Shut Up, John McCain

My esteemed co-blogger once said "John McCain's not really presidential timber, but he'd make a great Secretary of Fuck You."

That quality of McCain's was on display recently when the Senator got up to opine on the recent Iranian elections and give some advice to the current president.

"He should speak out that this is a corrupt, fraud, sham of an election," said McCain. "The Iranian people have been deprived of their rights.""I think it's possible to engage. But item number one is giving the Iranian people a free and fair election," he said.

Actually, Barack should keep his trap shut on this subject and so should McCain. Anyone who campaigned on their ability to size up the intricacies of international relations (looking at you here, Johnny) should see the reasons why immediately.

First of all, the Iranians aren't going to do anything just because you ask them to. They don't like us, remember?

Secondly, the more you throw your weight around, the more ammo you hand to people who think the USA is trying to dictate policy to Muslims and the Middle East.

Thirdly, if you really want Mir Hossein Mousavi to win, the worst thing you can do is say so, and start jacking your jaws into microphones on his behalf. If he starts looking like the USA's choice, he's finished politically in Iran.

Finally (not that we need another reason) a really good way to line up the Iranians behind a hardliner is to start threatening them.

President Obama should shut up as well. His statement that he's 'deeply troubled' by the election results is exactly the kind of lecture he promised not to deliver, and exactly the sort of patronizing chatter the rest of the world is tired of hearing from Washington.