Katherine Harris Says Many Potential Terrorist Attacks In U.S. Thwarted By Bush Administration

Sarasota Herald Tribune ^ | 8/3/04 | David Hackett

[dukeman]

VENICE -- U.S. Rep. Katherine Harris said Monday that the United States has "literally defeated 100 (potential) terrorist attacks on this country" in the past three years, some of which could have been as deadly as the 9/11 destruction of the World Trade Center.

Speaking Monday night in Venice at a rally in support of President Bush, Harris said the United States is winning the war against terrorism.

"His remarkable leadership … has made our country safe," Harris told an overflow crowd of more than 600 at the Holiday Inn. The event was sponsored by the Republican Club of South Sarasota County.

In an interview after the speech, Harris said she learned from classified information about the 100 potential attacks that have been thwarted since 9/11.

"Actually, it's been more than 100," she said. "It's classified … obviously not classified to me … but things I can't go into detail about."

Harris, a first-term Republican congresswoman from Longboat Key, said terrorism remains the No. 1 challenge facing the nation.

"And the first line of defense is you," she told the audience.

Harris told the audience that while she was in the Midwest recently, the mayor of Carmel, Ind., recounted how a man of Middle Eastern heritage had been arrested. She said hundreds of pounds of explosives were found in his home.

"He had plans to blow up the area's entire power grid," she said.

Pressed after the speech for details about the arrest, Harris said it had not been made public and she asked a reporter not to name the city she mentioned to the audience.

"I probably said too much," Harris said.

Contacted Monday night, Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard said a man was arrested two years ago and was sent to the U.S. military prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

He said he knew of no explosives or threats to blow up the power grid, however.

Carmel Police Chief Michael Fogarty said he had "no knowledge" of an arrest. "I don't know where that information came from," he said. "I certainly haven't heard anything about it."

Harris also told the audience that the war in Iraq has been a success. Since the United States toppled Saddam Hussein, 1,700 schools have opened where "students learn the truth, not lies," she said.

She blamed television reporters for presenting a slanted view of the war, saying they have been ordered by their networks not "to report good news … just stories about deaths and injuries."

Harris said she did not know how long U.S. troops would be stationed in Iraq, but that the more important issue was keeping terrorists out of this country.

"I don't want to have to live like our very good friends in Israel," she said. "Parents and grandparents who have to worry every day when they put their children on the school bus whether that bus will be blown up."

Harris was returning to Washington, D.C., today for hearings on the 9/11 Commission's report. She said she has read the report and found it "very balanced."

But the lawmaker said she is reluctant to fully endorse the commission's recommendations until she is satisfied that some of the changes, notably creating an intelligence czar who would report directly to the president, will not lead to a "bureaucratic morass."

In her speech, Harris also praised Bush's handling of the economy, saying the "recession inherited from the Clinton administration," the decline of technology stocks and other problems each in themselves "would have been enough to decimate the economy."

Instead, Harris said, the president's tax cuts fostered an economic recovery.

"Our economy is booming," she said.

Harris was clearly the star attraction at the event Monday night. While local candidates such as Venice Mayor Dean Calamaras and Sarasota County Sheriff Bill Balkwill mingled with the audience, shaking hands, Harris, wearing a pink suit and a pearl necklace, attracted a long line of autograph seekers before the speech.

"It's always like this," said Sydney Spence, a campaign aide. "It's like being with a rock star."

Edna Hussman of Venice said she came to the event primarily to see Harris.

"She's an attraction," said Hussman, a retiree who has lived in Venice 21 years. "I like her integrity, her honesty. She's classy, but she doesn't make you feel she's looking down on you." [And she hardly ever says "Shove it!"]

Harris is unopposed in this month's primary. Four Democrats are vying to oppose her in the November election.

[Joe Brower]

Thanks for posting this, dukeman.

As active members of the local Republicans club, the RCSSC (Republican Club of South Sarasota County), my wife and I attended this event last night. In a word, this event was a total BLOWOUT! We had 300 people crammed into a set of rooms that were probably designed for half of that -- standing room only -- with hundreds more in the outlying rooms and halls. Heck, there were people in the Holiday Inn lobby and parking lot!

The crowd was 110% jazzed, and the organizers themselves were completely surprised by the incredible attendance. It could not have gone better! Several standing ovations were given during the course of the evening.

For over 600 people to attend something like this in this area is nothing less than remarkable. If this is a sign of things to come, it's the GOP in yet another landslide. We're not sitting on our laurels, though -- you can bet on that!

