across the screen early this morning:

"2:01 AM ET -- Aslan: Rafsanjani calls "emergency" meeting of Assembly of Experts. If true, this is a bombshell. Appearing on CNN last night, Iran expert Reza Aslan reported this: 'There are very interesting things that are taking place right now. Some of my sources in Iran have told me that Ayatollah Rafsanjani, who is the head of the Assembly of Experts -- the eighty-six member clerical body that decides who will be the next Supreme Leader, and is, by the way, the only group that is empowered to remove the Supreme Leader from power -- that they have issued an emergency meeting in Qom.  Now, Anderson, I have to tell you, there's only one reason for the Assembly of Experts to meet at this point, and that is to actually talk about what to do about Khamenei. So, this is what I'm saying, is that we're talking about the very legitimacy, the very foundation of the Islamic Republic is up in the air right now. It's hard to say what this is going to go."

Last night, this also showed up:

Extraordinary Scenes: Robert Fisk in Iran from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation

"At one point, Mousavi's supporters were shouting 'thank you, thank you' to the soldiers.  One woman went up to the special forces men, who

normally are very brutal with Mr Mousavi's supporters, and said 'can you protect us from the Basij?' He said 'with God's help'.  ... The military authorities in Tehran have either taken a decision not to go on supporting the very brutal militia - which is always associated with the presidency here - or individual soldiers have made up their own mind that they're tired of being associated with the kind of brutality that left seven dead yesterday."

The opposition is escalating the pressure, perhaps pushing for a showdown tomorrow.

Opposition Leader Calls New Iran Rally from the Independent.  

A lot of interesting related content is also available from the Independent at this site.

"The Iranian opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi issued a direct challenge today to the country's supreme leader and cleric-led system, calling for a mass rally to protest disputed election results and violence against his followers."

Call for Day of Mourning in Iran from the BBC

"More mass protests are expected in the Iranian capital after presidential challenger Mir Hossein Mousavi urged followers to observe a day of mourning."

Back in the day of Iran's revolution in 1979, these 'Mourning Marches' for the protesters that were killed usually led to more deaths -- then followed by more mourning marches, and on and on.  The hard liners are going to want to avoid playing this game at almost any cost.  It's a VERY SAVVY move on Mousavi's part.  He's basically using the Iranian Revolution's 'greatest hits' against the current regime, a regime made up almost exclusively of veterans of that 1979 revolution.  

Crisis in Iran Has Moved Far Beyond a Dispute Over Elections from the BBC

"It has turned into a struggle over the balance of power in the country, and Iran's future orientation.  ... It may have some way to run yet before it is resolved."

Tienanmen in Tehran (Michael Hirsh) from Newsweek

The title of this article doesn't quite capture the Hirsh's central point.

"When I visited Iran two years ago this month, one thing was clear from my reporting: there was virtually no prospect that Iran's Islamic regime would collapse any time in the foreseeable future. A lot of people hated the clerics, but apart from a few dissident voices, the political opposition was all but gone. Well, it's baaack. And the consequences for the clerics are likely to be far more dire than the last time political ferment appeared in force, when reformist President Mohammad Khatami took office in the 1990s."

Why Washington is Playing it Safe from Der Spiegel [of Germany in English]

"John McCain doesn't have to display any presidential reserve. The defeated Republican candidate for the White House can rant and rave now just as he did during the campaign. ... The White House, however, is being far more cautious in its approach. Three days after the disputed re-election of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the US government is favoring soft rhetoric over tough political statements.

Critics of Barack Obama's Foreign Policy Need to Get Real (Editorial) from the Independent [of London]

"The rest of the world had better get used to it, because this may be the shape of US foreign policy for a good while to come. And what a refreshing change it could be, too."

Shunning the Mullahs from the National Interest

Interesting analysis of what's happening in Iran, taking something of a 'big picture' view.  It seems to me that Obama is following the prescription laid out here.

"The mishandling of the recent presidential election in Iran may go down as the pivotal event in the history of the Islamic Republic. Saddam Hussein and the mighty United States could not bring the regime down. Yet, human hubris, greed and misjudgments of monumental proportions by the country’s leadership may do what threats, sanctions and armies could not."

Taliban Leaders Report Progress in Secret Talks With US, Afghanistan from the Global Post

An interesting development with intermediaries talking with the Taliban -- this may be how the conflict in Afghanistan gets resolved.  Don't look to close.

"Moderate leaders of the Taliban say they have quietly and steadily made progress in third-party talks between the active Taliban insurgency and representatives of the Afghan and U.S. governments."

Lebanon and Iran: Mr. Obama's Push of Dialogue and Openness Kicks In from L'Orient Le Jour [of Lenanon in English]

"A more realistic and objective perspective of the Persian situation … is reflected in the policy of dialogue and openness established by President Barack Obama. … In the past often considered of minimal importance, this time our country [Lebanon] has its share of the Obama vision."

Gosh, Why Does This Keep Happening to Us? from Daily Kos

A disturbing (but not surprising) overview of the EXTENT of the domestic spying done by the previous administration.

"The National Security Agency is facing renewed scrutiny over the extent of its domestic surveillance program, with critics in Congress saying its recent intercepts of the private telephone calls and e-mail messages of Americans are broader than previously acknowledged, current and former officials said."