So the Republicans want to run on the memory of September 11th? Fine. But let's remember what happened
before September 11th. President Bush, while on vacation, received a Presidential Daily Briefing entitled
Bin Laden determined to strike in US:
Clandestine, foreign government, and media reports indicate bin Laden since 1997 has wanted to conduct terrorist attacks in the US. Bin Laden implied in U.S. television interviews in 1997 and 1998 that his followers would follow the example of World Trade Center bomber Ramzi Yousef and "bring the fighting to America."
...
We have not been able to corroborate some of the more sensational threat reporting, such as that from a ---- service in 1998 saying that Bin Laden wanted to hijack a U.S. aircraft to gain the release of "Blind Sheikh" Omar Abdel Rahman and other U.S.-held extremists.
Nevertheless, FBI information since that time indicates patterns of suspicious activity in this country consistent with preparations for hijackings or other types of attacks, including recent surveillance of federal buildings in New York.
I mention this only because it's obvious and because it's easy for it to get lost amidst the fact that Bush lied to get into Iraq. I'd say that the real mark of a leader is not how he poses for the camera after the damage is done (or sits and reads while people are dying as their loved ones watch on TV), it's steering us clear of problems in the first place.
So the next time you hear about September 11th from the Republicans, just remind yourself and those around you of these simple words: Bin Laden determined to strike in US