On Thursday, Hillary engaged in a shameful albeit familiar political practice, invoking fears of another terrorist attack on the United States to score political points.
"It's a horrible prospect to ask yourself, 'What if? What if?' " Hillary said, "But if certain things happen between now and the election, particularly with respect to terrorism, that will automatically give the Republicans an advantage again, no matter how badly they have mishandled it, no matter how much more dangerous they have made the world. So I think I'm the best of the Democrats to deal with that, as well."
(cross-posted from
Our Republic)
As an initial matter, Hillary's comments ostensibly suggest that the Senator is more concerned about the political implications of a terrorist attack than those victimized. Are the American people a quantity in her eyes? No, probably not. However, it seems that she has become so engrossed in political calculation that she's forgotten why she ran for office in the first place.
Bush's legacy begets a lesson that we forget at our peril. Questions of national security must be answered with unadulterated, apolitical, objective fact. Our military men, women, and families deserve this much; and Democrats and Republicans alike ought to demand it. Hillary needs a refresher course.
That being said, let me briefly turn to the political efficacy of Hillary's approach. Democrats won't win many elections by insinuating that Republicans and Independents are stupid. To suggest that center-right Americans do not understand the failings of the current administration is not only counterproductive and insulting; it is wrong. The last eight years have turned many away from the Republican party and given Democrats an attentive audience. Democrats expect their candidates to come on stage, outline their national security and foreign policies, and explain why their approach makes us more secure at home and effective in waging the war on terror. If they cannot do this, Democratic voters ought to cross their name off the list.
If Hillary wants to be President, it is incumbent on her to demonstrate to Democratic voters - and then the American people as a whole - that she is fit for command.