War and Peace, and Politics (using terrorism alerts to trump Iraq news)

[papau]

"Only the most cynical would view any political motivation"

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/04/politics/campaign/04assess.html

August 4, 2004
NEWS ANALYSIS
War and Peace, and Politics
By TODD S. PURDUM

ASHINGTON, Aug. 3 - In an election that could well turn on questions of war and peace, danger and safety, all politics sometimes seem to be security these days. And all security has an unmistakable overtone of politics, whatever the reality or immediacy of any announced threat.

"We don't do politics in the Department of Homeland Security," Secretary Tom Ridge said on Tuesday in dismissing any suggestion that his latest threat warning had a political motive. But on Sunday, Mr. Ridge, a former Republican congressman and governor of Pennsylvania, did do some politics all the same, when he declared that the intelligence behind his alert was "the result of the president's leadership in the war against terror."

John Kerry may not share that view, of course, but it is hard for him to say so, and the biggest thing the Democrats may have to fear in this campaign is the power of fear itself.

Polls show that Mr. Bush's handling of terrorism remains his only clear advantage over Mr. Kerry in a razor-close race, and the president would not be either human or the canny politician he has proved himself to be in the past if he did not do all he could to remind the public of that strong suit - and to reinforce it.

That is why Mr. Bush chose to hold the Republican National Convention this month in Madison Square Garden, a short subway ride from ground zero, and why he released a new campaign advertisement on Tuesday with images of the firefighters and the flag, proclaiming, "The last few years have tested America in many ways, but together, we're rising to the challenge: standing up against terrorism and working to grow our economy."

But Mr. Bush must also take pains not to be seen as letting the political tail wag the terrorism dog. Word that much of the newly discovered intelligence that prompted the latest alert was years old led even some law enforcement officials to wonder why Mr. Ridge had raised the threat level just now.

[papau]

1. Conason notes misuse of terror alert was noted first by Dean

http://www.workingforchange.com/article.cfm?ItemID=17417
"Dean sees red over code orange
Doubts about latest terror alert seem justified -- is Bush using Department of Homeland Security as 'trump card'?"

SNIP..."Somebody owes Howard Dean an apology.

"Over the past few days, the former Vermont governor and Democratic Presidential candidate has endured a barrage of bad press and nasty commentary, simply because he expressed honest doubts about the government’s latest terror alarm. Republican pundits and politicians predictably denounced him. Senator John Kerry disowned Dr. Dean’s remarks, and Senator Joe Lieberman went further, suggesting that anyone who harbors such doubts must not be “in their right mind.” SNIP