Tom Friedman: A terrorist attack in America would change the odds of a Democratic victory in 2008

[sabra]

http://select.nytimes.com/2007/09/16/opinion/16friedman.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=login

Somebody Else’s Mess
By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN

<snip>

While Mr. Bush’s tacit resignation last week greatly increases the odds of a Democratic victory in 2008, there are several wild cards that could change things: a miraculous turnaround in Iraq (unlikely, but you can always hope), a terrorist attack in America, a coup in Pakistan that puts loose nukes in the hands of Islamist radicals, or a recession induced by the meltdown in the U.S. mortgage market, which forces a stark choice between bailing out Baghdad or Chicago.

The first three, for sure, could propel the right Republican candidate right back into the thick of things — especially if the Democrats have not positioned themselves with a credible approach to Iraq and the wider national security issues facing the country.

[endarkenment]

1. Friedman is a terrorist.

He and the gang of thugs he works for are engaged in wholesale looting and pillaging of the planet and are using violence fear and intimidation to do so.

[rog]

2. I'm trying to understand Friedman.

Is he suggesting that the Bush and the Republicans have a lock on Iraq and national security? Their approach to Iraq has been credible? Their foreign policy? And they've done NOTHING on the domestic front in terms of security.

If the public believes that, then I feel like I should just give up.

.rog.

[electron_blue]

3. I think he's suggesting that Bush and the Republicans have used terror to their

advantage mightily and the odds are that they will continue to do so. This doesn't mean that *your'e* convinced that they Repubs are credible, but just that this has been a winning ticket for them.

[bunkerbuster1]

10. Tommy Friedman--nobody states the obvious better than he

...I guess. He gets paid zillions of dollars to write, in the most prestigious American daily paper, the most trite crap imaginable.

So ya think the Goopers might have a shot at reforming their coalition of the stupid if there were another scary attack by scary brown folks? no shit, really?

[electron_blue]

11. Seems like you're ticked at me. I'm just answering the previous person's question...

[bunkerbuster1]

14. Me? Ticked at you? nope.

I just find Friedman to be annoying.

[Beelzebud]

4. Another right-winger hoping for another attack for political gain.

[OHdem10]

5. No matter how you regard Friedman he is absolutely

right on this one.

We are and continue to permit the GOP to frame the
Next ELECTION. Greater War on Terror and who
will best lead us in this war.

Democrats have their head in the sand if they do not
recognize this and start doing some framing of
their own.

If we wait until we have the Primaries and a Candidate
it will be too late.

A little Political Pre-Emption.

Read this book.

FRAMING THE DEBATE (Presidential Speeches and How Progressives
can use them to change the conversation(and win elections.)

[Bitwit1234]

6. So republicans are supposed to keep us safe they yell and rant

they are the ones to protect us not the democrats. THEN we have a terrorist attack and the republicans are praised and people will vote for them.

How stupid a statement is that....I know I would have zero, zilch confidence of an administration that would let this happen again, after all the preparations they were supposed to have taken, all the money they have put forth on this, the liberties and rights they have infringed on and it still happened. Damn get real fried...man.

[Vinnie From Indy]

7. Freidman isn't credible

It is simply amazing that a guy that has been as wrong as Freidman is taken seriously by anyone. He is a fool's fool.

[wellst0nev0ter]

8. Did He Get That Insight From A Bangladeshi Cab Driver

Or a Senagalese engineering student? :sarcasm:

[SoCalDem]

9. friedman's a TOAD.. An attack would just prove once & for all that

republicans cannot protect us.. They never did..and they never will.. (truthfully NO ONE can, but they love to pretend they can)

[electron_blue]

12. History would prove otherwise. The masses overwhelmingly eat this stuff up in times of great fear.

Another massive attack would have the bulk of Americans behind the GOP again - *If* they play it the same way they played it before, and I can't see why they'd do it differently.

[WinkyDink]

13. There are no "wider national security issues facing the country", other than the

possible continued destruction of the Constitution and our democracy by lying, thieving, treasonous Republicans, you should pardon the redundancies.

The rest is bogus scare-mongering. Remember the words of advice? "Go shopping."