Hussein May Be Weapon for Dems

NY Newsday ^ | December 19, 2003 | Ross K. Baker (PolySci Professor at Rutgers)

[presidio9]

George W. Bush has to restrain himself from running victory laps to celebrate the Saddam Hussein capture. Republican leaders are gleeful about facing a Democratic ticket likely led by Howard Dean. So, it may seem odd, even perverse, to suggest that rooting the Iraqi dictator out of his hole might actually be an ace-in-the-hole for Democrats.

For starters, seizing Hussein shifts the focus of the hunt for America's most dangerous enemies from Iraq to the rugged Afghanistan-Pakistan border where Osama bin Laden and Mullah Omar, the deposed leader of the Taliban, are said to lurk. As elusive as Hussein was in Iraq, the terrain around bin Laden's lair is far more forbidding and the population, if anything, more hostile to Americans and the chances of success less likely.

While Bush steadfastly maintains that somehow we have dealt the worldwide terrorist network a punishing blow by apprehending Hussein, most experts deny that the Iraqi ever fomented much terrorist activity against this country. The U.S. government itself concedes that an alleged meeting between an Iraqi intelligence agent and an al-Qaida operative in Prague before September 2001 never took place.

The president's boast that snaring Hussein was a major gain could easily blow up in his face if there is another outrage directed against this country. If such an attack were to take place before the 2004 election, it could spell real trouble for Bush and make the capture of Hussein appear less consequential.

[Tallguy]

It's always interesting to take a stroll through an alternate universe...as long as you leave a trail of bread crumbs behind!

[Political Junkie Too]

George W. Bush has to restrain himself from running victory laps to celebrate the Saddam Hussein capture.

Other than with the carrier landing, when has this president ever gloated or been anything but restrained?

-PJ

[hosepipe]

[ VOTE DEAN/HUSSEIN 2004....has a nice ring to it doncha think? ]

Would make an.. Ummm.. interesting bumper sticker...

[expatpat]

....and those that can't teach, criticize. The Dems do nothing but criticize (besides pi55ing and moaning).

[presidio9]

....and those that can't teach, criticize.

[Pres Raygun]

I think the government may already have extensive yet undisclosed evidence that Saddam collaborated with Al Qeada. Notice that after the capture of Hussein, only Dean has dismissed the significance of Hussein's capture. Lieberman, Gephardt and Hillary all took the position that it was good news for America. Of the RAT presidential candidates that have a chance of winning the nomination, Dean is the only one that isn't in the federal government and therefore he is the only one that does not have access to the latest intelligence information. His blissful ignorance allows him to make his outrageous statement. His RAT oppenents are not going to clue him in.

[expatpat]

Nice picture -- especially of that nice Dr. Dean waving and trying not to look too short next to F*ing Kerry and Elegant Eddie.

[presidio9]

How tall is Kucinnich?

[AnAmericanMother]

Shouldn't that be, "How short is Kucinich?"

His campaign lit. says he's 5'7", but he looks shorter than that, maybe about 5'4".

(Apologies to all decent short folks everywhere. I'm one myself - Kucinich may be short, but he's still taller than I am. On the other hand, I ain't runnin' for Prez . . . )

[presidio9]

He looks like a little doll in that photo.

[AnAmericanMother]

And, you know, that really is a handicap in politics.

The overwhelming majority of U.S. presidents have been tall for their time . . . particularly Washington, Jefferson, & Lincoln.

But, you know, I wouldn't care how tall Kucinich happened to be, IF he wasn't a total socialist/Marxist loon who has consistently destroyed everything he touches in politics.

[Jim Noble]

Better Iraq than Atlanta.

Better dead than alive.

Kill him now.

[John Lenin]

The time to kill him is after he has spilled his guts to the CIA.

[optimistically_conservative]

Another DimRat announcing publicly that the best thing that could happen for the DimRats, and what they secretly hope for, is the worst for America.

[doug from upland]

Terry McAuliffe: I can tell all of you that it was a great weekend for the Baathist party.

[expatpat]

He claims 5'7", but you know how Democrats lie......

[beckett]

The email for this bozo for anyone who is impelled, as I was, to point out the flaws in his argument:

rosbaker@rci.rutgers.edu

[CyberAnt]

It didn't. And .. as far as I know .. there has been more recent information discovered which pretty much establishes a link between the murderers of 9-11 and Saddam.

[nopardons]

Newsday is not only faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar left of center, its circulation numbers stink. No one should believe a word written in any of its pages. If they saud that it would be sunny tomorrow, I'd take an umbrella. :-)

[nopardons]

saud = said.

Sorry.