sounds like he's gone
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June 12, 2009
High turnout in Iranian election boosts challenger to President Ahmadinejad
Martin Fletcher in Tehran and Nico Hines
Allies of the moderate candidate challenging President Ahmadinejad in today's Iranian election claimed they were on course for victory with a sense of change and enthusiasm infecting long lines of people queuing to vote.
Observers suggested that turnout was at its highest for almost three decades, which was expected to favour Mir Hossein Mousavi, a former prime minister who wants better relations with the West and a more liberal, progressive domestic agenda.
Voting was extended by one hour to 7pm (1430 GMT) because of heavy queues at polling stations, said the Interior Ministry.
One of his aides claimed he was polling well enough today to win the election outright by securing more than half of the vote and avoiding the need for a second round run-off.
“I can say that based on our surveys . . . Mousavi is getting 58-60 per cent of the vote and we are the winner,” said Sadegh Kharazi, an ally of Mr Mousavi.
An adviser to Mr Ahmadinejad, Ali Akbar Javanfekr, immediately dismissed the claims. “This is a psychological war they launched to influence voting,” he said.
The results will not be announced until tomorrow, but many of Mr Mousavi’s supporters claimed that the only way the President could now maintain power was to fix the vote.
It is widely believed that the 2005 election was marred by fraud and experts estimate that up to four million votes could be rigged this year, however, with the turnout so high, even that may not be enough.
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June 12, 2009
High turnout in Iranian election boosts challenger to President Ahmadinejad
Martin Fletcher in Tehran and Nico Hines
Allies of the moderate candidate challenging President Ahmadinejad in today's Iranian election claimed they were on course for victory with a sense of change and enthusiasm infecting long lines of people queuing to vote.
Observers suggested that turnout was at its highest for almost three decades, which was expected to favour Mir Hossein Mousavi, a former prime minister who wants better relations with the West and a more liberal, progressive domestic agenda.
Voting was extended by one hour to 7pm (1430 GMT) because of heavy queues at polling stations, said the Interior Ministry.
One of his aides claimed he was polling well enough today to win the election outright by securing more than half of the vote and avoiding the need for a second round run-off.
“I can say that based on our surveys . . . Mousavi is getting 58-60 per cent of the vote and we are the winner,” said Sadegh Kharazi, an ally of Mr Mousavi.
An adviser to Mr Ahmadinejad, Ali Akbar Javanfekr, immediately dismissed the claims. “This is a psychological war they launched to influence voting,” he said.
The results will not be announced until tomorrow, but many of Mr Mousavi’s supporters claimed that the only way the President could now maintain power was to fix the vote.
It is widely believed that the 2005 election was marred by fraud and experts estimate that up to four million votes could be rigged this year, however, with the turnout so high, even that may not be enough.
To no ones surprise….. It’s a done deal
By Parisa Hafezi and Fredrik Dahl
TEHRAN (Reuters) - Thousands of people clashed with police on Saturday after the disputed election victory of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad sparked the biggest protests in Tehran since the 1979 Islamic revolution.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told Iranians to respect Ahmadinejad's victory in an presidential election that his closest challenger described as a "dangerous charade."
The scale of Ahmadinejad's triumph upset widespread expectations that reformist candidate Mirhossein Mousavi might win the race.
Trouble erupted on the streets when riot police, on motorcycles and armed with batons, beat Mousavi supporters who rejected the result of Friday's vote.
Mousavi protested against what he called violations and vote-rigging during the election. Interior Ministry officials rejected the allegations.
At least three people were injured in the clashes, which broke out after the Interior Ministry announced the hardline incumbent's resounding victory in Friday's vote.
By Parisa Hafezi and Fredrik Dahl
TEHRAN (Reuters) - Thousands of people clashed with police on Saturday after the disputed election victory of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad sparked the biggest protests in Tehran since the 1979 Islamic revolution.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told Iranians to respect Ahmadinejad's victory in an presidential election that his closest challenger described as a "dangerous charade."
The scale of Ahmadinejad's triumph upset widespread expectations that reformist candidate Mirhossein Mousavi might win the race.
Trouble erupted on the streets when riot police, on motorcycles and armed with batons, beat Mousavi supporters who rejected the result of Friday's vote.
Mousavi protested against what he called violations and vote-rigging during the election. Interior Ministry officials rejected the allegations.
At least three people were injured in the clashes, which broke out after the Interior Ministry announced the hardline incumbent's resounding victory in Friday's vote.
BO chimes in……
By David Alexander
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama said on Friday he was hopeful the robust debate taking place in Iran's presidential election would advance his administration's efforts to engage longtime U.S. rival Tehran in new ways.
"We are excited to see what appears to be a robust debate taking place in Iran," Obama told reporters when asked about the Iranian election during an event at the White House.
