It’s the third anniversary of ol’ Mahmoud’s visit to Columbia, and I was in the audience. I’m at UMich now, Bollinger’s former university, and he’s still my president. A reminder:

“Let me close with this comment. Frankly, and in all candor, Mr. President, I doubt that you will have the intellectual courage to answer these questions. But your avoiding them will in itself be meaningful to us. I do expect you to exhibit the fanatical mindset that characterizes so much of what you say and do. Fortunately, I am told by experts on your country, that this only further undermines your position in Iran with all the many good-hearted, intelligent citizens there. A year ago, I am reliably told, your preposterous and belligerent statements in this country (as in your meeting at the Council on Foreign Relations) so embarrassed sensible Iranian citizens that this led to your party’s defeat in the December mayoral elections. May this do that and more.

I am only a professor, who is also a university president, and today I feel all the weight of the modern civilized world yearning to express the revulsion at what you stand for. I only wish I could do better.”

One more perhaps entertaining comment—Iranians love to call Ahmadinejad by his initials, A.N. “An” in Farsi means “shit”.

Have a good day everyone!