Inside, reporter Helen Kennedy at least acknowledged that Obama had toughened his rhetoric, contrary to his odd insistence at yesterday’s press conference that he’s been absolutely consistent in his Iran rhetoric:
President Obama dramatically toughened his criticism of Iran's crackdown on election protesters Tuesday, paying emotional tribute to slain student Neda Soltan and declaring the U.S. "appalled and outraged" by the violence.
"I strongly condemn these unjust actions, and I join with the American people in mourning each and every innocent life that is lost," he said.
Obama said he had watched the graphic Internet video of the death of Neda Soltan, which has turned the 26-year-old student into a global symbol of the pro-democracy protests.
"While this loss is raw and extraordinarily painful, we also know this: those who stand up for justice are always on the right side of history," Obama said.
He called the video "heartbreaking."
"I think that anybody who sees it knows that there's something fundamentally unjust about that," he said.
