It's time for the Democrats to bring up the Dubai ports issue again

[bluestateguy]

For the longest time, we have been told that the issue upon where Bush and the Republicans poll best is the "War on Terrorism". All other issues, including Iraq (which has nothing to do with the war on terror), give the Democrats the public opinion advantage.

This all changed when the Dubai ports deal became public. This was an issue that was being largely ignored by the MSM. Indeed, we have Michael Savage to thank for making hay out of the issue. When it became public, the Republican invincibility on the terrorism issue disappeared. Polls then showed the parties to be about even in public support, and some polls even gave the Democrats the advantage. Bush was exposed for the corporatist that he is, rather than the rough rider cowboy fighting them turrists. His overall approval ratings dropped into the low 30's. Now they hover in the high 30's.

But then the issue disappeared. The MSM just dropped it like brick. It's time for the Democrats to bring it up again. The Dubai ports deal shatters the myth of Bush as the tough guy cowboy. It also drives a wedge between the Republican base, pitting corporatist/globalists vs. nativists.

[grytpype]

1. Oh, I agree. Didn't Bush do the Arab deal anyway?

"It has come to our attention that Bush went behind your back and sold the ports to the Arabs anyway!"

[Parisle]

2. Ok,... Agreed, But,...........

----While democrats have a serious opportunity to exploit some obvious chinks in Bush's "security armor" on terrorism, they will have to go the distance on the issue in order to be credible. Certainly the Dubai ports deal shocked Bush's base from a security standpoint,.. but then so does Bush's stance on the illegal immigration issue. In fact, from a purely practical standpoint, the open and porous border to the south is probably America's greatest single liability where terrorism is concerned, and people want the border sealed.

----So no matter what position various democrats hold on the subject of Mexicans living and working in the US,.. spanning the spectrum from "for" to "against,".... that position must start with a sealed border. And it must probably also embrace substantial penalties for the employers of illegals.

---- As it stands now, illegal immigration is one of the most convenient issues by which republicans are able to "distance" themselves from a wounded president. Handle this issue correctly, and border security, along with Dubai and Rumsfeld's incompetence, become the three-pronged security advantage the democrats need to cultivate. Ignore the majority of people,.. and ignore the real dangers of millions of people slipping into the country undetected,.... and you lose the issue.

[bluestateguy]

3. Reply

If Bush wants this election to be about "Security", then we need to redirect that debate to the places where Bush is very vulnerable, and that's where the ports deal comes in.

[lonestarnot]

4. Truth is always the best defense, but this truth should definitely

be used offensively. Rub onions in their noses, salt in their wounds.