Professor: GOP sees failed bombing as ‘holiday gift’

By David Edwards and Sahil Kapur
Tuesday, December 29th, 2009 -- 11:16 am
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lacewell Professor: GOP sees failed bombing as holiday giftWASHINGTON -- Friday's failed terrorist attack on Northwest Flight 253 has led to a resurgent debate on national security, and one political science expert said Monday that the GOP is exploiting and politicizing the debate for its personal gain.

"What the GOP sees as its clear ability to attack the Obama administration is on this question of national security and terrorism," Melissa Harris-Lacewell, associate professor of politics at Princeton University, said on MSNBC's Rachel Maddow Show.

"It's sad but there is a way in which this terrorist plot, which did not actually take any American lives," she continued. "At least some members of the GOP clearly saw this as a holiday gift -- an opportunity to once again put terrorism on the agenda, someplace they think they are strong."

"The American people should be assured that we are doing everything in our power to keep you and your family safe and secure during this busy holiday season," President Obama said Monday. His spokesman Robert Gibbs urged the public to "make protecting our nation a nonpartisan issue."

But as Lacewell pointed out, the GOP has thrown a flurry of partisan punches at Obama for this incident.

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"It’s not surprising," Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-MI), the leading Republican on the House intelligence committee, said shortly after the foiled attempt at terrorism. "People have got to start connecting the dots here and maybe this is the thing that will connect the dots for the Obama administration."

Asked on Fox News Sunday whether he thinks it's "fair" to blame Obama for the attacks, Hoekstra responded: "Yeah, I think it really is."

"The Obama administration came in and said we're not going to use the word terrorism anymore, we're going to call it man made disasters, trying to, I think, downplay the threat from terrorism," he said. "In reality, it's getting much more complex."

Washington Monthly's Steve Benen pointed out that "the White House uses the word 'terrorism' all the time."

As Maddow pointed out in the segment, Hoekstra has made the terror attempt a central theme in his recent fundraising email to supporters.

Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) slammed Obama on Fox News Sunday for "soft talk about engagement."

"These things are not gonna appease the terrorists," DeMint said, referring also to the plan to close Guantanamo Bay. "They’re gonna keep coming after us, and we can’t have politics as usual in Washington, and I’m afraid that’s what we’ve got right now with airport security."

DeMint also warned that the failed terror plot may encourage greater "unionizing" among airport security personnel. He defended his stalling of Obama's nominee for Transport Security Administration chief by alleging that unionization would weaken America's safety.

Rep. Peter King (R-NY) accused Obama of not being more forceful after the Christmas day attempt.

"This came very close to being one of the greatest tragedies in the history of our country," King said on CNN Saturday. "It is important at a time like this that the President of the United States or someone in the administration would step forward."

"100 percent of the Islamic terrorists are Muslim, and that is our main enemy today,"  he added.

The incident has also led to a resurgent debate on racial profiling.

Conservative radio host Mike Gallagher advocated full-fledged profiling of Muslims at airports, saying Sunday on Fox News that "there should be a separate line to scrutinize anybody with the name 'Abdul' or 'Ahmed' or 'Mohammad.'"

Lacewell said these GOP criticisms are eager attempts to score political points by undermining Obama. "The can't go after him on the economy," she said, "they handed him a tanking economy."

This video is from MSNBC's The Rachel Maddow Show, broadcast Dec. 28, 2009.

Download video via RawReplay.com

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Story comments are below...

  • icenine
    Let's see now. When the GOP was in charge, the terrorists successfully crashed into 3 buildings killing about 3000 people. And that was perceived as GOOD for the Republicans? The Dems, now in charge, have an unsuccessful airline bombing attempt and no one is hurt. And that is perceived as BAD for the Dems? The context of the whole discussion is so distorted as to be absurd. And this is a result of our mostly right-wing corporate media and our lazy spoon-fed public.
  • J.D.
    You're so uninformed. If Bush's security advisor had said that "the system worked" on 9/12, then your comparison would be apt.

    It's bad for the dems because they are constantly doing everything in their power to weaken national security, and when something like this happens and they don't see a problem at all, then something is seriously wrong. Back to the golf course for Obama!
  • Mikethedog
    No, blaming Clinton was the Bush strategy. You can't re-write history... oh and what the hell does golfing have to do with anything? What should Obama do? Whatever he does I'm sure it will fule your fire. Dems are actively, intentionally weakening national security? Really? How come this hasn't been on the news... oh it's been on Fox News... that's not news.
  • Mikethedog
    Ghouls.
  • plunger
    Read my take on the truth of this matter and related alleged terror attacks starting with this post:

    http://attackerman.firedoglake.com/2009/12/29/o...
  • Scuby
    Interesting read. Thanks!
  • overdoneputaforkinit
    It's a gift to the high profit defense industry and the Republicans who receive so much campaign contributions from the defense industry. Always ask, "For whom is it a gift?"
  • turnip
    Cui bono? Always an appropriate question, when War is Peace, Liberty is Slavery, Greed is Good, and so on.
  • Bud Dingler
    I think we are headed for an Abdullah Free Airline.