"Whoever ends up winning the election in Iran, the fact there has been a robust debate hopefully will advance our ability to engage them in new ways," he said.
:Carcajada: I guess his idea of robust debate and mine are just a bit different.
By David Alexander
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama said on Friday he was hopeful the robust debate taking place in Iran's presidential election would advance his administration's efforts to engage longtime U.S. rival Tehran in new ways.
"We are excited to see what appears to be a robust debate taking place in Iran," Obama told reporters when asked about the Iranian election during an event at the White House.
"Whoever ends up winning the election in Iran, the fact there has been a robust debate hopefully will advance our ability to engage them in new ways," he said.
:Carcajada: I guess his idea of robust debate and mine are just a bit different.
All that matters about Iran is who is in charge. As long as the tyrannical religious zealots run that country it will threaten the rest of the world [Yes, I know others here think they value life too much for that]. The regime is not going to go peacefully. The only question is whether or not the population will overthrow the regime, or outside forces that feel threatened will do it first. Obviously, option 1 is preferred.
Ahmanutjob's reelection is not really a terrible thing. It's better to have an honest maniac spewing rhetoric under the control of evil clerics than it is to have a pretend reformer with similar views playing "Lucy and the Football" in phony negotiations with the rest of the world while they plot their horror.
Besides, this election outcome pisses off the good people in Iran that want normal relations with the rest of the world, and that anger will hopefully hasten the process of eviscerating the tumor from within.
Ahmanutjob's reelection is not really a terrible thing. It's better to have an honest maniac spewing rhetoric under the control of evil clerics than it is to have a pretend reformer with similar views playing "Lucy and the Football" in phony negotiations with the rest of the world while they plot their horror.
Besides, this election outcome pisses off the good people in Iran that want normal relations with the rest of the world, and that anger will hopefully hasten the process of eviscerating the tumor from within.
By ADAM NICHOLS
As chaos reigned in the wake of Friday's tainted Iranian election, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said the United States refused to accept Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's claim to a landslide victory.
"We are monitoring the situation as it unfolds in Iran, but we, like the rest of the world, are waiting and watching to see what the Iranian people decide," Clinton said yesterday in a speech in Canada.
The White House then released a statement saying it was concerned about "reports of irregularities."
So lets summarize…..
the United States refused to accept Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's claim to a landslide victory. So what?
"We are monitoring the situation as it unfolds in Iran. Okey Dokey, carry on.
The White House then released a statement saying it was concerned about "reports of irregularities." Good one.
What exactly do you purpose to do about it? And more importently is it any of your business?
As chaos reigned in the wake of Friday's tainted Iranian election, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said the United States refused to accept Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's claim to a landslide victory.
"We are monitoring the situation as it unfolds in Iran, but we, like the rest of the world, are waiting and watching to see what the Iranian people decide," Clinton said yesterday in a speech in Canada.
The White House then released a statement saying it was concerned about "reports of irregularities."
So lets summarize…..
the United States refused to accept Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's claim to a landslide victory. So what?
"We are monitoring the situation as it unfolds in Iran. Okey Dokey, carry on.
The White House then released a statement saying it was concerned about "reports of irregularities." Good one.
What exactly do you purpose to do about it? And more importently is it any of your business?
whatever dave
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Pence: Obama should speak out in favor of Iranian reformers
Posted: 03:39 PM ET
From CNN Associate Producer Martina Stewart
WASHINGTON (CNN) – On the same day that Vice President Biden said he had doubts about the validity of the Iranian election results, Indianan Republican Rep. Mike Pence urged President Obama to speak out in favor of the forces of reform in the Middle Eastern country.
“First and foremost, we need to take a half step back from this administration’s olive branch-and-apology approach to enemies and countries that have been hostile to the United States of America and our allies,” Pence said Sunday on CNN’s State of the Union.
“I’m hoping, before the end of the day today, the President of the United States will speak a word of support for Mr. Moussavi and for the dissidents and the reformers within Iran,” said Pence, referring to the defeated challenger to incumbent Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
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Pence: Obama should speak out in favor of Iranian reformers
Posted: 03:39 PM ET
From CNN Associate Producer Martina Stewart
WASHINGTON (CNN) – On the same day that Vice President Biden said he had doubts about the validity of the Iranian election results, Indianan Republican Rep. Mike Pence urged President Obama to speak out in favor of the forces of reform in the Middle Eastern country.
“First and foremost, we need to take a half step back from this administration’s olive branch-and-apology approach to enemies and countries that have been hostile to the United States of America and our allies,” Pence said Sunday on CNN’s State of the Union.
“I’m hoping, before the end of the day today, the President of the United States will speak a word of support for Mr. Moussavi and for the dissidents and the reformers within Iran,” said Pence, referring to the defeated challenger to incumbent Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
