The public is ready to be pissed at anyone who exploits 911 for political purposes. Bush got major flack for using images of 911 in his initial campaign ads. I think most Americans (rightly) understand that it was a combination of factors that led to the 911 attacks and that stopping individual acts of terrorism is very hard. So blaming Bush for allowing 911 to happen is a loser politically.
But subtlely raising the issue indirectly does help focus attention on where opponents can attack Bush, as the article indicates, namely on his failures AFTER 911. Bush's fixation on Iraq and his incompetency in pursuing a war that has alienated the world is a reason many people are turning against Bush.
So I think the American people have this one right. Don't play blame games for 911 itself-- have a real debate about what we should have done and need to do now to protect Americans from terrorism in the future.
Nathan
----- Original Message ----- From: "Doug Henwood" <dhenwood at panix.com> To: <lbo-talk at lbo-talk.org> Sent: Monday, April 12, 2004 4:56 PM Subject: Re: [lbo-talk] Why Democrats Can't Blame Bush for 9/11
Man, sometimes it's hard to escape the conclusion that many Americans are fucking idiots.
Doug
mike larkin wrote:
>L.A. Times Via kos:
>
>"First, it means that based on the information available so far,
>most Americans recoil from efforts to blame Bush for the attacks.
>One leading Democratic interest group recently asked a focus group
>in Florida to respond to a potential television ad accusing Bush of
>negligence in failing to stop the attacks. The result was volcanic
>-- against the ad.
>
>"They were so angry I thought they were going to turn the tables
>over," said a Democratic operative who watched the session. "It was
>a very polarizing ad, and it pushed people who were on the fence
>decidedly away from us.""
>
><http://dailykos.com/story/2004/4/12/154025/336>http://dailykos.com/story/2
004/4/12/154025/336
>
>
>
>
>Do you Yahoo!?
>Yahoo! Tax Center - <http://taxes.yahoo.com/filing.html>File online
>by April 15th
>
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