If Usama bin Laden said ...

[TahitiNut]

Poll question: If Usama bin Laden said ...

If Usama bin Laden said ...
"It's absolutely essential that eight weeks from today, on Nov. 2, the people of the United States make the right choice, because if they make the wrong choice then the danger is that we'll hit them again and we'll hit them in a way that will be devastating from the standpoint of the United States."

What would the most widely-publicized political reaction be in the US?

[Kid_A]

1. Other:

Americans would unite in condemning the remarks, then go back to focusing on the democratic process that not even an evil scumfuck like bin Laden can destroy. Kerry would point out that the fact that bin Laden is able to issue such remarks is proof of Bush's weaknesses on terrorism, and he would go on to win the election.

[Virginian]

2. Question: Which side is right side?

With Cheney, we know which side he believes if right.
With Osama, we can guess he wants Bush for recruitment purposes. I don't think Osama wants to be appeased, I think he wants to rule the world with a strong terrorist network. He would prefer Bush be elected because Bush is good for the recruitment of more terrorists.

As to Cheney's comments, I wonder if that was a threat. I read today that when Bush 41 lost to Clinton in 92, Cheney basically abandoned his office in the Pentagon. He did not participate in a smooth transition. Is that what he plans to do this year? Does he plan to leave us vulnerable during the lame duck months to punish the country because he didn't get his way?
:tinfoilhat: Or is he planning something worse :tinfoilhat: ?

[TahitiNut]

3. Well, that's part of the point this poll is designed to highlight.

Even with the greater ambiguity of what's meant by "right side," it seems clear that many (mostly on the regime's side) would castigate the 'other side' for the same remarks coming from bin Laden.

The point is: It's a direct threat from a self-interested source. There can be little doubt about this - it's not a forecast or warning based on any empirical data; it's coercive. It's a parent saying "if you don't do this you'll get spanked." Nobody would doubt that it's the parent who'd perform the punishment. How can anyone not interpret Cheney's threat as coercive and presumptive of his own participation in the very delivery of the punishment threatened? Even the right wing would interpret in that way if the identical remarks were made by bin Laden, imho.

[G_j]

4. exactly

the remark clearly sounded like a threat, and knowing what some of us do about these people, threats from them are not to be taken lightly. It was scary.