AP Analysis: Fine line for Obama on Iran

[steven johnson]

President Barack Today Obama tilted his rhetoric strongly empathizing with Iranian protesters while deftly countering both GOP and Iranian criticisms.

Obama's opening remarks were no accident. They were written and distributed in advance of the news conference to ensure that the president struck the right balance between outrage and statesmanship.
Obama candidly explained his strategy: Deplore the actions of the regime without becoming "a foil for the Iranian government" that wants to "blame what's happening on the streets of Tehran on the CIA or the White House."

Obama doesn't want to give rhetorical ammunition to be used against the protesters. On the other hand, not saying enough — being too cautious — risks backlash in the United States.
Conservatives and liberals have criticized Obama for not speaking out more forcefully. Asked if his opening statement was influenced by those critics, particularly former Republican rival Sen. John McCain, Obama quipped, "What do you think?"

But Obama said diplomacy is more complicated than people realize.
The grays run deeper than the blacks and whites.

It's the pundits job to second-guess, Obama said, but "only I'm the president of the United States."
Which is why he tried to balance every hands-on critique of the Iranian government with a caveat that he's hands-off.

Analysis: Fine line for Obama on Iran

[Cha]

1. Yes, it is a fine line and the repugs and

corporatemediawhores(but I repeat myself) are trying to push him over the edge..not gonna happen.

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. and water does boil, this falls in the category of NO SHIT SHERLOCK!

And this is the three in the morning call moment too... this and N. Korea

[babylonsister]

3. Ron Fournier wrote this fyi. And then...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Fournier

About 130,000 opinions about Fornier.

Not good.

http://www.google.com/#hl=en&q=RON+FOURNIER+AP+wiki&aq=f&oq=&aqi=&fp=leBsIIJAIN0