MR. OBAMA, WHAT DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND ABOUT THIS ANSWER? - AT 1:58 P.M. ET:  Iran's supreme leader, or whatever they call him, has now responded to Washington's overtures toward the Iranian regime:

TEHRAN -- Iran's supreme leader, spurning what he described as several personal overtures from President Obama, warned Tuesday that negotiating with United States was "naive and perverted" and said Iranian politicians should not be "deceived" into starting such talks.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Obama has approached him several times through oral and written messages. It was the second time that Khamenei, 70, who wields ultimate political and religious authority in Iran, has referred to Obama's outreach, in which the U.S. president reportedly has requested talks between the two estranged nations.

Khamenei previously has mentioned receiving two letters from Obama. The White House has not confirmed sending letters to the supreme leader but has acknowledged a willingness to talk to Iran and said it has sought to communicate with Iranian leaders in a variety of ways.

What will Obama do now?  We know what he'll do.  He'll pretend nothing happened, and look for other ways to appease Iran.

In his harshest comments against the Obama administration to date, Khamenei said Tuesday that the United States has ill intentions toward Iran and is not to be trusted. The remarks came amid wrangling between Iranian officials and representatives of the United States, Russia and France over a U.N.-backed proposal aimed at resolving a protracted dispute over Iran's nuclear program.

COMMENT:  The president must produce something on Iran soon, or lose the confidence of any thinking American to the right of Bill Ayers. 

The West Europeans, usually soft as the buttery spread, are taking a harder line toward Iran than we are.  Meanwhile, the centrifuges keep spinning, and they're not producing pasteurized milk.

November 3, 2009