Fareed Zakaria has an important kernel of truth in this, that democracy is not the be-all and end-all of government, unless a foundation of individual rights is underneath. Any conservative would tell you this, and one of the functions of the Constitution--at least originally--was to make democracy subservient to higher principles. You can't vote to have slavery in a state in the U.S., even if every person in that state wants it.

Zakaria seems to be consistent about this--I've read that he is wary of Venezuela's Chavez.

That being said, it is highly amusing to see "good" and "bad" democracy being discussed by people who would have left Saddam in charge of Iraq if they'd had their way.