[Erik Latranyi]

still think that Clinton/Gore wanted this incident to cause people to rally around Gore for the 2000 election, but it didn't break the way they expected.

I disagree. I think they just wanted to downplay the event, like every terrorist strike before the Cole.

The media cooperated and made it seem like a random act of terrorism by some crazy individuals rather than a coordinated attack by the same group responsible for multiple attacks on US interests in the past.

[concerned about politics]

I disagree. I think they just wanted to downplay the event, like every terrorist strike before the Cole.

I remember the news broadcasts that claimed the Cole was warned not to dock there, but the administration told them to refuel there anyway. I remember it, because I thought letting them go there after they had received a warning in advance was really stupid, because they did end up getting hit.