Is Iraq part of the war on terror? Yes, says Mr Bush. At the Republican convention, he asked: “Do I forget the lessons of September 11th and take the word of a madman, or do I take action to defend our country?” No, says Mr Kerry: the war is a distraction from al-Qaeda and has created the very terrorist havens that the administration claimed to be acting to destroy.

On this question, voters are undecided. The number of those who think Saddam and al-Qaeda were linked has fallen; just over half now say the war has not reduced the chance of a new terrorist assault on America; but roughly equal numbers think the Iraq campaign has strengthened and weakened the war on terror.

Duybya wasted money, time and other resources on Iraq and abandoned the pursuit of Osama bin Laden. In the process, he turned created a breeding ground for terrorists. Every Iraq killed has a family ready to kill — and die — in revenge. Bush’s actions were unbelievably, unforgivably irresponsible. mjh

Theirs

Distractions

Sat 09/25/04 mjh

[via dangerousmeta!]

Election

Maine Can Split Electoral Votes (revised)

Fri 09/24/04 mjh

Newsday.com – Election 2004

Unlike other states, Maine can split its electoral votes. The candidate who wins a plurality gets two of Maine’s electoral votes; the other two are given to the winner in each congressional district. A candidate who loses the statewide vote could still pick up one electoral vote, and analysts have suggested that more rural and conservative northern Maine, including Bangor, could go for Bush.

Remember that Colorado may become the ~~second~~ third (see below) state to divide electoral votes. mjh

mjh’s Blog: Very Interesting Electoral Development

Update:

Mark –

Nebraska also does the weird-ass proportional thing with its electoral
college votes. (Actually, the rest of us are weird-ass, and Nebraska
and Maine are the ones that are doing something that sorta makes more
sense?)

Cheers,
John Fleck

[Thanks, John.]

Dump Duhbya

The competence question

Fri 09/24/04 mjh

Economist.com The comeback Kerry

“Mismanagement”� certainly offers a less thrilling rallying call. … But in this particular case, it surely offers Mr Kerry a better line of attack.

First, it is a far less contentious charge to prove. By any reasonable standard, the White House has a mind-boggling record of incompetence in Iraq, from the lack of post-war planning to the disgrace of Abu Ghraib. Mr Kerry can tap into the sense that Mr Bush is out of touch with what is happening on the ground, especially in Iraq’s no-go areas. The more Mr Bush repeats his mantra about the march of liberty, the more he risks sounding like a Texan version of “Comical Ali”, the Iraqi propaganda minister who declared that the infidel dogs were in retreat even as American troops rolled into Baghdad.

Second, Mr Kerry can broaden the theme of mismanagement. Look, he can argue, the same idealistic incompetence that has dogged the Iraq war can be seen throughout the administration’s policies: witness, for instance, its fiscal recklessness in cutting taxes while increasing spending.

Lastly, focusing on mismanagement allows Mr Kerry indirectly to deal with one of his biggest handicaps — the likeability gap. Most Americans have a soft spot for Mr Bush (and recoil from assertions that he deceived them into an unnecessary war). But many also have a sneaking worry about his competence. Is the amiable frat boy really a match for our dangerous times? Or is he being manipulated by ideological zealots? If Mr Kerry can use Iraq to reinforce doubts about Mr Bush’s competence, then he has a chance of pulling off a Reagan; but like Hubert Humphrey, he does not have much time.

Dump Duhbya

Bush Should Lose His Job

Fri 09/24/04 mjh

News-Leader.com | True Ozarks | Bush: Economy stronger By Deb Riechmann

President Bush told Missouri voters Monday that new unemployment figures suggest “the economy is strong and getting stronger” ….

[U]nless 900,000 jobs are created in the next two months, Bush will be the first president since Herbert Hoover to lose jobs under his watch.

ECRI – Economic Cycle Research Institute

Election

The Freeway Blogger

Fri 09/24/04 mjh

Weblog

I hate to be the one to point this out, but the Iraqis hit the thousand-soldier mark in the first day of bombing. By the time Commander Codpiece landed on the Lincoln, they’d lost over 28,000 soldiers. 28,000 dead soldiers and god-knows-how-many civilians… just to get one guy. And the wrong guy at that.

Somebody please explain to me how this is going to make us safer, because I don’t see it.

Western Swing – AZ NM CO

Here’s My Offer: I’ll match every sign you put up in your state with three of my own. If Arizona sends me pictures of 25 signs, I’ll go there and put up 75. Same for you New Mexico. You too Colorado. This offer valid for hand-painted signs only.

As citizens of swing states, please bear in mind that the point here is to win people over, not put them off, so let’s try and soft pedal the “Bush = Hitler” stuff, okay? (There’ll be plenty of time for that after he cancels the election and declares martial law.)

Remember, the only difference between me and the rest of you is cardboard, paint, and a willingness to use them, and I think we can all agree that that’s not very much of a difference.

This offer expires October 15th.

Dump Duhbya