Ranger from the North

Hugh Hewitt discusses Chris Matthews' description of the terrorists our troops are battling in Iraq, and Jim Geraghty links to this editorial by Bill Steigerwald in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review regarding Keith Olbermann's attempts to keep alive the laughable rumors that Republicans somehow stole the election.

RealClearPolitics evaluates the pollsters' predictions for Election 2004 and looks ahead to the 2006 election.

NRO contributor Andrew McCarthy rightly identifies Arafat as "The Father of Modern Terrorism" in his column that takes a comprehensive look back at the life of the world's most popular terrorist.

Here are reactions to the death of Yasser Arafat from Power Line, Jed Babbin, Aaron Mannes, Tom Gross, and Jeff Jacoby. A link to Arafat's unofficial obituary at Pajama Hadin is contained in the Power Line post. How anyone can deny that this man was a terrorist is beyond me. Here's a paragraph from Mr. Jacoby's column to keep in mind while taking in the mainstream media's coverage of Arafat's death:

How is it possible to reflect on Arafat's most enduring legacy -- the rise of modern terrorism -- without recalling the legions of men, women, and children whose lives he and his followers destroyed? If Osama bin Laden were on his deathbed, would we neglect to mention all those he murdered on 9/11?

A few days after the Madrid bombings in March 2004, pro-American Spanish prime minister Jose Maria Aznar watched as his party was voted out of power. His fellow countrymen and women chose to appease the terrorists by electing a socialist government that promised to withdraw Spanish troops from Iraq. The new government followed through on that promise, much to the delight of jihadists everywhere. Despite Spain's capitulation, Mr. Aznar remains a staunch ally in the Global War on Terror. In this well-written editorial posted on OpinionJournal, Mr. Aznar discusses the re-election of President Bush, the GWoT, and the second chance that has been given to the international community to do the right thing. Here's an excerpt:

Mr. Bush's international strategy includes an active policy in favor of peace throughout the most dangerous region on Earth: the Middle East. He has promoted greater political openness and economic liberalization, not to mention values such as religious respect and tolerance. The status quo of a region that has become a hotbed for terrorists and fanatics is no longer acceptable. Far-reaching change is required. And this is what he is pursuing with his initiative for the Greater Middle East. I would say that it is the only option and hope for millions of human beings who are today lost in a climate of desperation and hatred. It is also the only option for our long-term security. This entire policy has been widely backed by the American people.

I believe that Mr. Bush's re-election ushers in a period of hope for the international community. Leaders all around the world can also play their part in defending our democracies and way of life. We have another four years before us, and Western leaders can now join the allied effort to build a safer and freer world. It is true, primitive anti-American feeling and unfounded hostility will make things more difficult for those leaders who have flirted with these tendencies. But the world is now presented with a clear opportunity.

Over the last few months we have witnessed numerous attempts to introduce and exploit issues that have the greatest capacity to create divisions. Power has been abused, and a damaging sense of polarization has set in. Hatred has been promoted in the place of understanding. Unity has been replaced with division. It is comforting to see that this strategy has simply mobilized many more millions of Americans, millions of Americans who went to the polls in order to do exactly the opposite. They have voted for a policy based on principles. They have voted for a sincere policy, for a leadership based on convictions. This policy does not shy away from unpleasant realities, but faces up to them, because it knows that this is the only way of overcoming them. This is the lesson that we can all learn: Attempts to create division can be opposed with a policy based on principles. And this policy can be a triumphant one.

One of the highlights of the Fox News Channel's election night coverage was listening to the analysis by Michael Barone. He was called on to make sense out of the numbers coming in from precincts and counties in Ohio, Florida, and other key states several times during that long night. Not only did Mr. Barone do a wonderful job of relaying detailed returns and voter turnout stats to the viewer, he also explained what effect the numbers he was reporting would have on the outcome. Read three of his recent columns here, here, and here.

Check out Bill Kristol's and Peggy Noonan's reactions to the 2004 election in their columns posted last week. Ms. Noonan concludes with the following:

Oh, another last note. Tuesday I heard three radio talkers who refused to believe it was over when the ludicrous, and who knows but possibly quite mischievous, exit polls virtually declared a Kerry landslide yesterday afternoon. They are Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham. The last sent me an e-mail that dismissed the numbers as elitist nonsense and propaganda. She is one tough girl and they are two tough men. Savor them too.

Hugh Hewitt belongs on that list as well. First on his blog in the afternoon, and then during his election night radio coverage, Mr. Hewitt told President Bush's supporters to ignore the exit polls, go vote, and convince others to get to their polling places. Throughout the campaign, Mr. Hewitt remained confident that President Bush would be re-elected and reassured those of us who had doubts from time to time. Power Line recognized Hewitt's contributions to the 2004 election, and conservative politics in general, with this fantastic post.

Mark Steyn offers some post-election 2004 thoughts in several excellent columns here, here, here, here, and here.

President Bush wins!! We the people made the right choice and re-elected President George W. Bush to a second term, and with a majority of the popular vote. The GOP gained seats in the House and Senate too. What a great night!

I will post reactions to the election results in the coming days, after I get some rest and recover (I got about 2 hours of sleep last night).

By the way, what does it take to call New Mexico and Iowa for President Bush? Come on, everyone knows they're in Dubya's column. :)

A wonderful friend of mine voted for President George W. Bush this morning, the first time in her life that she voted for a Republican presidential candidate. She's 89 years old.

Take a few minutes and read these excellent columns by Fred Barnes and Mark Steyn. I could not agree more with Steyn's concluding paragraph:

But America cannot be a Greater Belgium or a Greater Canada or a Greater Spain. The only thing that enables Belgium to be Belgium and Canada to be Canada and Spain to be Spain is that America is America. If everyone in the civilised world's torpid and ineffectual and semi-non-aligned, it's not gonna work. Americans will not choose transnational complacency over national resolve.

Rick Brady at Stones Cry Out posts a nice Election Day prayer here.