Abarmard

Yes, an intelligent President is needed

I completely agree Abarmard. The next President is going to be making major decisions that will affect the entire world for a long time to come. A leader that is both intelligent and experienced is needed.

The economic crisis in America is just starting and it's going to get a lot worse. Given the quantity of trade that the US does with the rest of the world and the number of countries that use the dollar as a reserve currency, problems in the US will translate into dire problems on a global scale.

A leader of Lincoln or FDR's calibre is badly needed but that doesn't seem to be on offer. McCain is experienced but I question his intelligence. Obama seems intelligent but is lacking in experience.

I'd be a much happier man if the race was between Hillary Clinton and Ron Paul.

6 pack Joes Unite!

I was also further offended by Palin's Joe six pack generalization. My immediate reaction was: Hey how dare you talk about me without a clue what I'm about!...Until I realized her aim at matching with the black & white mentality of the "percieved" average joes in this country who EITHER revere education/intelligence OR trust character by the looks and winks.

There is extreme ignorance about the diversity among average joes in this country, No Doubt. But I also realize that in such debates candidates have to focus on polarization of voters, thus the need for labels and bad labels, ad nauseam, just like tv commercials. UNTIL WE DON'T BUY IT ANYMORE.  

So can I ever trust the logic of a short-term mayor of Alaska neglecting her special need child plus her other children, over a candidate with an impressive educational background and character? Absolutely Not! 

Thank you Abarmard for your piece, enjoyed reading you as usual. 

McCain is better

For the Islamic Republic of Iran, McCain is better, so I support Senator and the Governor. She can much better understand the religious issues of Iran than the Liberals who are anti-God. Plus Liberals are Zionist

At this time in her career

At this time in her career as Gov. it seems much too soon to be aiming so high with the world in the state it is NOW!
But "Maybe" in 10-15 years time with a lot more knowledge and a lot more experience in the world
of "politics" she may be able to sit across the table from a Putin, a Kim Jong il or a Gordon Brown ( not that they are better as people, but have actually endured years of "politics"!), and not have to wink her way to a solution to a huge world dilemma!
If I wanted to have someone just like "me" - a soccer mom, or in her case a hockey mom, as the the possible leader of the most powerful nation in the world, I'd choose Joanie , my next door neighbor
who gets a lot of things done, she's just the most talkative and wonderful mom on our block!!!

Mr Bijan A M

I respect what you said:

"I trust ...more than .....but will respect the will of majority and support whoever is elected ",though our political views are totally different.If we all learn to respect the will of majority,that would be a great step toward learning democracy.

best wishes

Dear Bijan A M

You may support who you like and you don't need to explain yourself. Yet you must admit the choices made. the year that is good , one can tell from its spring (saali keh nekoost az bahaarash paydaast)

You can comfortably tell me that you are OK with having Palin as a president of the United States if something happens to McCain?

Really?

Bijan A M

Thanks for making my comment shorter. Leadership is about Vision , Dedication, Inspiration , Courage & Inegrity in which the 1st clue less duo McCain-Palin has more of it than Agh Seyed,s favourite Imams  Obama-Bidun Trojan Horse.

""ultimate degree of arrogance""

You probably meant "ultimate degree of arro-gooze". Meanwhile Their masters in V-ran promote a malakh with a fake Oxford degree to ministry of Interior (Haji Shekam Kurdan)... Well put Pal!!.

This is the attitude that repulses

many and drives them away from the elitists (or what you call intelligent people). Intelligence has nothing to do with where you got your degree or whether you are a PhD or a school drop-out. The guy who mows my lawn is by far more knowledgeable about politics and social issues than my lawyer and accountant.

To put down the average American as dumb and start the philosophy of downplaying democracy, is the ultimate degree of arrogance. I am not an Obama supporter and as such, by definition of this site, am labeled as Neo-con. It doesn’t matter and doesn't bother me. Yes, I am a PhD and consider myself one of the average Americans (the joe six-pack). I may agree with many Obama supporters that Sara Palin may not have all the qualifications for the VP post. But, I am not going to call American majority to be stupid, dumb, illiterate, etc...or condemn American democracy and constitution if Obama is not elected.

As a leader of a nation you not only have to have the knowledge and understanding of the  issues that affect the lives of your people, you have to have the god given talent and the ability to communicate and connect with those people.  You need to demonstrate that you are trustworthy, and have integrity. These are not characteristics and traits that you acquire in any college or Ivy League school. 

