Hart but not soul

Peter Hart the democratic pollster spoke at a meeting I was at today. It was a great trip to the past. He joked about whether W or the French looking John Kerry was more intelligent and a whole bunch of other giggles about how the mandate was not real. But what was especially interesting was his complete obliviousness to either the effects of alternative media or cell phones - does he not understand that polls are less reliable because of all of those people whose primary phone contact is via cell? Does he have any idea that the new media are helping to change the way people think - the NYT may still be the paper of record - but not to a lot of people, especially in the states where Kerry lost.

Process versus events

Instapundit posted something this afternoon that was profound. Democracy is a process not an event. Looking at the Iraq elections is really about a step not an end. The step is a critical one and there are many more. The opponents and naysayers of the President's policies wanted to look at all of the negatives. For that they missed a real movement. The pictures all over the net portray the event in credible terms. So do the numerous comments from Iraquis who went to the polls today.

The left could learn something from this. A lot of their activities lead up to an event - defeat one nominee, defame another, block this vote. But the longer view of the process is what many voters actually look at.

The instapundit comment can be found at http://instapundit.com/archives/020858.php

Today's Election Results

I realize that the momentary exuberance of voting has to be followed up with a lot of very determined work. I realize that the terrorists may have had an ink stained finger stuck in their eyes today - but that will not stop them from continuing to regress back to the Iraq they long for. But even with those conditions, I cannot help but be excited about the real steps that many ordinary people in a place I am unlikely to go - took the first step to getting control of their political system.

Indeed, we cannot be sure what will be wrought here. But the very nature of the step is important. Also, we cannot be elated about how our political system works these days - many of our political class seems to ignore the important issues of the day. But this should be a day of celebration.