ARAB DEMOCRACY IS BORN:

Exit Polls: Abbas Wins Palestinian Vote (MOHAMMED DARAGHMEH, 1/09/05, Associated Press)

Mahmoud Abbas won at least 66 percent of the vote in the Palestinian presidential election Sunday, according to two exit polls.

Such a margin of victory would give Abbas a clear mandate to renew peace talks with Israel, rein in militants and reform the corruption-riddled Palestinian Authority.

Abbas won 66 percent of the vote while his main challenger, Mustafa Barghouti, won 19.7 percent, according to a poll conducted by the independent Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research.

If he'd run as a Republican Mr. Barghouti could still pull this one out.

Posted by Orrin Judd at January 9, 2005 7:26 PM