In my humble opinion, people’s judgment is influenced by who you have been or are associating with.  I trust McCain more than Obama but will respect the will of majority and support whoever is elected. To compare this election with the riot that took place 30 years ago in Iran is totally ludicrous.

But she can wink the wink !

I think those winks and " Ye betcha" and tone of her voice was an insult to her target audience, the nation.

Was she doing a debate as a VP or....God forbid future president "one heart beat away"? or she thought she's talking to her teenager's high school classmates?

At the end of the debate, when their families got on the stage, It was Mrs. Palin with the show off act of " I'm just like you" holding her little special-needs baby, looking at the camera and patting the baby on his back, and I was thinking.......Next VP? or......the P ?

What would be her priorities....that little baby? or the oval office?

No way she can do both good. 

I think GOP was better off picking any "Joe six pack" OR...Tina Fay as VP!

You guys said it best.

You guys said it best. Can someone answer me this though. Why in gods name does this woman who was raised in Alaska sound like Francis McDormand. I've been to Alaska twice and unless you're a recent transplant from Milwaukee nobody spoke like her.
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBSTRK6PUjQ

"If a nation expects to be

"If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will."--Thomas Jefferson

The dumbing down of America started 40 years to stop the natural progression of an educated society toward socialism. America was becoming too educated and too aware to accept uncontrollable capitalism;hence, billions of research dollars were given to social engineering experts to reverse this trend (see Dr. Geroge Lakoff://dreadfuldreams.blogsome.com/2006/04/18/lackoffs-lecture-on-cognitive-science-and-the-culture-wars-2/).

America is at a crossroad as Iran was thirty years ago; either the religio-conservatives (propped by multinational corporations) will hijack democracy and freedom in this country for good; similar to how the Islamists in Iran hijacked the revolution, or American will see the light As Churchill said many years ago, "Americans can always be counted on to do the right thing...after they have exhausted all other possibilities."

Progressive and liberal Americans should not underestimate the nastiness of the religious right or they will lose their freedom and America as we know it.

p.s. Iranians also have a very low standard in choosing their leaders; examples are bountiful: Khamanie, Ahmadinejad, Rafsanjani, Khatami...

ELECT OR NOT......

let agree on one thing,Mr.Biden spent more than three decades on podiums of D.C and knows the TALKS
and Mrs.Palin been as governor of Alaska for couples of years.
as mayor she knows the WALK
I prefer the walk rather than talk.
siyasat is bullsh**
at least Iran willnot be attacked,cuz money talks,Bullsh** walks.
Mr.DK have you seen the movie played by Chris Rock picked from ghetto as president?

Peace

A PICTURE SPEAKS A THOUSAND WORDS!

Would Americans have priased and accepted any of their presidents or V-Presidents had they been "Folksy" in the past?
Let's say would they have praised John F. Kennedy as they did at the time, if he were a "Folksy" person with all the "you becha", "doggonne it" "darn right" and "can I call ya joe?" etc.

And *** A PICTURE SPEAKS A THOUSAND WORDS!***
//news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Vice-Presidential-De...

You are totally right. But

You are totally right. But it depends!

If the majority of the people in a country think it’s important to feel personally close to their leaders and want (or have been made to believe they want) leadership they can have over for dinner, then who cares about intellect and diplomacy? Likeability is more important than character, competence and education. I bet this happens often in a nation where the level of education is decreasing and level of economic strife is increasing.

We have to also look at who this Joe Six Pack supposedly is. If he happens to be a parent at a park, an engineer at Cisco, a construction worker or any other ordinary person, one has to wonder where this notion that he prefers a folksy candidate to an experienced one comes from? I mean, is it accurate to say that “the average American” is dumb? That’s the indirect implication here. Because, supposedly, he can’t relate to or trust “educated” people or candidates that don’t say “ya’ll”, “ain’t” and so on.

It seems strange, and probably false, that a nation would feel more comfortable with and fear anything but an “individual on the street”! Especially if the previous administration that just happened to prescribe to that same informal, cow boy image proved to be “kheng”, widely unpopular and disastrously incompetent in foreign policy and economics. All the things experts and people educated in fields from economics, finance to politics and health sciences predicted he would be.

Is the average American a war loving, beer drinking, fat couch potato?  If so, then where did Obama, Biden and last night’s poised moderator (never mind the universities who host the debates and their students and professors) come from?

If I were Joe Six Pack, I would be seriously insulted. Why does everyone assume that I identify with a nervous, scripted candidate versus a confident, poised and substantive one? You are very right. I seriously doubt the average American wants the dude down the street to run the country.

