Terrorism: the only issue?

While I think the economy is foremost in people's minds on a daily basis, and WOULD win the election for Kerry if that was what they voted on, I realized last night watching the news shows that the Repub message of fear is probably going to dominate as the election nears.

There is a belief, incomprehensible to me, but undeniable, that Bush  is the one to trust on terrorism. The only actual factual reason for this is that we haven't had an attack at home since 9/11. All the rest of the evidence indicates otherwise: the growth of terrorist numbers and locations, the number of attacks in other parts of the world, the growing understandting that the Huge Blunder that is Iraq has cost us both money and manpower in the true fight against real terrorism.

However, the American people, as we have sadly had to understand, vote their emotional perceptions, not their intellectual analysis. And the Repubs have done something fiendishly clever with this terrorist debate:

1. 9/11 has been blamed on  Clinton, tacitly and explicitly. The Bush apathy that led to the actual runup has been forgotten entirely, and all attacks on it deemed unpatriotic.

2. Kerry has been painted as a flip flopping mess who doesn't know which way is up. They seem to be successfully bamboozling the public with the idea that cherry picking his Senate voting record is the correct way to analyze his leadership skills. They have also sandbagged him into making a number of extremely unfortunate public remarks that reinforce this perception.

3. The war in Iraq has been equated with the "war" on terror, despite the fact that it is in effect the biggest contributor to terrorism's growth, both as an inspiration to nationalist terrorists and as a diversion of our own scarce resources. The Bush administration has covered itself in the images of tanks and jets, a quick emotional image of protection that Americans seem very susceptible to.

I'm not sure how Kerry CAN handle this, or IF he will. My belief in electing Kerry is that he will  begin the process of world cooperation that will be essential to solving this longterm problem, whereas Bush will only exacerbate the alienation they feel for us. Bush's policy of America Alone and  Almighty is another feel good for the American public, but dangerously, insanely wrong. However, by painting Kerry as an appeaser, they have also outflanked this true strength of his.

I've seen far too many commentators end this discussion about terrorism by opining that all voters should have it paramount in their minds when they enter the voting booth. If people buy this, Kerry had better start planting some ideas in their minds as to why HE is the one  who can keep them safe.

I believe he needs to state outright that he will NEVER try to establish permanent US  military bases in Iraq. This puts Bush in the position of explaining whether or not he would, an important distinction. Promising outright to the Iraqis that they don't have to fear this from us will go a long way to softening the nationalism currently feeding the insurgency wildfire. Bush's apparent plan to do this is an inevitable catastrophe, and makes the Iraqi situation into Vietnam.

I think he also needs to somehow highlight the absolute INCOMPETENCE that is at the root of our current Mideast dilemma. I think he should use the word INCOMPETENCE. Over and over. (Sorry, this "w is for wrong" thing ain't working for  me.) And he needs to call into question the INTEGRITY of the  Bush administration, that has Israel acting as a branch of our Defense  Dept. and which protects the Saudis even as they contribute to terrorism here. (Bob Graham needs more support.)

It also needs to be drummed home that the Repubs have been in ABSOLUTE CONTROL of our government these past four years, and carry ALL the weight of this catastrophe on their shoulders. Someone needs to find a way to pound this message home: The Republicans brought us to this place. How can we trust them to lead us out?

Last, I think someone needs to spotlight the way the Repubs have actually manipulated our fears for political advantage. What in hell were the terror alerts all about? Why their convenient timing? Where are they now that Bush is doing better?

But I admit the Republicans have framed this debate beautifully to their advantage. They suck at leadership and governance, but, true to their capitalist killer instincts, they are the clear masters of the art of campaigning.

Any ideas on this? Especially hopeful ones? I'd like to think this blog gets read, and maybe some good minds here can help our candidate sort a path through this atrocious situation.