By Steve Clemons

SPREADING THROUGH MANY PROGRESSIVE BLOGS AND COMMENTARY are a number of articles, including one by Greg Palast, that the election was actually won by John Kerry.

ONE WOULD THINK THAT ARAFAT BEING ALIVE, BRAIN DEAD, OR FULLY DEAD would be a testable and verifiable condition. I do not mean to make light of the Palestinian leader’s condition at all, but seriously, there seems to be no end to the spin one way or another about issues that should be clear cut….

THE BUSH TEAM NOW HAS SOME VERY HARD DECISIONS TO MAKE. A transition in Palestinian leadership may be the best chance to set in place a credible path to a two-state solution in the Israel-Palestinian conflict. The passing of leaders — even ones we may detest — are important staging opportunities.

(ed.

THEO VAN GOGH WAS EXECUTED by a band of Muslim radicals who apparently decided to murder the filmmaker for his depiction of abused Muslim women in a recent film. Van Gogh was the great grand-nephew of Vincent.

I WILL BE DISCUSSING THE ELECTION and what all this might mean on BBC’s morning television show at 7 a.m. London time. That’s right, 2 a.m. Washington time. If you are around and up, I’ll say hello.

THAT IS THE FAVORITE LINE of the red-state styled crusaders for the American way in a fairly vulgar, crass, but culturally significant movie, Team America: World Police.

GEORGE BUSH IS WINNING BIG, LEADING IN THE POPULAR VOTE and also pulling in enough electoral votes. Congratulations to my Republican friends. A huge number of people turned out and want this President. Tom Daschle seems to be going down to defeat.

TONIGHT, I ATTENDED THE D.C. GATHERINGS OF BOTH the Republican National Committee and the Democratic National Committee, as well as two other good parties. When I left my house tonight, I thought Kerry had won — based on exit polls, gossip, spin, Zogby, and others in the DNC and RNC with whom I have spoken….

CHRIS NELSON OF THE NELSON REPORT IS ONE OF THE BEST INSIDER’S INSIDERS in Washington. I have been trying to reach him tonight to secure permission to reprint this excellent piece from his private newsletter but have thus far been unsuccessful. So, hopefully I will be forgiven.