Bush vs Kerry on Terror Atacks

My July 31,2004 blog was in response to John Kerry's acceptance speech at the DNC convention. One statement made by Kerry really distressed me and I wrote,Kerry assures us that he will be strong on terrorism. “Any attack will be met with a swift and certain response”. Hello, does anybody recall we have been attacked. Do Americans want to wait for another attack before we actively engage the terrorists?

While talking with a group in Des Moines recently, Vice President Cheney said , “It’s absolutely essential that eight weeks from today, on Nov. 2, we make the right choice, because if we make the wrong choice then the danger is that we’ll get hit again and we’ll be hit in a way that will be devastating from the standpoint of the United States.” I understand the point he was trying to make. Based on Kerry's speech and on comments he has made in his stump speeches criticizing President Bush going into the wrong war, wrong time etc., it is apparent that Kerry will take a totally different approach in dealing with terrorists. I for one prefer that we remain on the offensive rather than wait for another attack to which Kerry will then respond.

Now Al Gore says, “The claim by Bush and Cheney that the American people must give them four more years in office or else be ‘hit hard’ by another terrorist attack is a sleazy and despicable effort to blackmail voters with fear,” “They are going back to the ugliest page in the Republican playbook: fear,” he said. “They’re not even really trying to convince you to vote for George Bush. Their only hope, they’ve decided, is to try and make you too afraid to vote for John Kerry. It’s the lowest sort of politics imaginable. It is not worthy of a presidential candidate.”

Is this not what Kerry said? If attacked, he will respond. Does this in fact not tell the terrorists that Kerry will not stay on the offensive? If we are not on the offensive, are we not inviting another attack? Al Gore may rant on and on, but it does not make what Vice President Cheney said any less true. I voiced my concern the end of July. It remains a concern today.