Calderon takes Mexico election

In what's looking like a Latino version of Bush/Gore 2000, Mexico's conservative presidential candidate Felipe Calderon appears to have scratched out a victory over leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. Taking a page from the Al Gore playbook, Obrador said "We cannot recognize or accept these results". To complete the Al Gore/American Democratic party effect:

Lopez Obrador angrily claimed the election last Sunday was plagued with irregularities and pledged to challenge it in Mexico's electoral court.

He also called a rally of supporters in Mexico City's vast central square for Saturday, raising fears of street protests and unrest as well as weeks of legal wrangling similar to that which followed the U.S. presidential election in 2000.

Not that such moves helped Gore any, but like Gore, it'll keep Obrador's name and face in the news for a little while longer.

Venezuela's pinko prez Hugo Chavez must be starting to feel a bit like komrade Markos "Kos" Moulitsas in his record for backing candidates. "Kos" is a Democratic activist whose record in backing "progressive" candidates for office is something like 0-100,000.