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Credit where it's due: Yesterday I asked if President Obama would echo Secretary Clinton's comments on Iran, and today he did:

You know, I find it ironic that you've got the Iranian regime pretending to celebrate what happened in Egypt, when in fact they have acted in direct contrast to what happened in Egypt by gunning down and beating people who were trying to express themselves peacefully in Iran...

[O]n Iran, we were clear then and we are clear now that what has been true in Egypt is -- should be true in Iran, which is that people should be able to express their opinions and their grievances and seek a more responsive government.

What's been different is the Iranian government's response, which is to shoot people and beat people and arrest people.

And, you know, my hope and expectation is is that we're going to continue to see the people of Iran have the courage to be able to express their yearning for greater freedoms and a more representative government, understanding that America cannot ultimately dictate what happens inside of Iran any more than it could inside of Egypt; that ultimately these are sovereign countries that are going to have to make their own decisions.

What we can do is lend moral support to -- to those who are -- are seeking a better life for themselves.

This is almost two years late, but it's welcome nonetheless.