Good News For Iraq, Bad News For Dems

With more than eight million voters casting ballots, and their first election day coming off safer and smoother than expected, Iraq took a huge step in its path to freedom this weekend. The people of Iraq refused to be intimidated by threats of violence from terrorist insurgents. Many brought their children, wanting them to see democracy in action. Taking their lives into their own hands, they went to the polls to vote in the first truly free election in their lives. More than sixty percent of eligible voters turned out.

I know the world has learned about democracy from the U.S., but maybe the U.S. could learn something about appreciation for the right we have by looking to the Iraqis. How many people do we know who haven't voted in one election or another because it was raining, or there was a line, or they forgot, or whatever? We take for granted that act which many Iraqis risked their lives to make happen. It was a remarkable victory for Iraq, the Iraqi people, our military and allied countries, and President Bush and his administration. It also proves, again, the hunger of the Iraqi people for self-governing. It was truly their day.

Other news on the Iraqi elections...

President Bush called Sunday's elections in Iraq a success and promised the United States will continue trying to prepare Iraqis to secure their own country.

The new mayor of Baghdad, excited about the country's move to freedom, wants to honor the man he believes brought it about. ""We will build a statue for Bush... He is the symbol of freedom."

Interim Iraqi Prime Minister Ayd Allawi said, "I call upon those who cast their ballot and those who did not to unite. The terrorists have been defeated."

In Iran, Iraq's powerful neighbor and former enemy, the election was seen in the words of parliamentary deputy Alaeddin Boroujerdi as "a great step for Iraqis towards an independent and popular regime."

In Jordan a government spokeswoman said: "We hope that holding elections in these very difficult conditions will help achieve stability in Iraq, reflect the will of all the Iraqi people and help Iraq recover its sovereignty."

And former presidential candidate John Kerry, who by the way served in Vietnam, said, "But no one in the United States or in the world -- and I'm confident of what the world response will be -- no one in the United States should try to overhype this election."

One of these things is not like the other one; one of these things just doesn't belong. Can you spot it? Hmm?