« Those obvious questions so seldom asked | Undoctored's Blog | "He just doesn't understand!" A golden opportunity for Obama »
Who was at the helm? How not to cede the National Security issue to the Republicans.
We've heard it a thousand times from the Republicans: "You can only rely on us, the true patriots, to keep you safe. If you vote for the weak-on-defense Democrats, all kinds of scary, horrible things will happen to you. They are weak, naive appeasers. And, by the way, don't forget that there hasn't been a terrorist attack in the U.S. since 9/11." Why have we Democrats just sat around and allowed the Republicans to depict us in this way? We have excellent arguments to counter these stupid assertions, but we don't use them in any consistent way. Isn't it obvious that the National Security issue is the ONLY issue the Republicans can run on with any degree of credibility in the fall?
I offer a few salient talking points that we can use to turn the National Security issue to our immediate advantage when we are accused of being soft on national defense: (1) Who was at the helm when the terrorists attacked on on 9/11? Why didn't Bush take seriously the many warning signs that a plan to attack the U.S. was underway? Conclusion: It was the Republicans who let us down, who did not protect us. (2) Democratic presidents have always risen to the occasion when our security was threatened: Wilson during WWI, Roosevelt and Truman during WWII, Kennedy during the Cuban Missile Crisis, and Clinton who did not hesitate to strike at Al-Qaida in Afganistan. (3) Bush and Cheney talk tough on defending America, but theirs is only a lapel-flag patriotism. Where were they when their country needed them to fight communism in Vienam? Have their children or any of the neocons' children volunteered for service in Iraq?
No, fellow Democrats, don't give an inch on the National Security issue. You have much ammunition to fight back. USE IT! And while doing so, remind the voters over and over that it was the Republicans who dropped the ball on 9/11, not the Democrats.
I offer a few salient talking points that we can use to turn the National Security issue to our immediate advantage when we are accused of being soft on national defense: (1) Who was at the helm when the terrorists attacked on on 9/11? Why didn't Bush take seriously the many warning signs that a plan to attack the U.S. was underway? Conclusion: It was the Republicans who let us down, who did not protect us. (2) Democratic presidents have always risen to the occasion when our security was threatened: Wilson during WWI, Roosevelt and Truman during WWII, Kennedy during the Cuban Missile Crisis, and Clinton who did not hesitate to strike at Al-Qaida in Afganistan. (3) Bush and Cheney talk tough on defending America, but theirs is only a lapel-flag patriotism. Where were they when their country needed them to fight communism in Vienam? Have their children or any of the neocons' children volunteered for service in Iraq?
No, fellow Democrats, don't give an inch on the National Security issue. You have much ammunition to fight back. USE IT! And while doing so, remind the voters over and over that it was the Republicans who dropped the ball on 9/11, not the Democrats.
Advertisement
Recommended. Good Points All.
May 18, 2008 9:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
Someone better have the balls to go after ~3000 of criminally negligent homicide against the Bush administration for 9/11 and not care about being called a "truther" in the process.
This has been the most insulting part over the past 7 years or so -- being called a "truther" when the evidence is there to at minimum prove that at least some hands-on leadership from a competent leader could have prevented the attack, and the entire clusterfuck of an administration that followed.
May 19, 2008 10:47 AM | Reply | Permalink
"We've heard it a thousand times from the Republicans: "You can only rely on us, the true patriots, to keep you safe. If you vote for the weak-on-defense Democrats, all kinds of scary, horrible things will happen to you. They are weak, naive appeasers. And, by the way, don't forget that there hasn't been a terrorist attack in the U.S. since 9/11." Why have we Democrats just sat around and allowed the Republicans to depict us in this way? We have excellent arguments to counter these stupid assertions, but we don't use them in any consistent way. Isn't it obvious that the National Security issue is the ONLY issue the Republicans can run on with any degree of credibility in the fall?"
Yeah: the only issue concerning which they have credibility:
1. Clinton was in office about a month when the first WTC bombing occurred. Clinton's fault.
2. Bushit was in office about 8 months when the WTC was destroyed. Clinton's fault.
May 19, 2008 1:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
"We've heard it a thousand times from the Republicans: "You can only rely on us, the true patriots, to keep you safe. If you vote for the weak-on-defense Democrats, all kinds of scary, horrible things will happen to you. They are weak, naive appeasers. And, by the way, don't forget that there hasn't been a terrorist attack in the U.S. since 9/11." Why have we Democrats just sat around and allowed the Republicans to depict us in this way? We have excellent arguments to counter these stupid assertions, but we don't use them in any consistent way. Isn't it obvious that the National Security issue is the ONLY issue the Republicans can run on with any degree of credibility in the fall?"
Yeah: the only issue concerning which they have credibility:
1. Clinton was in office about a month when the first WTC bombing occurred. Clinton's fault.
The Clinton administration caught, prosecuted, and imprisoned the perpetrators.
2. Bushit was in office about 8 months when the WTC was destroyed. Clinton's fault.
Where's bin Laden?
May 19, 2008 1:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
Don't forget the Anthrax murders too. Still no one has been arrested for those either.
May 19, 2008 5:11 PM | Reply | Permalink