White House reverses statement on Iran election
Reuters
05-Aug-2009 (4 comments)

ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE, Aug 5 (Reuters) - White House spokesman Robert Gibbs on Wednesday said he had misspoken in calling Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Iran's elected leader and that Washington will let the Iranian people decide whether Iran's election was fair.

"Let me correct a little bit of what I said yesterday. I denoted that Mr. Ahmadinejad was the elected leader of Iran. I would say that's not for me to pass judgment on," Gibbs told reporters aboard Air Force One.

"He's been inaugurated. That's a fact. Whether any election was fair, obviously the Iranian people still have questions about that, and we'll let them decide about that."

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was sworn in as Iran's president on Wednesday in a ceremony boycotted by reformist leaders and parliamentarians and marred by street protests over his victory.

The 53-year-old hardliner took his oath of office nearly eight weeks after a disputed election that unleashed Iran's worst unrest since the 1979 Islamic revolution and divided the political and clerical elite.

Obama and the leaders of France, Britain, Italy and Germany have all decided not to congratulate Ahmadinejad on his re-election. Gibbs had called Ahmadinejad Iran's "elected leader" on Tuesday during a briefing. (Reporting by Jeff Mason, Writing by Patricia Zengerle, editing by Doina Chiacu)

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Patriot

Ooooops!

by Patriot on Wed Aug 05, 2009 12:21 PM PDT

At least it seems like there are actual "thinking" people on staff at the White House these days.  Yesterday's statement has already had very negative reverbrations and though this might not fix things that much, at least it shows there is a level of responsibility with words at the White House, something we didn't see for 8 years prior.


Balatarin
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Kamran Ramyar

Red neck speaks!!!

by Kamran Ramyar on Thu Aug 06, 2009 07:33 AM PDT

Robert Gibbs is nothing but an old country boy from North Carolina, better known as red neck capital..   What the fuck does he know about world events, Iran in particular, to come out and say Ahmadinejad is the elected president of Iran!  This is not just a slip of the tounge...but idiotic words coming out of a red neck's mouth!    


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David ET

Y A W N

by David ET on Thu Aug 06, 2009 01:21 AM PDT

Too late 

Damage is done

"The Message" was sent , rest is PR 



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rosie is roxy is roshan

Further reversal:

by rosie is roxy is roshan on Wed Aug 05, 2009 03:36 PM PDT


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