Looks Like Chavez Survived Venezuelan Recall

I'm glad Carter was there monitoring it; I trust his organization's results (and suspect the Bushies, who have been funding efforts to try to oust the embattled head of Venezuela, are even less pleased with the former president than usual). From CNN:

Former President Jimmy Carter, in Caracas to help monitor a referendum on President Hugo Chavez, said Monday returns show an effort to recall Chavez failed.

His monitors conducted a quick count at polling sites and the results were "almost exactly the same as the results" provided earlier by the National Electoral Council, Carter said at a news conference.

The council said 58 percent voted Sunday against removing Chavez from office -- thereby allowing him to complete the remaining two years of his term.

Do I think Chavez is the best person to lead Venezuela? Oh, probably not. But the more the Bushies (who funded Chavez' short-term ouster a few years ago) push to get him to go, the more Chavez appears to rise in the polls there. This is also how Bush's anti-Castro initiative has gone.

More than anything, I'm impressed with how Venezuelans turned out in record numbers to cast their vote, despite threats of violence and threats that their votes would not count. If they can turn out in such numbers despite the heat and national turbulence, why can't the American people do the same on November 2nd.