The Silver Bullet To Bush’s National Security Advantage

by Steve

Karl will have his work cut out for him reclaiming that national security advantage over the Democrats, thanks to the Dubai deal. Rasmussen says that news of the deal, and Bush’s defense of why it is OK for a Middle Eastern country to operate up to 21 of our ports of entry in the post-9/11 world has cost him his lead over Democrats on the issue.

Just 17% of Americans believe Dubai Ports World should be allowed to purchase operating rights to several U.S. ports. A Rasmussen Reports survey found that 64% disagree and believe the sale should not be allowed.

Just 39% of Americans know that the operating rights are currently owned by a foreign firm. Fifteen percent (15%) believe the operating rights are U.S. owned while 46% are not sure.

From a political perspective, President Bush's national security credentials have clearly been tarnished due to the outcry over this issue. For the first time ever, Americans have a slight preference for Democrats in Congress over the President on national security issues. Forty-three percent (43%) say they trust the Democrats more on this issue today while 41% prefer the President.

The preference for the opposition party is small, but the fact that Democrats are even competitive on the national security front is startling. In Election 2002, the President guided his party to regain control of the Senate based almost exclusively on the national security issue.

And again, this is Rasmussen, the wingers’ favorite pollster, next to Opinion Dynamics for Fox, and Gallup. I want Bush to spend valuable time over the next week or so telling us why the Emirates are our good friends, and see him personally vouch for their work in the war on terror given their record of support for Bin Laden and Al Qaeda. And then I want to see it sink into the minds of the cultists that their Dear Leader is putting profit opportunities and business over the security interests of the United States.

Remember, these guys have been telling us for four years that everything changed after 9/11, and that Democrats haven’t grasped that. Well, aside from referring to pre-9/11 developments when it suits them, Republicans will get a taste of their own medicine when Democrats hold them accountable for placing private gain ahead of national security in a post-9/11 world. And it doesn't help calm down Congress, which already wants to take away control of this issue, to find out that Michael Chertoff, like John Snow and Rummy, didn't know squat about this deal until it was approved by underlings.

So we have to accept the fact that, just like in the months before 9/11, senior Bush Administration officials delegate matters involving national security to underlings.