Spicoli's in Persia, and asking the tough questions!
[...] On Sunday he tackled Shi'ite Muslim cleric Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, a former president who leads opinion polls, about U.S. criticism of the election after hundreds of hopefuls were barred from running by a panel of religious hard-liners.
Rafsanjani, 70, a wily pragmatist who favors better ties with the United States, pointed out that Iran was fielding eight candidates for president -- a larger choice than American voters had at their polls in November.
"If the number of candidates is a proof of democracy, we are ... better than the Americans in this regard," newspapers quoted Rafsanjani as telling Penn. [...]
The problem is that this little bit of propaganda is presented to us without the least bit of that famed journalistic circumspection our betters in the Fourth Estate keep telling us they possess. I'm sure Mr. Spicoli is probably applauding himself, because the answer Rafsanjani gave more or less replicates his own view of the situation. Although Penn probably thinks we only had one candidate, who through a series of nefarious conspiracies was able to produce a mind beam capable of causing a majority of voters to pull the lever for him instead of anyone who was not a chimp.
BE THAT AS IT MAY, it might be good for everyone to recall that although there are indeed only a few major party candidates, and they get all the media attention, the actual amount of people officially running for Pres during 2004 was at least FIFTY-FIVE. Sure, a lot of them were loons (as you can tell if you read any of the linked information), and some weren't on the ballot in every state, but if we're going to get lectured, let's at least understand that these folks got to run, and try to get votes, and weren't selected by some bunch of guys in bathrobes. Does anyone really think--even Sean--that Marilyn Chambers could have run for Vice (heh) President in Iran? Now, in fairness, Mr. Penn might make this point in his story, although I do rather doubt it, given that willfully ignorant credulity seems to be a rather long suit with him.
Anyway, it's not like the press is there to present a balanced view or anything, so I don't guess I have anything to complain about.
Posted by Terry Oglesby at June 14, 2005 11:12 AM