Officials Worry of Pre-Election Attack

AP ^ | 3-15-04 | TERENCE HUNT

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

There's no one they'd like to have out of office more than George W. Bush.

If they pull off another WTC type attack, it could very possibly seal the election for Bush.

If our LEAs thwart another WTC type attack, it will definitely seal the election for Bush.

[ysoitanly]

I respectfully disagree. Look at their financial entanglements with the Middle East/Muslims and their reluctance to back any action in Iraq. Whose weapons are we finally finding - made in FRANCE! They are not our friends and they are the last to be hit, IMHO.

[Billthedrill]

That is exactly what we are about to witness. The victory in Spain was on behalf of the same class of socialists and internationalists who find Bush's dismissal of their "moral" authority to be most threatening - the reason, of course, is that all they have is talk and we possess the hardware and the people to use it. If they can control the latter with talk it's free power.

These were the people who were happy with Clinton because he was "one of us." These were the people for whom any problem not addressable by the UN is dismissed as the U.S.'s fault. Note the emphasis by the winner - the U.S. must place the UN in charge in Iraq or he's taking his troops home (so what?) and that Spain will come closer politically to France and Germany in an attempt to act as a counterweight to U.S. policy. The program and intention here is crystal-clear, and Mr. Kerry is very definitely also "one of us." What we are about to witness is a political alliance between the Spanish government and the people who murdered 200 of their citizens, in an attempt to unseat an American president who is not "one of us." It is difficult to imaginea a more cynical course of action.

I am disappointed in the Spanish vote and, frankly, surprised a little. The message is that terrorism works, and that is an open invitation to its repetition. "We'll agree with you if you just go bomb somebody else" is the pathetic bleating of a sheep whose highest aspiration is to be the last one to be eaten.

[Finalapproach29er]

What happens if an attack is @ noon,Election day?

Shouldn't we have a plan already in place for what we would do?

[Mo1]

Still, it's unnerving at times. Know what I mean?

I think so ... I have a few of those liberals around my way and there are times I just want to scream

But then the middle of the road dems ... though I disagree with the view of politics ... they aren't completely over the edge like the hard left

They actually like their lives

[Will_Zurmacht]

I hear ya!
From the best I can tell, the PP was leading by about 5 points before the bombings, they still pulled around 40% in a multiparty election. Not all Spaniards sold us out.

As I prepare to be flamed, I would hazard a guess on the tipping point in this election.....middle aged and younger women voters.

just a hunch of mine, and I'd like to see a survey, but my gut reaction is the "moderate-soccer mom" types and some young urban men in Spain got scared and pushed the Socialist into the victory and Spain into defeatism. I'm sure the older guys and gals in Spain would never surrender.

again, just a hunch.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

["That's an amazing impact of a terrorist event, to change the party in power,"..."The implications of this are fairly staggering,"..."This is the first time that a terrorist act has influenced a democratic election. This is a gigantic, loud wakeup call. There's no one they'd like to have out of office more than George W. Bush."]

The Spanish had a chance to stand tall. Under difficult circumstances, not everyone does. Particularly in Europe, the siren call for "security" is too tempting. Last week, the Spanish failed the calling. WE THE PEOPLE will not.

[LibertarianLiz]

I know from other threads that alot of freepers disagree, but I don't see a pre-election attack meaning that America would choose appeasement and go with Kerry. If most people wanted us to fold, Bush would have approval levels at 30% since all he has done is go on offense since 9/11.

I have to disagree. I saw a snippet over at Lucienne.com (and another someplace else, memory fails) which said that the difference was about 5%. That's all it took, 5% to sway the election over to the socialists.

Now, think of the states in the upcoming election that are deemed "close" or "toss-ups". 5% could make a BIG difference in the electoral college.

We can only hope that our fellow Americans would not react like euro-weenies and vote for Kerry; but even if just a few switch over, it could mean big trouble for us and the World.

[ThePythonicCow]

This election around, I think we're ok. Too many 'Rats are not all that enthused about Kerry, just about beating Bush. Some would rally around him in the event of a pre-election attack, but more Americans would rally around Bush.

It's 2008 that concerns me. Big time.

[Mo1]

I don't disagree with your points and I'm sure they are hoping they won't be attack because they got in bed with the terrorists

But these terrorists don't care who they kill and that is why I said France and others are just as much of a target.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

The Dims will say, if GW is aggressive in prosecuting the WOT, he is trampling on "rights". If he is less aggressive, he is "soft on security". With duplicitous, traitorous, anti-freedom Democrats -- who in a just world should be in jail or hanged -- this is the way it is.

[Will_Zurmacht]

If I were AlQ I'd just pull off a few bombings the weekend before the election. Nothing 9-11 style, just enough for the media to hype. think lone homicide bomber nut.

NY for the media exposure, presumably.

If you really wanna get nasty, a few gun/ small bomb attacks on East Coast polling places like at 6 or 7 am would dramatically impact the vote across the nation.....for Bush or surrender I'm not real sure....Either way it'd be all over tv, even with a no to few casualties

but my hunch is that would just p!ss real Americans off and Texans, Southerners, MidWesterners, etc. would come out in droves just to vote in spite.

[Indy Pendance]

I have a die hard sil, 'married' her girl friend in Vermont a couple years ago, lives in Madison WI, belongs to the wiccans, I kid you not. Anyway, she owns a real fur coat, there's hope..... She's 'divorced' now and dating men, although, really who'd want her, 40 something and that baggage... Then there's my brother, a perot voter who thinks the war in Iraq was useless, told me my kids were betraying our country for enlisting in the Army, etc, etc, etc, FR is my oasis away from insanity.

[AntiGuv]

You could flip a close election (within 2%) from GOP to DEM or from DEM to GOP just by taking out one of two midsize cities. Different cities in each case and I won't mention which ones.

[max_rpf]

IMHO we should be worried about an attack earlier rather than later. AQ will read what the academics at CU will be saying over the next few months. We will see papers/articles that state that an attack during the summer will be more effective against GWB, and AQ might just take them up on it.

[The Hound Passer]

"Trust me, the nation ain't that liberal and they don't want Kerry as their standard bearer in the war on terror."

We can only hope, but all those people have to be motivated to go to the polls and vote; not wanting Kerry to win isn't enough.

[Indy Pendance]

Someone on a thread earlier today made a comment, are 1300 troops the end of the world? I guess we have to look at perspective.

[Indy Pendance]

"It's 2008 that concerns me"

I've been 'worrying about that tomorrow'. Let's just get through this election. Have you noticed, the general elections are getting closer and closer?

[Will_Zurmacht]

I actually agree.
Target: GOP convention in NYC

Big media, TV. NYC, all the Republicans in town. Protestors galore. All it would take would be 3 car bombs staggered over the week and you'd have a friggin nightmare in the media.....and any dumb@ss can assemble a mediocre car bomb and walk away.

[inkling]

There are many Spaniards who still stand by the US and are smarting from the outrage we are sending to their country.

I hope you're right, but I am astonished at their rapid capitulation to the terrorists. Do you know any Spaniards? I would really like to know what they are thinking right now. I've tried trolling a few Spanish sites, but my español is weak.