Face to Face

****** An unsubstantiated report on Drudge this morning raises the possibility of a unique event in the near future That is an actual meeting between the POTUS and the Iranian head of State (though not the ultimate power there) Ahmadjinahad(sic) . This was possibly in the works even last year at the UN General Assembly in NYC , but THEN the Obama administration shied away.

***** Now as the 3 American hikers sit in an Iranian Jail for 377 days now their possible release is used as bait to get Obama to have this symbolic sit down - which at a bare minimum might buy more time for Iran to get past the Nuke threshold it is at this time trying to achieve before some action gets taken.

***** Just a little "de ja vu" here - The UN meets in Sept/Oct. running for 3 weeks approx. - Oct 19th would be Day 444 in captivity for the 3 American's who clearly were not Spies and probably were abducted in Iraqi territory.

******** The domestic American Election cycle just might cause some reconsideration on this , but there should be no doubt that If Obama could spin this favorably in terms of this Novembers contests - he'd go for it This is the sorry state we are in. Sure perhaps these 3 get released before that , but presently there is no indication this can or will happen.

On the other hand, the Republicans could use this situation to their favor, as Reagan did in 1980. The only way this meeting could help the Democrats is if the meeting was successful in getting the three prisoners released. Unless Obama knows that that will happen, he should not have the meeting. Any other outcome would be viewed negatively.