Obama: Iran Elections Reflect "New Possibilities"

By: Brian Montopoli
Topics: World Affairs

(AP)

Following remarks on the tobacco legislation that today passed Congress, President Obama fielded a question on the elections taking place in Iran today. The president said he is "excited to see what appears to be a robust debate taking place in Iran."

"Obviously, after the speech that I made in Cairo, we tried to send a clear message that we think there is the possibility of change," he said. "And ultimately, the election is for the Iranians to decide, but just as has been true in Lebanon, what can be true in Iran as well is that you're seeing people looking at new possibilities."

"Whoever ends up winning the election in Iran, the fact that there's been a robust debate hopefully will help advance our ability to engage them in new ways," the president concluded.

The Iranian election pits conservative hard-liner Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the current president, against the more moderate reformist Mir Hossein Mousavi.

The president's reference to Lebanon – where a U.S. backed moderate coalition recently won an electoral victory over Hezbollah – seems to reflect an implicit endorsement of the challenger, who supports more freedoms for the Iranian people and improved relations with the United States.

Brian Montopoli
Brian Montopoli is the senior political reporter at CBSNews.com.
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by realnews12 June 14, 2009 2:04 PM EDT: Anybody got a clue why this wonderful car was SCRAPPED by the Obama Administration?

Posted by IThoughtItWasFunnyAgin at 9:24 PM : Jun 12, 2009

From the Wikipedia article on "hydrogen vehicles":

"The Wall Street Journal reported in 2008 that "Top executives from General Motors Corp. and Toyota Motor Corp. Tuesday expressed doubts about the viability of hydrogen fuel cells for mass-market production in the near term and suggested their companies are now betting that electric cars will prove to be a better way to reduce fuel consumption and cut tailpipe emissions on a large scale."[50] In addition, Ballard Power Systems, a leading developer of hydrogen vehicle technology, pulled out of the Hydrogen vehicle business in late 2007. Research Capital analyst Jon Hykawy concluded that Ballard saw the industry going nowhere and said: "In my view, the hydrogen car was never alive. The problem was never could you build a fuel cell that would consume hydrogen, produce electricity, and fit in a car. The problem was always, can you make hydrogen fuel at a price point that makes any sense to anybody. And the answer to that to date has been no."[51] "

See the above article for further discussion of this issue.; Reply to this comment


by YrSoWrong June 13, 2009 10:24 AM EDT: There are exciting possibilities for anyone investing in Iranian nuclear power. But watch-out for that sudden dividend.; Reply to this comment


by velma179 June 12, 2009 11:26 PM EDT: Actually, we truly need to put all sorts of positivity towards the citizens of Iran.
Those who organized for the opposition candidate may be in jeopardy if Ahmadi-Nejad "wins" the election -- which means in realistic terms -- "assumes the win" in the election.

The people WANT to come into the present, have rights and honest government... but this is likely to only be achieved by serious upheaval.

Regardless of ethnicity or religion, these are people just like us and I pray they do achieve a twenty-first century democratic society.; Reply to this comment


by mattcat25 June 12, 2009 3:47 PM EDT: Iran needs to come out of the dark ages and address woman's rights and face their pending peak oil import future.

The Bush Administration and Ahmadinejihad played each side of the same card to promote their political agenda through the fear of each other's military agenda and to raise the price of a barrel of Oil.

It almost seems as if both Bush and Ahmadinejihad were actually working together on the same side but, taking opposition with each other.

Anyway, Bush and the Fascist Conservative Party have been removed and now it's Ahmadinejihad's turn. Given that the People of Iran will have a valid election of course.; Reply to this comment


by revlin1 June 12, 2009 1:22 PM EDT: You mean everyone doesn't know that Valerie Jarrett is running Iran's elections?; Reply to this comment