Now the Revolution WILL be Televised

Sullivan passes along news from Enduring America...Iranian state tv is now showing the demonstrators after its weekend media blackout. The momentum has now clearly shifted to the people. And this is the moment when the masses become uncontrollable - every tyrant's worst nightmare. Notice how they are now worming their way back into the people's favor. Too late. Buy the ticket, take the ride.

Press TV is now reporting on “hundreds of thousands” in today’s rally from Enqelab Square to Azadi Square, protesting the outcome of the Iranian election. The gathering is in defiance of the Ministry of Interior’s refusal to give a permit. So far, based on video and on the correspondent’s report, the rally appears to be peaceful and calm.

Just to bring home the significance of the previous item, Press TV is state-owned media. Until this morning, it has given almost no attention to the protests against Ahmadinejad’s election. The sudden change to in-depth, even effusive coverage of the demonstrations points to a wider political shift: whether this is in line with a “compromise” accepting the legitimacy of the claims of the protests (and, beyond that, the appeal to the Guardian Council) remains to be seen.

In 1953, the people of Iran had their democracy stolen from them. In 2009, they will take it back.