Nonspecific terror threat for 2008 elections?

Courtesy of Think Progress we learn that:

The 2008 elections are still a year away, but this morning outgoing Homeland Security Adviser Frances Fragos Townsend told CNN that al Qaeda may target the presidential elections. She said that while there is currently no “specific information,” “we know that Al Qaeda views these periods as being a particularly vulnerable period.”

I know that Kos has called it [something like] ridiculous to consider Bush/Cheney preventing the 2008 elections from happening.  (Sorry, no link yet to that post.)   However, I would put nothing past these crooks if they worry one of their chosen isn't going to take office after them.

Is the timing of this nonspecific threat suspect?  If so, what message is the White House trying to get out?

Update 1:  It seems from Townsend's comments she is talking about a danger to the elections themselves, given the examples she cites, but then she makes a comment that sounds more like a danger to the President-elect:

Townsend: ... I believe we’ve got a real obligation to prepare for that transition between the election and the inauguration in a special way. This would be the first transfer of presidential power since September the 11th. And so, we’ve already begun the planning process for that.

One would have thought they'd have also done such planning around this time in 2003 for the 2004 election, yes?

At what point does Administrative officials making comments about nonspecific dangers during election become tampering with the Democratic process itself?    Ironic that the banner during Townsend's comments read "Safer at home?"