Chavez loses constitutional vote

Finally, some good news out of Venezuela.

Humbled by his first electoral defeat ever, President Hugo Chavez said Monday he may have been too ambitious in asking voters to let him stand indefinitely for re-election and endorse a huge leap to a socialist state.

"I understand and accept that the proposal I made was quite profound and intense," he said after voters narrowly rejected the sweeping constitutional reforms by 51 percent to 49 percent.

Of course, he has until 2012 to use his Sith powers to force the people to capitulate to his will. Time will tell.