(UK Terror Plot) Arrests Bolster G.O.P. as Election Nears

[sabra]

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/11/washington/11politics.html?hp&ex=1155355200&en=9ebe45b4547106f4&ei=5094&partner=homepage

Arrests Bolster G.O.P. as Election Nears

Republicans seized on the arrests of terrorism suspects in Britain yesterday to bolster a White House campaign to turn national security issues to their advantage this fall, arguing that the nation needs tough Republican policies to protect Americans from threats from abroad.

Also in the Guide The Race for the U.S. House Governors' Races Officials in both parties said they viewed the arrests as critical in determining how they would approach the fall campaign, with Republicans saying it could be a turning point in a year in which they have been on the defensive over the war in Iraq and other issues.

...

On Capitol Hill and in states where Republicans are facing tough re-election battles, party officials applauded the arrests by the British authorities as evidence of the administration’s policies in fighting terrorism, and suggested that Americans might take a cue from the tougher antiterrorism statutes Britain has enacted. In line with their efforts to keep the election from being a referendum on Mr. Bush and instead make it a choice between two distinct approaches to national security and other issues, they used the arrests to portray Democrats as weak.

“Defeatocrats!” declared a statement issued by office of the House majority leader, John A. Boehner of Ohio, capturing the tone of Republican rhetoric as the news unfolded.

The Ohio Republican chairman, Bill Bennett, attacked Representative Sherrod Brown, the Democratic challenger to Senator Mike DeWine, for voting against some intelligence bills, “the very types of programs that helped the British thwart these vicious attacks.”

[meegbear]

1. Arrests Bolster G.O.P. ?

The only poll I've seen so far was on CNN Headline News with the question "Who do you think can handle terrorist threats better" and the Dems were higher (I forget the numbers).

[rodeodance]

4. that poll was prior to the foiled plot.

[meegbear]

5. Any new polls out there?

[C_U_L8R]

2. GOP Terror Exploitation

and war profiteering for political gain....

that's not treason???

[rodeodance]

3. The GOP is effective in gettting their message across. We have to face

this fact. Yes. it will be exploited to help them.

[leesa]

6. Who'd have thought....now why do you suppose they came up with the idea?

[FreeStateDemocrat]

7. Pukes had it all prepared to roll out as if they new it was coming,

[Maribelle]

10. Of course they had it prepared - -

Bush and Rove have known about this long enough to make sure their lap dancers were ready for the current revelation and all of it's possible photo ops, news talk show appearances, wing-nut hate radio rants, and boost in the polls; as the RNC pumps the news with all the hate-Democrats-for-they-are-weak-and-want-to-cut-and-run garbage they can possibly muster.

[w4rma]

13. LIEberman was the first "Democrat" to find out about it.

Since he is chair of the appropriate committee. He found out about it last Wednesday.

[MallRat]

8. What evidence is there to support the assertion in the headline?

I could just as easily write:

"UK TERROR ARRESTS HIGHLIGHT WEAKNESS OF GOP, WHITE HOUSE POLICIES"

Scotland Yard blew this thing wide open with good, old-fashioned HUMAN INTELLIGENCE... the very same resource which the White House and the GOP hold in such low regard. Their fetish for invasive, expensive, useless electronic surveillance at the exclusion of other proven strategies has created a gaping hole in our intelligence capabilities.

But the British know better. They couldn't have stopped this plot with illegal wiretapping or sifting through terabytes of meaningless data. They did it the right way: they INFILTRATED the organization with a SPY.

The British train, cultivate, and deploy spies. The White House and the GOP expose them and blow their covers for petty political gain. The difference is striking.

I think Bill in Portland over at DailyKos put it best:
"Thank you, Great Britain. Thank you for keeping America safe so our President doesn't have to."

[fordnut]

9. Republicans play dirty

so I think the democrats should bounce back:bounce: and have
some kind of ad On Bush or congress}( 

[Proud Liberal Dem]

11. I'm Confused

Did Bush/GOP have any hand in foiling this terror plot? Are they supposed to be commended (or "bolstered") by the fact that they ratcheted up the terror alert color AFTER the plot was foiled? I thought that the British foiled this plot? Am I missing something? How does this "bolster" the GOP?:wtf: One thing I've NEVER understood about this whole so-called "war on terror" is how we can simultaneously be safe (allegedly because of Bush/GOP and all of the things that they are doing to protect us :eyes:) AND standing on the precipice of total annihilation because our country is supposedly teeming with a cabal of wild-eyed, rabid, and well-hidden islamic fundamentalists obsessed with killing us anywhere and at any time. Are we safer with you and the GOP in charge or are we not, George and if we're not, then you and your buddies in the GOP apparently are NOT doing your jobs well-enough! To me, Bush and the GOP's constant and unceasing "fearmongering" is proof that they really don't have what it takes to effectively combat terrorism and it SHOULD instead "bolster" the need to vote the Democrats back into power. Let us not forget who actually was President on 9/11 and whose failure to pay attention to nine months of sometimes urgent and hysterical warnings, memos, briefs, etc. resulted in a vicious attack on the World Trade Center buildings and THE PENTAGON that cost 3000 PEOPLE their lives on 9/11. How Bush and the GOP not only escaped any REAL accountability at the polls or elsewhere because of what happened on 9/11 but also became more popular and viewed by most people as being the best people to fight terrorism afterwards still baffles and amazes me.

[Straight Shooter]

12. We need to put the Brits in charge of our Homeland Security.

I think we'd be much safer and actually make progress in the so-called war on terror. What a shame we didn't have them in charge while bush was chopping brush for photo-ops after being informed of the August 6, 2001, PDB.

The competence of the Brits exposes with glaring acuity the criminal negligence of the bush administration.