http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/09/12/opinion/lynch/main1999898.shtmlFive years after 9/11, President Bush went on television to deliver a "non-political" speech on terrorism. As the memorial services and the heartbroken relatives of the victims filled the airwaves, it would have been a great accomplishment if the president could bring some unity to the nation.
But since the 2002 elections, Republicans have politicized the war on terrorism and made it their strong card in political campaigns. They were able to put the Democrats on the defensive on national security in 2002 and they trumpeted the terrorism issue early and often in 2004. Their convention in New York City began with a tribute to the victims of 9/11 and showcased President Bush as the "man in the arena" who led the country after the attacks. On Election Day, Bush clearly bested John Kerry with swing voters (remember those ever-popular "security moms"?) who believed in his ability to deal with international terrorism.
In the past few weeks, the president has been ratcheting up the terrorism rhetoric once again. His decision to reposition Iraq as a part of the war on terrorism has been an attempt to move public opinion on Iraq, as well as to try to change the subject from the worsening situation in Iraq to the scary world of terrorism.
These are serious issues and using tragedy to bolster your poll ratings is a tricky business, but it is something that has worked pretty well for the president over the past few elections.
On a somewhat lighter note, there is another scary image out there this year. The new scare tactic, meant mainly to frighten the Republican base, is the specter of Democratic Rep. Nancy Pelosi becoming Speaker of the House if the Democrats take over.
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