It's becoming easier and easier to see why the Republicans are so unconcerned about the whereabouts of Bin-Laden. Apparently capturing him and his fellow conspirators is less important to our national security than ensuring a Democratic defeat in November. In the world according to Republicans, the more words spent trashing the opposition party and its candidates for daring to even question the wisdom of our foreign policy - much less offering specific alternatives - the safer we are.
We had Cheney weighing in on Al-Quada-type Democrats supporting Ned Lamont. We had Bush using his tired "some people" identifier attached to his even more tired phrase, "cut and run," as he took aim at Democrats. And earlier this week, we had this gem from Utah's senator, via the Salt Lake Tribune:
Hatch says Demo win could help terrorists
Orrin Hatch, who continuously decries the bitter partisanship in Washington, implied this week that Democratic success in November's election could result in terrorist attacks on America.
Hatch was quoted in Tuesday's Tooele Transcript Bulletin as saying Middle East terrorists are "waiting for the Democrats here to take control, let things cool off and then strike again."
The amount of words and energy devoted to trashing the Democratic Party in the past few weeks is mind-numbing. Would that all that focus were directed at breaking up terrorist networks instead of justifying a failed invasion of an unrelated country and attacking the party that offers solutions to getting out.
Hatch now says he can't recall saying what he said. Yet he offers no apology (even the familiar Republican non-apology apology). Instead he offers what appears to be at attempt at clarification:
"I don't believe terrorists favor Democrats or Republicans," Hatch said. "What they are waiting for is the United States to prematurely pull out of Iraq. There are appeasers in both parties but most are leading liberal Democrats."
Appeasers. Gotta love it, a Republican's attempt at ratcheting down the rhetoric.
Keep in mind, the people slinging these words around aren't right-wing radio hosts or nutjobs on obscure websites. They are elected officials - including our two highest elected officials - who apparently feel secure enough in their positions to accuse half the American voting public of being traitors to their country, of supporting the enemy, of conducting "purges" when they dare to vote in a primary.
If that's the new definition of enabling terrorism, so be it. Let's bring it on, the old-fashioned American way: Let's get out the vote and "purge" and "terrorize" at the ballot box this November, just as the framers of our Constitution intended.
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