The Political Landscape:

When a group of Iranian Americans met with Barack Obama this week at the Balboa Bay Club, Melahat Rafiei, the executive director of the Orange County Democrats, took a particular interest in the conversation.

Rafiei, who was born in Iran and moved to California when she was 5, thinks it’s time for Iranian Americans to assert themselves politically.

“This community has been taken for granted,” she said. “And they’re partly to blame. They haven’t stepped up and voted.”

That’s changing, especially when you consider some of those who met with Obama paid $28,500, a contribution to the Democratic National Committee, to meet the Democratic presidential contender. Some of the group gave Obama $2,300, the maximum individual contribution you can give a presidential candidate in the general election. In all, they raised $250,000 for Obama.

“I felt like this community was not being represented. That’s why I got into politics,” Rafiei said. “There’s a lot of wealthy, highly educated people in the community, so they need to get involved.”

Rafiei recalled her parents weren’t happy about her decision to get into politics. That wasn’t an uncommon sentiment for Iranians.

“They don’t trust the government. It’s just not something you do,” she said.

That’s not surprising, given the politics they escaped when they came to the U.S. But though they mostly supported Hillary Clinton’s run for the White House, they’re warming up to Obama.

“He understands the importance of this community, and he’s not going to take them for granted,” she said.

So what did he tell his new supporters?

“He said we need to address rogue nations like Iran. Nobody is saying they should get leniency, but the concern is the rush to war.”

Obama stressed the importance of diplomacy and the avoidance of saber-rattling.

Apparently, they liked what he said. Obama made a point of shaking everyone’s hand and, according to Rafiei, “He gave everyone the Persian kiss on both cheeks.”

COOK’S FUNDS ‘A PLUS’

Huntington Beach Mayor Debbie Cook has raised more money than Rep. Dana Rohrabacher for the second straight quarter, according to the Federal Election Commission, but the Rohrabacher campaign is not worried.

Since May 14 Cook has raised $93,000, about 18% more than Rohrabacher who raised $79,000 in the same period.