Sam Stein writes about McCain's embrace of Bush's 2004 talking points. What I liked most about the article is it points out the differences between how the GOP handles terrorism and how the Democrats would handle terrorism.
The GOP use terror as a useful tool that helps them win elections. They beat the fear drum to help get out the vote. I believe they over-inflate the actual threat from terrorism for their own benefit.
From Sam Stein:
"In October 2004, Sen. John Kerry, in an 8,000 word article in New York Time Magazine, was quoted saying that the way for the U.S. to feel safe again would be for terrorism to not be 'the focus of our lives,' but rather a 'nuisance.'I agree with Kerry. Terrorism can't be the focus of our lives. I think the Democrats put Hope back on the table but the GOP continues to serve Fear.
''As a former law enforcement person,' said Kerry. 'I know we're never going to end prostitution. We're never going to end illegal gambling. But we're going to reduce it, organized crime, to a level where it isn't on the rise. It isn't threatening people's lives every day, and fundamentally, it's something that you continue to fight, but it's not threatening the fabric of your life.''
Bush, predictably, pounced on the remark. The president and his surrogates painted Kerry as dainty and soft on terror - unable to understand that criminal prosecution wouldn't deter al Qaeda. Never mind that, as FactCheck.org documented, Bush too had made a similar remark:
'I don't think you can win [the war on terror],' he said, 'but I think you can create conditions so that the--those who use terror as a tool are less acceptable in parts of the world, let's put it that way.'"
