Iraqi citizens wouldn't let themselves be intimidated by terrorists, and turned out to vote in droves.

Officials have said it could take up to 10 days to get final election results, but officials said initial reports indicated voter turnout appeared to be higher than expected, even in Sunni areas where insurgent attacks have occurred on a near daily basis. [...]

In the southern city of Basra, ITN's Juliet Bremner reported that turnout was almost 90 percent. She said voting was peaceful and orderly, with elated Shiites -- oppressed for decades under Saddam -- "determined to cast their votes in their desire for freedom, peace and food."

But amid the stories of Iraqis defiantly waving their ink stained fingers in the air (showing that they had voted), and people walking miles to get to polling places, not everyone was happy this weekend. That's right, John Kerry was still bitter and making a complete ass of himself on Meet the Press:

KERRY: It is significant that there is a vote in Iraq. But no one in the United States or in the world--and I'm confident of what the world response will be. No one in the United States should try to overhype this election...

RUSSERT: Do you believe this election will be seen by the world community as legitimate?

KERRY: A kind of legitimacy. I mean, it's hard to say that something is legitimate when a whole portion of the country can't vote and doesn't vote.

I think this election was important. I was for the election taking place.

Some on the left have gone to great lengths to cast doubt on the legitimacy of this election. The fact of the matter remains, that any free election held would have legitimacy. The same way that President Lincoln was elected in 1864, even though Confederate states did not take part in the election.

Kerry's derision, and that of those on the left smacks of bitter partisan politics. No doubt if there man were at the helm, they would be calling this a huge political victory.

UPDATE: At least some people in the U.S. are showing solidarity with the Iraqis.