the liberal engine that couldn't...but keeps trying

the wacky funsters over at the perpetually struggling salon.com apparently have never met a democratizing moment they couldn't undercut....

note the emphasis added in the following selections are all mine:

defeatist approach to lebanon's cedar revolution:

Twisted "Cedar" -- As crucial elections approach, the Lebanese opposition is divided about its next move. Are these differences merely tactical -- or could they plunge Lebanon back into chaos?

salon archives reveal a litany of negative articles about the iraqi elections

"An explosion waiting to happen" Iraq expert Amy Hawthorne discusses the possibilities -- but mostly the pitfalls -- of Sunday's elections. (01/29/2005)
Vote and/or die -- [must've slipped through: mentions bombs but also one positive iraqi] (01/29/2005)
The view from Morocco -- ...a kaleidoscope of hope and failure, promise and despair. (01/29/2005)
Ballots and bombs in Baghdad -- ....The biggest question in Iraq: Is voting worth dying for? (01/29/2005)
The next hurdle to democracy -- Although Shiites are the majority in Iraq, they remain deeply split....(01/31/2005)
Democracy taking root? (01/31/2005) [comparing iraqi elections to s vietnam elections]
More ballots, more bombs (01/31/2005)
The Kurds take Kirkuk -- Election Day was jubilant for Kurds returning to the oil-rich city. But if rivals question the vote, they might call in reinforcements (01/31/2005)
A proud day in Iraq -- At crowded polling places in Baghdad, excited citizens explain why they voted and how -- for one day, anyway -- hope suffused their country. (01/31/2005)

you might think (...i'm crazy, to hang around with you...) i've picked stories to prove my point, but those are all the relevant articles at salon...

and it continues through several other recent democratizing moments

palestinian elections coverage:

The heat is on -- Expectations for what Mahmoud Abbas can do for the Palestinians are high, but will he be able to deliver? (01/11/2005) [a valid point though]
"I want the whole of Palestine, from the river to the sea" -- Palestinians elect Mahmoud Abbas as their new leader, but some refuse to take part, fearing he will give everything away. (01/10/2005)

orange revolution - salon was a bit late picking this story up, with skimpy if sunnier coverage

Democracy inaction (11/30/2004) [contorts to connect Ukrainian election fraud to US election 'fraud']
Where democracy refuses to die (12/01/2004) [actually pretty positive]
Fresh start for freedom (01/24/2005)

afghan elections coverage was stunningly inadequate - perhaps due to prez debate coverage

Coping with warlords and votes delivered by donkey -- "organizers fear violence and hope for legitimacy" (10/04/2004)

i suppose there wasn't too much to nitpick with ukraine or afghani elections. but i believe ignoring the act of omission is telling but i believe ignoring afghanistan and ukraine is a telling act of omission

update: if you clicked any of the salon links, you may have come smack-dab with salon's ridiculous interface...that may be contribute to its struggles....

¶ - nitish @ 6:41 PM