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Question of the Day | 06/16/2009 11:00 pm

What should the U.S. do IF the Iranian election was not honest? And if it was, did the outcome set us back?

© Shutterstock
Joan Ganz Cooney

Joan Ganz Cooney | 06/16/2009 11:00 pm

Joan Ganz Cooney Asks: What if 'Iran Had Tried to Do Something About the 2000 Election?'

There is so much commentary on the air about these questions from experts that I wouldn’t dream of venturing an opinion. We have little power to set a fraudulent election right in a sovereign nation. How would we have reacted had Iran tried to DO something about the 2000 election, which many of us living in this country thought wrong but had to accept? Whatever the experts say, only time will tell whether or not the apparent results are a setback.
Candice Bergen

Candice Bergen | 06/17/2009 7:30 pm

Candice Bergen: Hope in Iran

The Iranian reaction to the election is very hopeful. It probably won’t alter the sham count but augurs well for real change. Especially since 70 percent of the country is under 30. What do I know but it seems like Obama handled it very shrewdly and with great restraint. McCain disagrees with this tactic but it seems very wise.
Mary Wells

Mary Wells | 06/17/2009 9:35 pm

Mary Wells Takes Notice

America has had elections that were loudly questioned. Americans would have thought it extraordinarily presumptuous of Iran to meddle in them. I am surprised at the number of Iranians demonstrating and realize how little I understand Iran. The possibilities excite me and now I want to know a lot more than I do about Iran and Iranians.

Liz Smith

Liz Smith | 06/19/2009 10:20 pm

Liz Smith on Obama's Dogfight

We should keep supporting President Obama’s status in this dogfight (it’s not our country), and we should be encouraging to the people of Iran. Even Pat Buchanan, arch conservative, believes Obama’s position on Iran is the right one. What does the Conservative Right want? Another war for us with Iran or to worsen relations with a government and a people that may be softening up without the irritation of George Bush. Regardless of who, which side is in power in the near future in Iran, that is who Obama will have to deal and negotiate with. We should stand aside and let Iran speak for itself.

75 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

C jay
Ditto, Joan. IMHO, nothing.
By C jay on 06/17/2009 12:07 am
James the Game

It reminds me of Tiananmen Square, 1989, China. The U.S. can’t police the entire uncivilized world, but it’s hard to stomach the suppression and oppression.

By James the Game on 06/17/2009 12:21 am
newzie snoozie
RIGHT  AND WHY DO WE WANT TO RUN THE WHOLE WORLD?   ANYWAY WE CAN ? OR JUST WHAT IS ITDO WE NEED TO FIND  OURSELVES IN THE MIDDLE OF  IT AL.L?   JAMES, THAT CHINA  A GOOD POINT TO HANG IN THERE . GOOD FOR YOUR MIND REMEMBERING THTATHE  HOLY CITY  BE GIVEN TO  PALESTINE   OR THE IRANANIANS WAS THAT ORIGINALLY  CLINTONS AND O’BAMAS IDEA OR WHERE THE HEY DID THTA IDEA COME FROMWHO KNOWS THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION?
By newzie snoozie on 06/17/2009 2:14 pm
Marjorie C.

 How would we have reacted had Iran tried to DO something about the 2000 election, …

Or the 2008 elections, for that matter — particularly the primaries.

The truth is, it is none of our business.  Let the Iranians sort it out.  How could we assume that the politicians of the U.S. are one bit less power hungry than the rest of the world.

By Marjorie C. on 06/17/2009 4:53 am
Libra Lady

Majorie…yes…the 2008 election for that matter…well said.  Let’s hope this never happens to us:

Iran’s most powerful military force is warning online media of a crackdown over their coverage of the country’s election crisis.

The Revolutionary Guards, an elite body answering to the supreme leader, says Iranian Web sites and bloggers must remove any materials that “create tension” or face legal action.  (MM)

By Libra Lady on 06/17/2009 9:11 am
Marjorie C.

Libra:  Let’s hope this never happens to us:…

However, I believe we are well on the way.  There is a reason why FOX News is made out to be the bad guy, while ABC courts the president.  This administration has succeeded in manipulating the media since the November election and before.

I will not be sorry when we see the last of them.

By Marjorie C. on 06/17/2009 1:02 pm
Libra Lady
Marjorie…I just heard a piece of the interview with obama where he was complaining about FOX NEWS!!!  I really think it’s great how FOX is getting is goat!!!  He just hates anyone destroying his ego!
By Libra Lady on 06/17/2009 2:21 pm
Marjorie C.

Libra:  I just heard a piece of the interview with obama where he was complaining about FOX NEWS!!! 

Yes, I recently saw the clip, too.  If he could shut FOX down, then we’d be more like Communist Russia or China or any other totalitarian government.  So happy FOX is there to present the other side.  With any luck, we’ll only have a few more years of this matinee idol.  He’s really wearing thin.   

