Blue State Iran

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has congratulated Barack Obama on Tuesday's victory. In a letter mercifully much shorter than the 18 page missive he sent to Bush in 2006, Ahmadinejad implores Obama to "leave a good name behind for yourself":

People expect an immediate and clear response to the pressure for fundamental change in the American government's policies, both foreign and domestic. This is the desire of all the world's nations and of the American nation as well, and it should be the objective and basis of all your future government's programs and actions.

...

In the sensitive Middle East region, in particular, the expectation is that the unjust actions of the past 60 years will give way to a policy encouraging full rights for all nations, especially the oppressed nations of Palestine, Iraq and Afghanistan.

The really interesting part for me is when the Iranian President confesses that, "Iran would welcome major, fair and real changes, in policies and actions, especially in this region." What's to stop Obama taking taking his advice? The world wants to believe that Obama's ready to move away from Bush's hawkish policies, and Obama has more political capital to spend than any recent US president. Suggestion- in January Obama takes Ahmadinejad at face value and promises 'major, fair and real changes, in policies and actions' in the region, in exchange for a halt to Iranian nuclear development. He'll be making those sorts of promises anyway- why not put them to good use in Iran?

Election 2008: Quick Senate Update

Three significant updates:

OREGON: Democrat Jeff Merkley has overcome his narrow deficit to defeat incumbent Republican Gordon Smith by more than 50,000 votes.

GEORGIA: Republican incumbent Saxby Chambliss has a lead of more than 110,000 votes over Democrat Jim Martin, but Georgia has a provision that the winning candidate must have a majority of the vote. That means a run-off, since an independent candidate received 127,000 votes.

MINNESOTA: It's a recount, as Republican incumbent Norm Coleman has a lead of 236 votes, out of more than 2.8 million cast, over Democrat Al Franken.

ALASKA: As hard as I stare at the screen, I can't change the more than 3,000-vote advantage that Felon Ted Stevens (Republican) has over Democrat Mark Begich.

With Minnesota and Georgia outstanding, the Democrats now have 55 confirmed seats in the Senate, a gain of six, plus the two Independents in their caucus. The Republicans, if Stevens is returned, have 41.

Great Post-Election Moments: The K-Hammer Gives History's Verdict

Charles Krauthammer's head has been spinning wildly over the last month at the thought of a Democrat in the White House. Today, it goes into overdrive as he passes history's verdict on "people" (the naive, panicky, unthinking people who would not vote Republican) and John McCain.

Correctly identifying the September/October economic crisis as the moment when the GOP lost the campaign, Charles then makes a leap of logic to drop-kick the real villains of Election 2008: "people [who] seek shelter in government".

This, however, is only the prelude to his historic proclamation:

"[McCain] will be -- he should be -- remembered as the most worthy presidential nominee ever to be denied the prize."

Ummm, no, he won't. Really.

Great Election Moments: The Genius who is Bill Kristol

Just in case Bill Kristol --- Weekly Standard mastermind, New York Times columnnist --- continues the "Sarah in 2012" crusade:

"If [Hillary Clinton] gets a race against John Edwards and Barack Obama, she's going to be the nominee. Gore is the only threat to her ... Barack Obama is not going to beat Hillary Clinton in a single democratic primary. I'll predict that right now."

William Kristol, Fox News Sunday, December 17, 2006

Obama's Surprise Number One Fan: Silvio Berlusconi

In the "You Couldn't Make It Up" file:

ITALY'S BERLUSCONI HAILS "SUNTANNED" OBAMA

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi gave an enthusiastic, if unconventional, welcome on Thursday to the election of Barack Obama, citing among his attributes youth, good looks and a "suntan."

Speaking at a joint news conference with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in Moscow, the 72-year-old media tycoon also said Obama's election to the White House had been "hailed by world public opinion as the arrival of a messiah."

"I will try to help relations between Russia and the United States where a new generation has come to power, and I don't see problems for Medvedev to establish good relations with Obama who is also handsome, young and suntanned," he said.

Berlusconi, who himself sports a year-round tan, is famed in diplomatic circles for making sometimes inappropriate quips.

On his first meeting with Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen in 2002, Berlusconi complimented him with the words: "Rasmussen is not only a great colleague, he's also the best-looking prime minister in Europe."

He added: "He's so good looking, I'm even thinking of introducing him to my wife."

He sparked a minor diplomatic incident in 2005 by suggesting he had wooed Finnish President Tarja Halonen to ensure her backing for Italy to host the European Food Safety Authority.

"I had to use all my playboy tactics, even if they have not been used for some time," he said, prompting Helsinki to call in the Italian ambassador to explain the comments.