Today, conservative columnist Max Boot (who also advises Sen. John McCain [R-AZ]) echoed a favorite right-wing talking point to declare that “Iran’s top terrorist” is hoping for an Obama presidency. Boot repeated an assertion by Washington Post columnist David Ignatius that “the Quds Force commander prefers to run out the clock on the Bush administration,” insisting he hoped Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) will win the presidency:
There is, of course, no earthly reason why the Quds Force commander could expect that a John McCain…would be more favorable to his interests. So the implication is that Iran’s top terrorist is hoping that Americans will elect Barack Obama this fall. If this is in fact the case, perhaps the Democratic nominee should ask himself what it is about his candidacy that one of our most dangerous enemies finds so encouraging.
It’s unclear why Boot is so sure the Iranians prefer Obama to McCain. After all, the McCain-backed Iraq war and occupation have immeasurably strengthened the Iranians, as has McCain’s fervent support of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, himself an ally and friend to Iran’s Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.