Anyone saying last night’s Palin was a presidential individual has set the bar very low. It boggles the mind and baffles the intellect. And by the way, the average American would be spending more time with the 4 month old baby than the nation’s favorite hockey mom is.

ابر مرد؛

نکته ای بر گزیده ای که مگوی

گوهری را تو سفته ای که مپرس.

 Wonderful points.  In reality, any civilizations whose ruling class delves in pure materialism and reaches material prosperity eventually reaches this stage.  Its ruling elites do not reach maturity of thought.  Its social values decline.  Greal ideal goals disappear from its mind.  Electoral system turns to meaningless games.  This is a kind of advanced corruption that leads to eventual decline.  You may find it in our own history; and in the history of Roman Empire.  Abbaasee Empire is a very good example.  Perhaps, this is the fate of all civilizations.  In any case, I agree with you.

I was hooked when I read the title

and knew this was going to be good! 

Arbarmard... great article.  I think this "average American" mentality is relatively new.  I can't explain WHY it seems to be happening now but I've never ever heard that message of "being one us" as a criteria for voting for someone.

DK... well said.

IRANdokht... I truly was in shock when I heard her say that.  And while I was glad to see Biden respond SPECIFICALLY and FORCEFULLY to her comment, I would have liked to have seen him be more aggressive elsewhere as well.  He had several opportunities to sock it to her and I think he missed the boat.

All in all... I could have puked when I heard all her little "down home" isms.  Spare me.

Ali P.

All you had to say was: Americans aren't the only ones.

Apparently that is true!

So you do agree that going with GWB or McCain/Palin is probably the same phenomenon as seen in Iran 30 yrs ago?

IRANdokht

Abarmard right on ;0)

LOL right on.

When you go to the library, you can choose to read Marquis de Sade or Mark Twain. The Choice is yours but also education helps in distinguishing between good and bad influences.

Its the same for movies. I saw most of these classic films one Iranian TV during the shah's time. Maybe I was lucky than those who today think that Hollywood is all about RAMBO and SCHWARTZY ...

Find the Porteghaalforoosh!

The late Shah was Swiss educated, spoke several languages, dressed well, spoke well,  and was fairly intelligent.

Khomeini was none of the above, but we, as a nation, fell for him.

 Find an answer for this, then we move to Bush and baaghee eh ghazaayaa..

DK nice film

And what would be the hollywood role in where we are today?

FYI/Seven Days in May: Burt Lancaster Frederic March

look how much this film was in advance for its time in denouncing the neo con mentality. I wish Iranian Cinema could be as critical of its own system of government as Hollywood has always been.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vc96K6oGA8

Abarmard Aziz !!

I second Irandokht,"I couldn't agree with you more"!.

sepaas

That's the flaw in democracy

When you get average people to pick someone, I am afraid, that is exactly what you get, an average person. Individuals who are above average are normally harassed by the society. Sometimes years later people realize that the guy who everyone thought was weird or eccentric, was actually simply ahead of his time.

The decision in society is made mainly by older people and older people control the money and power and older people are less brave and take less chances. They are afraid of taking any risks. They prefer to live with a lot of flaw than to risk losing even what they have. Young doesn't worry about change as much because young doesn't have much to lose. It can't get worse for him.

I kind of prefer monarchy or some kind of one man government better. If you get the wrong person in power you are screwed but if you get a really sharp guy in there, you can push the whole society forward by a huge leap. I guess that gives it away that I don't have much to worry about!

I will vote Obama even if I blame the Democrats for Iran ...

I blame George Bush and his administration for most of the trouble we are facing in the middle east and I can hardly nor ever had any sympathy for the Neo Con's on Capitol Hill. We know them and what these fools are capable of.

I intend to vote for the Obama / Biden Team and the debate last night only confirmed me in my determination to stop McCain /Palin to clown around with the world problems as if we were still living in the Cold War Era.   

But I have to say that I have little sympathy for the Democrats when it comes to international affairs. After all Jimmy Carter's administration lack of support to the Shah and Carter's Peanut Butter Policy in regard to the Middle East was one of the major roots to what happened to Iran. All things relative of course and I do not want to claim that Carter was the soul source of all our troubles. But even Camp David was masterminded more thanks to the collaborative effort of the Shah of Iran and Anwar Sadat in reasoning Israel than that of Jimmy Carter's Wide Smile of Naivity. ( Please Read: A Queen's Loyalty)

I believe however that Obama and Biden can breath in a much necessary positive and constructive change on both a national and international level. America's image and credibility as a Super Power but more importantly as a Beacon of Freedom as it has been since the WWII has been considerably reduced to oblivion. The World and particularly the Thrid World can only see America as a Farce of Democracy and human values. Certainly for the wrong reasons however justified by the mismanagement, political cynicism's and oppurtunism of a President and administration that has not been able to offer anything but panic and warmongering statements for more than 8 years since Spetember 11Th changed the world order into a world dissorder for good or at least for the next decades to come.

