But Everyone I Know Voted for Mousavi!

There has been some push back against people such as myself who are convinced the Iranian election was rigged. These critics argue that an Ahmadinejad win is completely plausible, as he had a strong base and close ties to the Revolutionary Guards (a good GOTV machine...wonderful motivators, they are). Moreover, the crux of their argument pivots on the idea that the effete media - holed up in effete northern Tehran, doing their effete-y things - were drawn to the young, intelligent and vibrant message of Mousavi and his supporters. Flynt Leverett has argued as much.

I suppose we shouldn't be so quick to dismiss this counter-argument. It reminds me of an alleged quote, often attributed to a "Manhattan socialite," after having learned of George McGovern's crushing defeat at the hands of President Richard Nixon: "How could McGovern lose? Everyone I know voted for him."

I think Juan Cole does a pretty thorough job of dismantling this theory on the election, although I prefer the pithy retort of one Blake Hounshell:

If Ahmadinejad were really the victor, why would he be detaining the opposition? Why kick out foreign journalists?

[...]

These are not the actions of a magnanimous, confident victor

And this is not what democracy looks like. This isn't the behavior of a regime empowered by its citizens, but rather, one living in fear of them.