In 1960, John F. Kennedy campaigned on what he termed a "missile gap" between the US and the USSR. History has shown that the `missile gap" was mostly a figment of Kennedy's imagination. But no matter. In a very close election, Kennedy defeated then VP Richard Nixon by being a hawk on defense.
Imagine that! A Democrat elected President by being stronger on defense than a Republican. My, how times have changed.
But, history is the best teacher. Let's go back to the future to see how we need not let the Freepers beat us over the head with the North Korean nuclear test.
It has long been a pet peeve of mine that the Democrats have allowed themselves to be portrayed as "soft on defense". It didn't matter that it was not true. Perception is reality, and we lost the perception game. We must not let that happen now.
The polls are finally starting to show that the public is getting it about dumya. Take a look at this response to this recent Newsweek Poll:
Newsweek Poll conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International. Oct. 5-6, 2006. N=1,004 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.
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"Please tell me which political party -- the Republicans or the Democrats -- you trust to do a better job handling each of the following. What about the war against terrorism at home and abroad? Which party do you trust to do a better job handling this issue?" Parties rotated
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Republicans Democrats Both (vol.) Neither (vol.) Unsure
% % % % %
10/5-6/06 37 44 2 7 10
8/10-11/06 44 39 4 6 7
10/24-25/02 47 24 9 8 12
The BIG, BIG number here is that finally, Dems have gained the edge on handling terrorism. After being 23 points behind the Republicans just before the 2002 midterm elections, we now have a 7 point edge. In 4 years we have gained 30 (relative) points on the "defense" issue of the day.
We are on the verge of some great results in these midterm elections. We can not let the republicans pull the national security rug out from under us.
Here is what we need to do: We need to go on the offensive.
Bush has made us less safe. Every day he is in office we get less safe. We need to speak up loudly that this happened on Bush's watch. By bogging us down in a wrong headed war in Iraq, by saber rattling with Iran, Bush took his eye off the ball on the clear and present danger - North Korea.
North Korea did not sneak up on anybody. It was well known that the next nation to go nuclear was North Korea. Bill Clinton knew it in 1994 . The Repugnicants are already trying to hang this on Bill Clinton But Bill Clinton let the North Koreans know, in no uncertain terms that if they moved forward with taking the plutonium rods out of the reactor without international supervision, we would take military action. At the same time, he sent Jimmy Carter to North Korea to negotiate a back door way out for the North Koreans. It worked and North Korea backed down. Maybe there's another lesson there about that big stick and talking softly thing.
And that's really our theme. Bush has made us less safe by only thinking about his big stick. Big sticks are certainly necessary, but it is the soft talk along with that big stick that really makes us safer.
Every day Bush is in office, we are less safe.