Sounds Like a Threat

Why all the fuss about threat levels? Surely the reminder of a danger doesn't favor any one candidate, does it?

Apparently the good folks at Jim Lehrer's News Hour want to know.

GWEN IFILL: And joining me are two men who are well-schooled in the art of how politics and policy intersect: Former speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, and former Clinton chief of staff Leon Panetta.

Mr. Panetta, which candidate, they're both talking about these issues, which candidate would you say benefits most from headlines, which are dominated by discussions about terrorism?

LEON PANETTA: Any time you have a terrorism threat, any time you have an alert and people are concerned and anxious about their security, generally that would favor the incumbent. It would favor the president.

I don't know that's all that true this time around because you have the 9/11 Commission report, which came out, which indicated that government was responsible for the failure that took place on Sept. 11, and indeed made recommendations as to reforms that had to be taken place.

Wow - Mr. Panetta has read a chapter I haven't - everything else I'd heard or read of the report indicated otherwise; a fair report, to the surprise and delight of many. Of course, he didn't actually just say President Bush was responsible for 911, did he?

And besides that, the President is busy enacting the recommendations of the bi-partisan commission - the group that agreed to stay unified and not "politicize" the issue - even now.

Critics Say Bush's Intelligence Chief Would Be Toothless

WASHINGTON, Aug. 3 - Members of the Sept. 11 commission joined with Congressional Democrats on Tuesday in criticizing President Bush's proposal for creating the job of national intelligence director, saying the plan would not grant nearly enough power to the position.

At first read of the headline I thought they might be suggesting Jimmy Carter for the job, but it turns out they meant they feared the position would be one without power or authority.

But there you have it - nine out of ten Democrats agree, when it comes to threats to America, John Kerry is the man!