Politics 2000

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad won a decisive victory Friday in his quest to earn a second four-year term as president of Iran. According to election officials, Ahmadinejad garnered 63 percent of the vote. Leading rival Mir-Hossein Mousavi received 34 percent of the vote. Two minor candidates claimed the remaining three percent.

All four candidates were pre-approved by Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, who said Saturday he wouldn’t intervene in any way in the wake of the results. To him, the results are divine and must be allowed to stand.

Some Mousavi supporters are livid at what they consider to be a fixed election. Indeed, pre-election polls labeled the race close. Perhaps Mousavi had a small lead. Certainly not a two-to-one victory for the incumbent.

Although at best incremental reform may have come through a Mousavi, that’s what his green backers. He surely wouldn’t have radically changed Iran’s course. He wouldn’t have been allowed on the ballot if the Supreme Leader thought he’d do that.

Nonetheless, better to pick the devil you don’t know over the one you hate. Given a mandate this weekend, expect Ahmadinejad to be emboldened. Whether his win was legitimate or not, he’ll treat it as sacrosanct. He’ll expect everyone else to do the same.

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