This most recent terrorism shocker in the United Kingdom crystallizes what this election will turn on. The election is related to Iraq of course but really it is about Bush and about his and his republican allies total reliance on manipulating terrorism as an issue. It is the last remaining shred of their political legitimacy and they are going to use it for all it is worth.
The Dems were starting to get too complacent thinking they had the November elections in the bag. It is hard to blame them with Bush's approval rating below 40% and the Dems in Congress holding a double digit lead over republicans in generic polling. Not to mention the fact that our entire foreign policy is in a total shambles. From the civil war now underway in Iraq (Where our military is supposed to do what?) to the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan to the Israel/Lebanon/Palestinian war to the resurgence of Iran, the lack of progress in dealing with North Korea and the disillusionment of Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt with the Bush Administration, everything is spiraling dangerously downward. I could go into the long laundry list of domestic problems the country is facing but you know them as well as I do.
We don't fully understand what the facts are in the arrests of the suspects in the United Kingdom, but we do know one thing. The republican machine was laying the stage for capitalizing politically on the arrests in the United Kingdom before the arrests were made public. Vice President Cheney, Tony Snow and Ken Mehlman were all out yesterday laying the predicate to do just that. At the time, most of us assumed that it was the Lamont victory that had triggered their remarks. However, I don't believe in coincidences that are this convenient. Cheney, Snow and Mehlman were setting the stage for some hardball political theater immediately after the arrests.
And we know it won't stop now. The republican machine has moved into full campaign mode. It is the middle of August and the republicans have launched an "October surprise" attack. We are all fortunate that the United Kingdom authorities were able to stop this terrorist plot. The republicans are fortunate indeed that the arrests took place now. It allows them to command the news dead time that is the August recess with the one remaining arrow in the republican quiver, terrorism.
Most Dem were probably taking some time off or at least were not in full attack mode. They were probably thinking they would start going at full speed after Labor Day. The republicans aren't waiting for Labor Day. And they aren't going to play nice because they are afraid of the effect it will have on bipartisanship. Karl Rove and the republican attack machine will be ruthless to a fault.
Well, now we are going to find out what the Dems are made of. Yesterday they made a big show of unity by backing Ned Lamont over Lieberman. Is that unity real? And are the Dems ready to be as ruthless as the republicans and play to win? They better be because the republican attacks are going to come hard and fast.