If a terrorist attack occurs between now and Nov. 2, the administration would be much more likely to postpone the election if the Republican ticket is behind in the polls. That kind of unprecedented manipulation of the U.S. presidential election system should be strictly off-limits.

Meanwhile, rhetorical manipulations about terrorism and the election are already upon us. Pro-Bush spinners have put out the fatuous idea that a pre-election terrorist attack on the USA would amount to an effort to oust the incumbent from the White House. Yet President Bush’s approval ratings skyrocketed across the country immediately after Sept. 11, 2001.

If anyone stands to gain politically from a terrorist attack in the United States before Election Day, in my opinion, it’s George W. Bush. But many journalists have bought into the opposite line, which sets the stage for Republicans to claim that a Bush-Cheney victory is necessary to show terrorists that America refuses to be intimidated.

http://usa.mediamonitors.net/content/view/full/8236/