A Great Start
Reported by Eleanor - August 4, 2004 -
The news of the day as presented on Fox & Friends (Aug.4, 7:00 a.m.) started with a NY Times item that U.S. Intelligence has recently been looking at "old news" about Al Qaeda attacks, and it validates the terror chatter. Doocy started with "the democrats say it's political timing. They don't like that it's three or four years old. They would rather talk about Viet Nam." Lieberman is quoted as saying it's ridiculous to claim we're on high alert for political reasons. (So the republican position is validated by Liberman - who is brought out frequently to make a point for the republican side.)
Also stated in this segment and repeated two more times: British intelligence says that Al Qaeda plans to attack 60 days before the election, which is September 2, the day Bush is speaking at the Republican Convention.
The next story was about John & Elizabeth at Wendy's celebrating their wedding anniversary, while John & Teresa had a huge "expensive" box lunch in the bus. (Huh, and the point is?)
Christopher Shays was next with a validation of the Bush approach to the appointment of a Terror Czar - the Czar should not report directly to the president; it's not necessary to convene Congress; but it should happen quickly. Shays also said the elevated threat is based on old and new intelligence. The question is not "if" but "when" and "where" they will attack. (So continue to be afraid.)
In the interview of Phillip Smucker, author of Al Qaeda's Great Escape, the item about the possibility of an attack 60 days before the election is repeated, as well as September 2 correlating with Bush's speech. Smucker emphasized that publicizing targets causes the terrorists to go to other targets. We're telegraphing information to the enemy. (The message in this segment seemed to be not to broadcast security information that is too specific. The terrorists change their targets as a result. So if we follow that advice, we should be able to continue the vague threats, but keep September 2 in mind.)
Kelly Wright reinforced the message of the day by saying that the "political foes" of Bush question the timing of using "archival" information. Ridge said Homeland Security does not play politics with national security. Clinton was on the Letterman show saying that he doesn't think it's politics to put it out now, but he indicated that a stronger presence in Afghanistan would have gotten at the issue a year earlier. The item about 60 days before the election - September 2 - and Bush's speech is repeated again.
Rich Lowry and Bob Beckel fill time in the last segment comparing Teresa and Laura with gems like: Beckel - younger women like Teresa. She says what she means. The 4 years - 3 months video is shown again. Lowry: She's a loose cannon - talks about self - Laura is never going to embarrass Bush. Beckel: I've never known a librarian to get anyone upset.
Comment: Based on this beginning of the "news" day, the important stuff is this: Make sure everyone knows that Bush favors a Terror Czar who is not too close to the White House. The terror information should not be too specific because the terrorists are listening, but also note that they plan to attack on September 2, the day that Bush makes his Convention speech. Some prominent democrats don't believe the timing of the alerts is political, so the democrats should quit talking about "old" versus "new" threats. The Teresa Kerry story about "four more years...three more months" will be in the news until she says something else they consider noteworthy, like another "shove it" remark. Oh yes, and E.D. said something about not being able to put big books in your "socks." This show also filled time with local murder stories as usual.