Beyond that observation, I believe that the future Administration of Obama ( which I hope for with what is left in me of faith in American Democracy) will have to come to terms with a great deal of harsh realities in regard to the international image of America in the world but also in anticipating the crisis' it may face in Iraq and Afghanistan with adequate solutions that will not be souly based on satisfying its own public opinion but with a sense of responsability. Much talk today in Europe and France in regard to the War on Terror is to abandone Afghanistan to its sad fate given some drawbacks and human casualties that French and British troops have been facing in that country where Al Qaeda seems to be resisting fiercly. The UN Intervention in Afghanistan spearheaded by the Bush Administration was in my opinion the the only truly justified military intervention in the current War on Terror. Afghanistan and the Afghan people are suffering to considerable degrees but I believe that many Afghans fear that they will be abandoned to the Talibans if ever the United States decides to unilaterally leave Iraq.

The Karzai government should not be abandoned the way the Shah of Iran was abandoned by the Carter Administration. America will need to rethink its foreign policy in the region but also in regard to the redistribution of geo strategic cards in the region between the different forces present, one of them being Russia with its ever growing Imperialistic and economic ambitions.

If Obama's America should try and appear as learning from its past experiences and failed policies, it should not appear as weak or undetermined in its relations with Moscow but also with Tehran as far as we are concerned.

The Unconditional talks with Iran will most probably take place if not already taking place behind closed curtains given the unlikeliness of an open conflict betwteen the US and Iran and hopefully unlikely strike by Israel on Iran. 

However what I as an Iranian American hope for from the next American Administration is to remain firm on essential issues like the respect of Human Rights and an unconditional support for the Iranian Civil Society and NOT a blind support to the current regime. It can welcome the reformists and any air of detente between Iran and the US like lets say in the Perestroika years of Gorbatchev in the USSR. However Obama and Bliden should be inspired by Ronald Reagan's policy towards the USSR by leaving an open door to dialogue but with a give and take approach when it comes to negotiations. The naive conception that another Khatami presidency would be a reliable one as some analysts seem to suggest ( and which may ultimately happen if Ahmadinejad's presidency comes to an end due to real politics approved by the spiritual leader Khamenei ) is something that needs to be observed with scrutiny. America should know that its best allies are the Iranian people and the Diaspora who can play a constructive role in bridging differences between Iran and the United States. It is this civil society in the making that needs to be enforced by all means particularly in the Media by giving voice to all dissidents, intellectuals across the Iranian political spectrum and by that I do not necessarily mean the Iranian opposition but Iranians from all walks of life be them dissidents, intellectuals, writers, artists, the youth that yearns to express itself and has no say in the Iranian media inside Iran.

America can play a useful role in encouraging not necessarily civil dissobedience but civil participation by forcing the Iranian leadership to respect the freedom of speach and insist on Human Rights. There is a major difference in this respect from lets say the Carter Administration's approach in the late 70's in that Iranian civil society was not as diverse and mature as it is today. The former generation seeked to solve Iran's problems through viloence and revolution. Where as today what we are observing is a different form of resistance which greatly ressembles what appeared in Poland in the early 1980's with the solidarnosc mouvement. We have an intelligenstia which is much more alert and responsible than their elders were back in 1979 and which is not at war with itself or the world for that matter.

I simply hope that the Obama / Bliden Team will act with not only a sense of responsability towards the American people but also with the commitment towards not abandoning the struggling civil society in Iran so much at Odds with its leadership as the following clip testifies:

//iranian.com/main/blog/souri/generation-tehran

My humble opinion and ... conditional VOTE To Obama / Biden ,

DK

scary stuff!

I couldn't agree with you more!

The average Americans seem to be intimidated by intelligent people and that causes a resentment towards the elite and educated type. To take that as far as they are and giving power to rule the country to the less qualified candidates will be catastrophical to the future of US and the world as we have seen in the past 8 years. 

Even scarier is that this "average hockey mom" has the audacity to want a bigger role than the constitution allows the VP.  

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbgClTQ6lC0

IRANdokht