That in turn has made him an attractive figure for parts of the conservative camp in the United States.
The conservative camp, represented by the Association of Combatant Clergy, is fighting to preserve its current slim majority in parliament.
That is not the only cause for alarm in the conservative camp.
He says that, although this was a dispute within the conservative camp, the reformist opposition is bound to gather encouragement from seeing those in power engage in such a divisive argument among themselves.
Like the NRA itself, they all camp out on the conservative fringe but are nevertheless convinced that they represent the mainstream.
Whether on tactical or moral grounds, Mr Ahern has privately told the pro-referendum camp, including four conservative independents who usually vote with his government, of his understanding and sympathy.
Mr Rafsanjani, a pragmatist conservative who has drifted closer to the reformist camp, retorted with a blunt letter to the Supreme Leader, accusing the president of lying, and of endangering Iran's Islamic system of government.
The only hope of keeping most of the communion together seems to lie in persuading the Americans to restrain their liberal instincts, and indeed meekly accept conservative rebukes, to an extent that would satisfy those in the traditionalist camp.
But where, we might ask, is the comic purpose when a white, British, college-educated comedian adopts a camp disguise, goes on a combustible daytime TV show, and toys with the more conservative prejudices of an audience largely composed of working-class black women?
Some - including Cameron's camp apparently - felt we'd set up Mr Davis by shooting him surrounded by portraits of Conservative elder statesmen, including an imperious Lady Thatcher.
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