What the ALERT Tells us About GOP Internal Polling (Criticism Sticking)

[markses]

Yes, the timing is strange. Yes, the terror alert is almost certainly a distraction. Yes. But a very interesting theme has developed in the various press conferences (Ridge, Bush, Card-Rice-McClellan): OUR ALLIES HAVE HELPED US. This is the main theme for the terror alert, and it should tell us something very important: the drumbeat of "stronger at home, respected in the world" is taking hold, and the Bushies are desperate to counter it.

The evidence:

• Ridge went on at l;ength about the assistance provided by Pakistan
  
• Card, McClellan and the woman (not Rice) went on about assistance from our allies, including the Pakistanis and the Italians.
  
• Rice almost insisted on mentioning the so-called Middle East initiative for "improving economies and democracies" in order to stem the conditions that produce radical Islamic terrorism; in doing so, she mentioned - not once, not twice, but three times - the G-8 assistance with the initiative. She must have said G-8 12 times in a stretch of 45 seconds.
  

Point being, the key theme of this campaign event/ terrorist warning is fairly clear: we are respected in the world and working well with our allies. So why do this now? Because the Democratic critique that the US is isolating itself and alienating allies makes sense to people, and people understand the danger of this kind of foreign policy.

It is fairly clear from the events of the last two days that White House internal polling shows shifts to Kerry on the question of foreign policy, and especially on a question like

"Who do you think would be better at forming coalitions with our allies around the world, Bush or Kerry?" (They are getting high Kerry numbers internally)

"Do you think we can effectively wage a war on terror without close support from our allies?" (They are getting high NO's internally)

They are not being very subtle about this rhetorical offensive, so they must be looking at very, very bad numbers in-house.

[cthrumatrix]

1. it's timing for awol's terra reorgnaization .... he's a coward that is

hiding in propaganda and doens't give shit about the ohter issues facing america.

[TheDebbieDee]

2. Your post makes a lot of sense to me............eom

[MuseRider]

3. Ahhh, good thinking.

I had not gotten that far yet.

[markses]

4. The point is to keep up the drumbeat of

"not respected in the world" under Bush (mis)leadership. Bush is obviously hated abroad, and the lack of cooperation puts us in danger. this makes sense to the American people, primarily because it is manifestly true. Bush selling himself as a multilateralist is like Bush selling himself as a uniter - it is obviously false to any but the most extreme Bush partisans, who are lost causes anyway.

[pacalo]

5. This is an excellent observation, & I think you're on to something.

This would certainly be consistent with this administration's manipulation techniques in the past.

Providing Pakistan & Italy did actually provide the U.S. with the information, these two countries do not represent the other countries in the world that we need by our side. Will the people realize that those countries who have been alienated by Dubya's callousness are vital to our security?

Kerry is needed now more than ever -- he's got a lot of fence-mending to do, thanks to this inept, shoot-from-the-hip administration.

[markses]

6. Italy also provided Bush with the Niger uranium forgeries, so, well, uhhhh

Not exactly a dazzling record of achievement. ;-)