Did Ahmadinejad Win The Debate?
Everything in Iran’s 10th presidential election is so new. Every event’s happening for the first time in the history of Islamic Republic. For the first time, women are involved thoroughly in the race and influence the votes.
Now Ahmadinejad also follows Moousavi’s strategy and for the first time appears with his wife front of cameras. Ahmadinejad’s wife comes into rallies, gatherings and race with husband to get the votes. It seems she also understood that Iran has to change.
The changes also happened to be more visible on the national TV channels. From the vast programs on election, and ‘uncensored’ campaign documentary films, to ‘live debate’ between candidates which is just something so new and surprising to watch.
The hot debate upto now was the one between Ahmadinejad and Mousavi (english version) which has caused some clashes among the candidates themselves and supporters later on. This debate’s made the whole election between two particular persons, Mousavi and Ahmadinejad. Iran’s poll centers say the heated debate between Ahmadinejad and Mousavi profoundly changed the level of support for their respective presidential campaigns.
Their supporters have made street arguments which sometimes by some zealous fans ended to a street battle too.
Some supporters praise Ahmadinejad for being frank and firm against the Iranian mafia of wealth and power and revealing secrets. These groups think that Mousavi left Ahmadinejad’s questions unanswered.
Some others appreciate Mousavi’s patience and ‘coolness’ toward Ahmadinejad’s critical remarks. They say Ahmadinejad was impolite toward Islamic Republic heads.
Hopefully i’m neither a political expert like those ladies and gentlemen,nor am i concerned about what they argue and fight for. My country is my major concern, not the candidates, nor the supporters.
Mousavi might get the votes. He might win the election for his beautiful moderate words like the Khatami’s. He might win because of his wife and her influence on the youth and intellectuals. He might win because of his big supporters such as Khatami, Rafsanjani himself and his children.
Mousavi might get the votes because he wants to stop the police from interfering in women’s way of wearing. (Though the Police in Iran is not under direct rule of the president!)
On the other hand, he might win because of the ‘apparent’ secrets of the Islamic republic that were revealed by Ahmadinejad. Those secrets about Rafsanjani, his children and their corruption which all Iranians somehow knew them, had heard them and discussed them in the past 20 years.But Mr Ahmadinejad just remembered to utter them in the last days of his presidency!
However, Ahmadinejad might also once again get the votes. He might win the election just like Khatami who won in his second round. Khatami cried and won. It was something new to cry in front of crowd to take the votes. Later on there were many -including Rafsanjani and Karbaschi- who copied the way, but none of them got the full result.
Ahmadinejad also did something new. He revealed ‘apparent’ secrets for the first time in the national TV and he might win.
That’s Iranian politics. So complex and so unpredictable. Iranians might not care for beautiful words like democracy, freedom of wearing and so on. Iranian majority could be so frustrated for hearing things packed by beautiful ribbons while in action nothing does change.
I agree with Ahmadinejad when he says some politicians just seek to get the power. He is right. They die for power and they do everything to have it.
It seems part of Iranian politicians are just interested to fill their Swiss accounts with ‘unknown’ income and fund their children in the European universities for getting the best education while Iranian ordinary youth go through alot of stress and pressure to pass the University entrance exam, to get a simple job or just to marry.
Ahmadinejad is smart. He has a good mind to take advantage from the opportunities. But did he win the debate? Doesn’t matter. The result of the election will show the answer.
Iranians may want frankness. They may want to hear about corruption on the national TV. For the first time in the history of Islamic Republic, they may want to hear a straightforward speech, revealing the ‘apparent’ secrets about the Rafsanjani dynasty and his chain.
For the first time in the history of Islamic Republic, tired of talks, Iranians want to see ‘action’ too. They seek something new, ‘change’, whether in the way of governing or just in the way of treating those ‘great’ corrupt politicians.
Iranians will demand this inevitable right and Ahmadinejad must know that.
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The spirit of debate, I would say, is discussion in the sense of introducing different point of views not convincing in a form of verbal struggle.
I was hoping the future plans of both candidates would be introduced, which did not happen, instead a controversial disscusion of past 25 years of Islamic Republic of Iran.
I must also add, eveything what Ahmadinejad said, was already known! we just got excited as we saw it on TV.
They both was winners of this debate in the eye of their audiences. Ahmadinejad won the support of the poor and as Mousavi was targeting students and intellectuals.
Pouyan, Thank you for your comment. Unfortunately part of my article had been deleted due to error. Exactly the part that i wrote about Mousavi.
I also think it was an ‘apparent’ secret as i mentioned, and doesnt matter who wins, as long as the system of corruption is out there, whether somebody attacks them verbally or not..
In my opinion, it was not kind of a debate that could have a winner. Mousavi and Ahmadinejad, both of them, just strengthened their own camp. Those already interested in Ahamdinejad, liked what he said. And those already against him, hated it. Same is true for Mousavi. By the way, Ahamdeinejad’s campaign in general and this debate in particular have serious consequences that I’m gonna discuss in a post ASAP.
thanks for reflection.
Shahrzad, I’m waiting impatiently for the missing part of your article, I found it great
I actually loved the way you put it as “apparent secrets”, I just wanted somehow to add a little comment to it.
I would also agree with Mohammad, and would be waiting to know his point of view on the whole subject.
Mohammad, Thank you for your comment. Actually some also were pro Mousavi but now they vote for ahmadinejad and vice versa. It gravely effected the polls. Can’t wait for your article BTW.
Pouyan, I added the missing part. I think my browser makes error while updating in wordpress. I have same problem in my own blog too.
About SUnnis in Iran: http://www.metransparent.com/spip.php?page=article&id_article=7036&lang=en
Wladimir van Wilgenburg, Thank you for your comment and sharing the link. Well, the link was not about Sunnis in Iran. But it was about Sunni member of the parliament who votes for Karroubi or Mousavi.