Florida Freeper

I'm compiling a list of FReepers in Florida for use in the upcoming elections.
If you want to be added, please FReepMail me.

[Coop]

Aarggh! You CANNOT reveal classified information like this!

I seriously doubt the number of attacks thwarted is classified. She didn't reveal any details here.

However, blabbing about that arrest was probably a screw-up.

[kellynla]

You can't knock success...
How many terrorists attacks have there been in America since 9/11? Zero, zip, NONE!!!

[Coop]

The Bush Administration will look pretty dumb if they lose the Florida Senate race this year.

No it won't.

[Always Right]

No it won't.

Why not? They took a candidate out of the race with superstar name recognition, and replaced her with a candidate who could very well lose in the primary. Don't tell me that won't look stupid.

[Joe Brower]

In her speech, Ms. Harris only mentioned enough details to make her point, and she accomplished that very well.

It was the reporter who chose to focus almost exclusively on this one small portion of her entire speech. He left right after Harris' speech was over. It's fair to say that the reporter is well aware of the limitations that exist in providing details of such events, and why the majority of terror threats that have been found and eliminated in the CONUS are not reported. But by making an issue of it, the media seeks to denigrate Harris' statements, and therefore her position. No surprise there.

[Coop]

They took a candidate out of the race with superstar name recognition, and replaced her with a candidate who could very well lose in the primary. Don't tell me that won't look stupid.

That won't look stupid. It will look like a Dem seat stayed in Dem hands.

You're assuming Rep. Harris would have won the Senate seat. That's a strong assumption.

[upchuck]

The hate is actually that great.

They hate her because she was one of the people to helped to "give" to 2000 election to President Bush.

[7thson]

[VOA]

In another 10-20 years, the "now it can be told" stories of The War On Terror
will fill The History Channel and probably a couple more cable networks.

[rocklobster11]

In her speech, Ms. Harris only mentioned enough details to make her point, and she accomplished that very well.

Sounds like she may have let something slip about the plan to blow up the power grid in Carmel, Ind.

First, she says that she learned of a plan to blow up the power grid from the Mayor.

The mayor confirms that someone was arrested and sent to Guantanamo, but he is unaware of any bomb plot

The sherriff was not even aware that anyone had been arrested

Seems to me she has more information than anyone in Carmel, Ind., and I'd bet that if the story is true, she got the information from a classified briefing.

"I probably said too much," Harris said.

[Always Right]

That won't look stupid. It will look like a Dem seat stayed in Dem hands.

It is an open seat in a state that is generally Republican. It's house, sneate, and governor are Republicans, and Florida usually goes GOP in Presidential elections. It is a seat that should have been picked up.

You're assuming Rep. Harris would have won the Senate seat. That's a strong assumption.

Harris did have a 5 point lead over the Democrat, the GOP leading candidate is now trailing by about 5. So far it does not appear to be a brilliant move. It was a very winnable seat, but the Dems appear to have the advantage now.

[spoiler2]

This news confirms what we've been thinking all along. We all knew that there must be many events behind the scenes, that are being thwarted.

BUT it shouldn't be coming from Catherine Harris. It makes her look way too involved with this administration, which was the Dem complaint four years ago.

This information should be de-classified and published regularly by Homeland Security

[Coop]

FL's Senate seats are both Dem. The state is about evenly divided, and a race polling closely with Harris is still polling closely without her.

[Joe Brower]

rocklobster11, my take on Harris' comments is that she walked right up to the line, but didn't cross it. She had to know that any reporters present would press her for details. She could have plainly said, "I can't give you any more information" rather than "I probably said too much", but hopefully she'll be more assertive next time. JMHO.

spoiler2, I agree with your idea as well. It would be a good thing for this info to be summarized and posted somewhere, at the very least on the web, so that interested parties could keep advised if so inclined.

Stay well,

[dukeman]

Another example of Bush doing what's right for the country rather than for his own political benefit.

Precisely! It's called leadership and it's precisely what we need in the face of the current threat to western civilization. Rather than calculate each step from the perspective of legacy building, a la' Clinton, Bush leads. Despite the present mockers, greatrness will find him in time (a la' Reagan).

[DoctorZIn]

This article has been posted to DoctorZin’s New News Blog!

[paleocon patriarch]

I personally know this to be true, but it unfortunately can't be widely reported because ongoing investigations into this web would be endangered.

What a shame it is that President Bush's successes in this area can't be publicized, but that just shows the dedication that this administration has to protecting us from another attack.

[windchime]

Glad to hear the good report!