McCain uses misconception on Iran to sell himself through fear

Doing what Republicans do best, McCain rallies support for himself by repeatedly stoking fear of Iran's belligerent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Playing upon the ignorance of the American people, and exposing his own, McCain often incorrectly portrays Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as if Ahmadinejad has a significant role in formulating Iranian foreign policy. He doesn’t. Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and Iran’s National Security Council set Iran’s foreign policy, not Ahmadinejad. This gaffe even seems to be calculated at influencing the American people since McCain said:

I mean, the fact is [Ahmadinejad’s] the acknowledged leader of that country and you may disagree, but that’s a uh, that’s your right to do so, but I think if you asked any average American who the leader of Iran is, I think they’d know.

Well, as long as Americans think that Ahmadinejad is the boogeyman, and McCain is the boogeyman killer, that's all that matters to McCain. The impression is more important than the reality to McCain. Focusing on the rants of Iran’s lunatic president enables McCain and other ignorant war hawks to create the impression that Iran is an irrational enemy with whom negotiation would be pointless. Not surprising from the same ignorant bunch who had no clue of the dynamics of Iraqi Sunni and Shiite sects before launching an invasion into the country.