By Marjorie C. on 06/18/2009 5:23 am
Mahulda Fite
Margorie, It’s amusing to watch Obama "complain" about FOX News. Poor Bush had every other network against him BUT FOX and he never complained. I think only dictators expect the media to fall completely in line with their agenda. So far, most of the networks are signing on to be part of Obama’s "state run media". Like you said, there is a reason why FOX’s ratings continue to climb.
By Mahulda Fite on 06/18/2009 10:59 am
Victoria J
Marjorie and Libra Lady…there is a great video of a Fox interview with Karl Rove who is complaining that the access President Obama is giving ABC is unprecedented for any Presidency…However interspersed with Karl’s mispresentation of the truth… are clips from a Fox Newsman introducing his series of unprecedented interviews with the Bush administration. He’s on a loop saying, " Fox has unprecedented access to the Bush White House or Here I am at the Bush ranch and the President has given Fox unprecedented access"…this goes on about  for ten or so different occasions where Fox televised unprecedented access to the Bush Presidency.  It was hilarious to watch Rove blantantly lie as a new clip came up touting Fox’s unprecedent access. Love that video. It made me a happy camper!  You girls can Thank Huffpost for the video
By Victoria J on 06/18/2009 11:21 pm
Mahulda Fite
Victoria, There is a HUGE difference between access to interviews and a network setting up shop in the White House to plug an administration’s pet policy. Clearly, journalistic malpractice.
By Mahulda Fite on 06/18/2009 11:52 pm
Sam Mirando

It is none of our business (that is to say, it is not our business to intervene or advise) but that doesn’t mean that we cannot care deeply and admire the courage of those who have been killed and beaten for standing up for what they believe.  I have been following the live blogging on Huff Post.  How can one fail to be moved and concerned when one reads, for example, the following:

6:03 PM ET [on Tuesday evening, US time] — "What I have witnessed." A powerful note from a female medical student in Iran, translated from Farsi by a trusty reader.

Hello,


It’s painful to watch what’s happening.

I don’t want anything to do with what has been said this far, as I neither have the strength nor the resilience to face all these unfathomable events.

I only want to speak about what I have witnessed. I am a medical student. There was chaos last night at the trauma section in one of our main hospitals. Although by decree, all riot-related injuries were supposed to be sent to military hospitals, all other hospitals were filled to the rim. Last night, nine people died at our hospital and another 28 had gunshot wounds. All hospital employees were crying till dawn. They (government) removed the dead bodies on back of trucks, before we were even able to get their names or other information. What can you even say to the people who don’t even respect the dead. No one was allowed to speak to the wounded or get any information from them. This morning the faculty and the students protested by gathering at the lobby of the hospital where they were confronted by plain cloths anti-riot militia, who in turn closed off the hospital and imprisoned the staff. The extent of injuries are so grave, that despite being one of the most staffed emergency rooms, they’ve asked everyone to stay and help—I’m sure it will even be worst tonight.

What can anyone say in face of all these atrocities? What can you say to the family of the 13 year old boy who died from gunshots and whose dead body then disappeared?

This issue is not about cheating(election) anymore. This is not about stealing votes anymore. The issue is about a vast injustice inflicted on the people. They’ve put a baton in the hand of every 13-14 year old to smash the faces of "the bunches who are less than dirt" (government is calling the people who are uprising dried-up torn and weeds) .

This is what sickens me from dealing with these issues. And from those who shut their eyes and close their ears and claim the riots are in opposition of the government and presidency!! No! The people’s complaint is against the egregious injustices committed against the people.

By Sam Mirando on 06/17/2009 6:34 am
Murphy Mac
Wow, Sam, that was a terribly sad commentary from that medical student! I care what she said. I’m not sure we can ever trust what comes out of this "election" they had. I do, however, agree with Joan that we are not in a position to fix anything. I’ve been seeing things like this happen since I was a little girl watching wounded men be carried out on stretchers with blood coming from them when the Korean war was happening. It always affects me viscerally but to this day, there’s nothing I know I can do about it. Caring and hoping they will stop treating their own people so horribly is what I can do. Thanks for posting that message from the medical student.
By Murphy Mac on 06/17/2009 7:09 am
Andrea Brandon

Sam,

Thanks for posting that. It really chllls the body to read it.

Pity the poor family who will have to find out about their dead 13 year-old son dumped at the hospital from posts such as the one this medical student wrote. And how disgusting that the government is handing over batons to young, impressionable 13-14 year-olds who get to live their imaginations.

I’ve always said that Americans have no clue about the freedoms we have until they travel to countries such as Iran and obseve how the government treats its citizens.

Still, we cannot be the world’s police.   But we can damned well empathize.

By Andrea Brandon on 06/17/2009 2:50 pm
S G
Obama is doing what we should do. If we come out in favor of the protesters we are condemning them to more violence. The idiot in congress trying to pass a resolution to support them is a fool. They do not need our rubber stamp. They need us to let them handle their own affairs. As for the 2000 election hindsight is great. I wish we had taken to the streets before the damage was done.
By S G on 06/17/2009 7:19 am