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Monday, July 28, 2008
GOP kicks off fall campaign with heightened terror alert

 

It's the "new normal" start of the fall campaign season -- the heightened terror alert:

Government officials have been quietly stepping up counterterror efforts out of a growing concern that al Qaeda or similar organizations might try to capitalize on the spate of extremely high-profile events in the coming months, sources tell ABC News.

Security experts point to next month's Olympics as evidence that high-profile events attract threats of terrorism, like the one issued this past weekend by a Chinese Muslim minority group that warned of its intent to attack the Games.

Anti-terror officials in the U.S. cite this summer and fall's lineup of two major political parties' conventions, November's general election and months of transition into a new presidential administration as cause for heightened awareness and action.

This is what the Department of Homeland Security is quietly declaring a Period of Heightened Alert, or POHA, a time frame when terrorists may have more incentive to attack.

All snark aside, the government is right on this one -- certainly the Olympics have been a target for terrorism (in 1972 and again in 1996 -- remember Atlanta?) and so have the first year of new presidents, in 1993 and again in 2001. What's annoying is the way that the Bush administration politicized terror alerts leading up to the 2004 election. That makes it harder for people to take new terror alerts seriously -- even if there might be something to it.

Posted by Will Bunch @ 10:18 AM  Permalink | 54 comments
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Comments
Posted by thelastRepublicaninPhilly 10:48 AM, 07/28/2008
Since 9/11 there has been no terrorist attacks on US soil. Thank you George W Bush. Remember this and remember it well; history will repeat itself and Al Qaeda will strike at us again shortly after the election to test our new president; hey it could even be a country like Iran that does something. If we listen to the wording of the liberals and say it's like a 3 bush term; the terrorist attack might actually be prevented. Or, at best McCain will have a solid response to whatever happens. Obama will put us back on September 10th stance and repeat the mistakes of Jimmy Carter. Never forget we are at war and we need a commander in chief.
Posted by Calvin Jones & the 13th Apostle 10:53 AM, 07/28/2008
thelastRepublicaninPhilly: Did you forget about the anthrax attacks? I know Republicans want to forget them but I know reality has a liberal bias.
Posted by Politburo 11:04 AM, 07/28/2008
"Since 9/11 there has been no terrorist attacks on US soil." -- GOPs love to claim this. And yet they also like to claim that there is eco-terrorism being committed by groups like ALF and ELF. You can't have it both ways.
Posted by b.atkinson 11:06 AM, 07/28/2008
"What's annoying is the way that the Bush administration politicized terror alerts leading up to the 2004 election." By politicizing, you mean took action against threats and dared to discuss the issue? Yes, just despicable behavior...if you're a left wing moonbat who sympathizes with the bad guys.
Posted by Gibba Mang 11:16 AM, 07/28/2008
Let's not forget that while Bin Laden and Al Queda planned 9/11, the Republican controlled Congress focused on Bill Clinton's consentual affair with an aide. And let us also forget that Bush did absolutely nothing to prevent 9/11 even when presented with information that AQ was determined to strike at America. Yes, George was busy chopping wood in Texas as AQ operatives implmented their devious plan. Bush is ultimately responsible for the 3,000+ p[eople who died on 9/11 and the 10's of thousands of Americans and Iraqis who have died in his failed Iraq war. People like last rerally scare me because they STILL think that Iran and AQ are the same....lol, stupid is as stupid does.
Posted by Bender 11:29 AM, 07/28/2008
"Since 9/11 there has been no terrorist attacks on US soil." Apparently the first thing you forget as a republican is that correlation is not causality.
Posted by LJL 11:34 AM, 07/28/2008
"Since 9/11 there has been no terrorist attacks on US soil.".......Um, wasn't BushCo in control before 9/11? As I remember it, they had plenty of warnings, including daily security briefings and alarming reports from FBI field agents about the soon-to-be terrorists efforts to learn to fly commercial aircraft (but not to land).....I think the better phrase is "there was no larger loss of life on US soil from terrorist attacks until the GOP controlled two of the three branches of government"......But hey, fear is all the GOP has. The economy? Nah, we had a surplus when Clinton left. The DOW went from 3400 to 10,300 under Clinton. Under BushCo? 10,300 to 11,280 (hard work for eight years......hard, hard work). Healthcare? Nah, more uninsured than ever. Housing? Well, we know where that went. Energy policy? Well, the plan cooked up in secret between Cheney and Big Oil seemed to work great......for big oil. Gas was $1.33 on 2/7/2000. Other than that, BushCo has been great!
Posted by LJL 11:34 AM, 07/28/2008
"Since 9/11 there has been no terrorist attacks on US soil.".......Um, wasn't BushCo in control before 9/11? As I remember it, they had plenty of warnings, including daily security briefings and alarming reports from FBI field agents about the soon-to-be terrorists efforts to learn to fly commercial aircraft (but not to land).....I think the better phrase is "there was no larger loss of life on US soil from terrorist attacks until the GOP controlled two of the three branches of government"......But hey, fear is all the GOP has. The economy? Nah, we had a surplus when Clinton left. The DOW went from 3400 to 10,300 under Clinton. Under BushCo? 10,300 to 11,280 (hard work for eight years......hard, hard work). Healthcare? Nah, more uninsured than ever. Housing? Well, we know where that went. Energy policy? Well, the plan cooked up in secret between Cheney and Big Oil seemed to work great......for big oil. Gas was $1.33 on 2/7/2000. Other than that, BushCo has been great!
Posted by Xi Jah 11:36 AM, 07/28/2008
To say Bunch is mailing it in is giving mail a bad name.
Posted by montani semper liberi 11:37 AM, 07/28/2008
Let the Republicans feel scared. They surrendered to terrorism a long time ago.
Posted by doorspj24 11:39 AM, 07/28/2008
Democrats since 2000: whine whine whine whine whine whine whine whine whine whine whine whine whine whine. You had a chance to make a change in '04 and you trotted out John Kerry.
Posted by Xi Jah 11:43 AM, 07/28/2008
"Well, the plan cooked up in secret between Cheney and Big Oil seemed to work great......for big oil."...Any explanation why all commodities are up by huge amounts over the same period of time?...I don't know whether to shake my head or laugh.
Posted by E Plebnista 12:00 PM, 07/28/2008
"Let the Republicans feel scared. They surrendered to terrorism a long time ago."....Why doesnt the marginalized minoritiy realize, it wasnt the surge that improved conditions in Iraq, it was the reduction in negatively biased news stories from the likes of the NYT....All ya need is love, Hope, and Change!
Posted by Rauol Duke 12:02 PM, 07/28/2008
What is the definition of a terror attack? Is this madman attacking a Tennessee church not considered a terror attack? If not, then Okalahoma City was not a terror attack!
Posted by jmc 12:04 PM, 07/28/2008
"Apparently the first thing you forget as a republican is that correlation is not causality." Oh, and I'm sure we haven't been attacked here because Al Qaeda and the other jihadists just haven't been in the mood for 7 years. The left's denial is staggering.
About Will Bunch
Will Bunch, a senior writer at the Philadelphia Daily News, blogs about his obsessions, including national and local politics and world affairs, the media, pop music, the Philadelphia Phillies, soccer and other sports, not necessarily in that order.

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