When's the last time you watched the news and smiled?

European Press Photo

Iranians celebrate in Tehran.

For the first time since I can remember I watched news tonight and ended up smiling. Lawrence O'Donnell summed it up best saying something like Republicans are so busy restating their stands after the Freedom of Religion law uproar in Indiana, that they don't know what to say or think about what might be the biggest US foreign policy achievement in decades – reaching a nuclear agreement with Iran.

The national uproar over Indiana's discrimination law has been gratifying. So many people make it an LGBT issue but I see it as an issue affecting every single person in this country. If one person's liberty is taken away, we all lose some measure of liberty. I think what surprised all those bigot politicians is that all of us straight folks don't back them in discriminating against anyone, period. And isn't it ironic that some of the biggest oppressors in this country came out against these laws in Indiana and Arkansas – I'm talking about Walmart. What is going on there anyway? Word is out that the nation's largest retailer is raising wages across the board and now it comes out defending LGBT rights.

But, then, today, despite all the war-mongering, saber-rattling Congress and a subversive letter from some members to the leader of Iran undermining the administration’s efforts in those talks, the US and Iran announced the framework of an agreement on nuclear control apparently acceptable to both sides. News video showed people actually dancing in the streets in Tehran and Iranians taking selfies with Barack Obama on the television in the background. Get this, those are not soldiers ordered to fire their guns in the air and they aren't government functionaries congratulating themselves, those are the regular folk of the country celebrating an achievement with apparent pure joy. It's a sigh of relief we should all take and hope it comes through to a binding agreement.

And look who once again is standing tall with another success in his presidency. It has been another joy to watch President Obama once he took off the gloves after the last election and instead of waiting to see what the obstructionists in Congress are going to do, taking it to them, on immigration, on Iran, on civil rights, job creation and other issues. It seems like every other week, he has the Republistructionists on the ropes, reaching for straws in defense and finding nothing to grab onto rather than do anything to advance their own policies. It's Muhammad Ali and rope-a-dope all over again and it's actually fun to watch.

Meanwhile what a treat not to be depressed by the news for a change.

Comments from Facebook:

Joe May: My sentiments, exactly. The bigots and haters had a bad day today.‬

‪Christopher Gibson‪ Stand strong together, or fall weakly apart together. ‬

I've also enjoyed the left right left punches Mr. President has been throwing. Seems like every time politicians bicker on what he did last week he's already done two or three things this week for them to bicker about next week. It's quite the show.‬