Conservative GOP thought Bush/Ashcroft were doing a good job with the Shoe Bomber caper

[zulchzulu]

Conservative blowhole Andrew McCarthy talked about how great everyone was after the Richard Reid incident:

John Ashcroft reminded Americans Monday of how effective the government's post-9/11 effort to thwart Islamic militancy has been, announcing the indictment of a second conspirator in the most audacious plot for a second wave of aerial terror. Simultaneously, the attorney general underscored how effectively the Bush administration has worked with America's allies in that effort, and the importance of the Patriot Act in meeting the challenges of the new threat environment."

http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=MDBhYzJlM2M3NzQ4NmYwYTk2NjY1NDU5MjQzMjQ0OGU=

Here's Peter King (R-NY) on the issue back in 2006,referring to Richard Reid:

But for instance, my own committee is having a hearing. And this was scheduled a month ago. It's going to be held on September 7th when we get back on the science and technology directorate at the Department of Homeland Security. I think more does have to be done as far as technology.

But also, if I can go back to what Mr. Ron said, we can only go so far with technology. Listen, we have to get the best technology possible. But we're never going to be 100 percent safe. We have to have as many layers of defense as possible.

(snip)

And there's another place where DHS has to do a better job, and that's getting the terrorist screening list more up to date so that we'll know — have a better idea in advance who's coming in, who's not, and also better backgrounds on the people, focus on them, screen others randomly.

But you can't do 100 percent, no. But we should really try to narrow down those who we know we want to get or who could be a potential risk.

(snip)

I think one thing we should consider is what DOD is actually looking at, and that's having perimeter security at airports to stop MANPADS from being shot out. But again, we're never going to get 100 percent security. And besides, we have subways, chemical plants, tunnels, bridges, all of these out here.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,209498,00.html

Peter King was a tad more dismissive of the Bush administration than the Obama administration. Wonder why...