Topic of Terror Overshadowing All Others

[papau]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A54597-2004Sep1.html

Topic of Terror Overshadowing All Others
Bush Pushes Aside Talk of Agenda, Sees Talk of National Security as Ticket to Second Term

By Dana Milbank
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, September 2, 2004; Page A25

NEW YORK, Sept. 1 -- The theme of the Republican convention on Wednesday night, as on the previous two nights, was unmistakable: Be afraid of terrorists, and be very afraid of John F. Kerry's ability to fight the terrorists.

On a day when the official theme was economic opportunity, Sen. Zell Miller (Ga.), the keynote speaker, made no mention of the economy. Instead, he delivered a derisive indictment of the Democratic presidential nominee, saying Kerry would arm the military with "spitballs" and "outsource our national security" to Paris. Miller, a disaffected Democrat, said that Kerry's words "encourage our enemies" and that Democratic leaders are "motivated more by partisan politics than by national security."

Vice President Cheney, in his speech Wednesday night, devoted fewer than 100 of his nearly 2,700 words to the economy, instead launching an extended attack on Kerry's ability to fight terrorists. Saying Kerry wants to show al Qaeda "our softer side," Cheney asserted that "a strong and purposeful America is vital to preserving freedom and keeping us safe -- yet time and again Senator Kerry has made the wrong call on national security." <snip>

This week's Washington Post-ABC News poll shows why. A majority of Americans disapprove of President Bush's handling of the economy, but 60 percent of the country continues to give him high marks in the struggle against terrorism. By 56 percent to 38 percent, Americans trust Bush more than Kerry to fight terrorism -- Bush's strongest issue in the poll.

Even given the political imperative, the convention's focus on terrorism -- and the charge that Kerry is ill-equipped to combat it -- has been intense. The party has gone through three hours of prime-time speeches with barely a mention of the economy, passing reference to domestic policies, and no specific discussion of Bush's agenda for a second term. While the Post poll found public discontent with Bush's handling of Iraq, convention speakers have discussed Iraq as a part of the more popular "war on terrorism." <snip>

Democrats, naturally, suspect a more sinister motive. "He's just not going to fool swing voters and moderates a second time" with talk about economic opportunity and compassion," said Jim Jordan, Kerry's former campaign manager who is advising an anti-Bush advertising effort. "The better bet, and they know it, is to keep up the John Wayne act." <snip>

[Southsideirish]

1. Terror incidents certainly have increased lately...

[The_Casual_Observer]

2. chimp is making an embarrassing exploitation

of 9/11. This will sink like a lead weight. Fact is that 9/11 was done by 19 guys with box cutters, most of who didn't even know why they were there, AND it could have been easily foiled in the month of August, had chimp paid the slightest attention to the information that flowed right under his ugly little snout.

His campaign is the most expensive and heroic attempt in the history of mankind to obscure the facts and rewrite history, since the rise of the third reich.