As the November elections draw near, the triumph of fact over Democratic-propelled fantasy is becoming all the more evident. On topics as diverse as national security, the economy and the legislative success of the Republican-controlled Congress, nearly all Democrat talking points are being outed for what they really are: partisan nonsense that is disconnected from reality.
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President Bush delivered another powerful speech Friday highlighting the weakness of Democrats on national security. He blasted away, saying: "Five years after 9-11, the worst attack on the American homeland in our history, Democrats offer nothing but criticism and obstruction and endless second-guessing. The party of FDR and the party of Harry Truman has become the party of cut and run."
These sentiments are right on the money, and the Democratic response is shameful.
According to one spokesperson from the Democratic National Committee, Bush's "failed policies have made America less safe and (have) spawned terrorism, not decreased it."
Huh?
And then there's Sen. Hillary Clinton, who recently stated: "I'm certain that if my husband and his national security team had been shown a classified report titled 'Bin Laden determined to attack inside the United States,' he would've taken it more seriously than history suggests it was taken by our current president and his national security team."
The Democrats must be held accountable for such statements.
Mrs. Clinton neglects to tell us that the subject of a Dec. 4, 1998, brief received by President Clinton was "Bin Laden preparing to hijack U.S. aircraft and other attacks." This material comes courtesy of the 9-11 commission, which President Clinton himself cited during his now infamous interview with Chris Wallace.
Additionally, terrorist expert Richard Clarke, whom the former president also cited in the Wallace interview, made it clear in an August 2002 press conference that the Bush administration had stepped up the anti-bin-Laden effort during its first eight months in power. Clarke said Bush shifted the anti-terror effort from a rollback strategy to an elimination strategy. The Bush administration also increased the anti-al-Qaida budget fivefold. Translated, Bush was tougher on al-Qaida than his predecessor.
Yes, Bush made mistakes, just as Clinton made mistakes. But for Bill Clinton to tell Chris Wallace anything different is the height of hypocrisy.
I'll also note that it's a pleasure to source Richard Clarke and the 9-11 commission -- Clinton's sources during the Wallace interview -- in the cause of separating fact from fantasy. That beats the ex-president's finger-wagging any day.
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