    I mean lets get real and forget discrimination for a minute. Its a stupid waste of time to inspect Grandma's purse and body scan some 20yo blond with a baby. What a farce. Meanwhile we are going to treat Abdullah the same as Grandma?

    Our democracy is not perfect - its time to admit that and make some exceptions or our insistance on perfection will bankrupt our country.

    The Republicans only appeal to angry white male rednecks and their arm candy.
  • J.D.
    The liberals are already racially-segregating students in college dorms, so why not on airplanes? At least in the latter instance, peoples' lives could be spared.

    I suspect that the disease known as 'liberalism' won't allow for such logic, however.
  • dennycrane
    Oh, did someone poop in santa's bag?
  • RomanceWritR
    Forget about terrorism this is a real danger to all of us:

    Warning to Older Men

    You have to be careful out shopping, always watch out for those around you!!


    Clever Scam - taking advantage of older men

    Women often receive warnings about protecting themselves at the mall and in dark parking lots, etc . This is the first warning I have seen for men . I wanted to pass it on in case you haven't heard about it . This will only become more commonplace here in the US as the Shopping Season begins .

    A 'heads up' for those men who may be regular Lowe's, Home Depot, or Wal-Mart customers . This one caught me by surprise .

    Over the last summer and fall I became a victim of a clever scam while out shopping . Simply going out to get supplies has turned out to be quite traumatic . Don't be naive enough to think it couldn't happen to you or your friends .

    Here's how the scam works:

    Two seriously good-looking 20-something girls come over to your car as you are packing your shopping into the trunk . . They both start wiping your windshield with a rag and Windex, with their breasts almost falling out of their skimpy T-shirts . It is impossible not to look . When you thank them and offer them a tip, they say 'No' and instead ask you for a ride to McDonalds .

    You agree and they get into the back seat . On the way, they start undressing . . Then one of them climbs over into the front seat and starts crawling all over you, while the other one steals your wallet . I had my wallet stolen Oct 4th, 9th, 10th, twice on the 15th, 17th, 20th, 24th, & 29th . Also Nov 1st & 4th, twice on the 8th, 16th, 23rd, 26th & 28th, three times last Monday and very likely again this upcoming weekend .

    So tell your friends to be careful . What a horrible way to take advantage of older men . Warn your friends to be vigilant .

    Wal-Mart has wallets on sale for $2 . 99 each . I found cheaper ones for $1 . 99 at K- Mart and bought them out . Also, you never will get to eat at McDonalds . I've already lost 11 pounds just running back and forth between Lowe's, Home Depot, and Wal-Mart
  • dennycrane
    I found out on YouTube that they were your cousins.
  • RomanceWritR
    No, your sisters
  • carrion
    WASHINGTON, Dec 28 (IPS) - U.S. intelligence has concluded that the document published recently by the Times of London, which purportedly describes an Iranian plan to do experiments on what the newspaper described as a "neutron initiator" for an atomic weapon, is a fabrication, according to a former Central Intelligence Agency official.

    Philip Giraldi, who was a CIA counterterrorism official from 1976 to 1992, told IPS that intelligence sources say that the United States had nothing to do with forging the document, and that Israel is the primary suspect. The sources do not rule out a British role in the fabrication, however.

    "The Rupert Murdoch chain has been used extensively to publish false intelligence from the Israelis and occasionally from the British government," Giraldi said.

    U.S. news media reporting has left the impression that U.S. intelligence analysts have not made up their mind about the document's authenticity, although it has been widely reported that they have now had a full year to assess the issue.
  • carrion
    WASHINGTON, Dec 28 (IPS) - U.S. intelligence has concluded that the document published recently by the Times of London, which purportedly describes an Iranian plan to do experiments on what the newspaper described as a "neutron initiator" for an atomic weapon, is a fabrication, according to a former Central Intelligence Agency official.

    Philip Giraldi, who was a CIA counterterrorism official from 1976 to 1992, told IPS that intelligence sources say that the United States had nothing to do with forging the document, and that Israel is the primary suspect. The sources do not rule out a British role in the fabrication, however.

    "The Rupert Murdoch chain has been used extensively to publish false intelligence from the Israelis and occasionally from the British government," Giraldi said.

    U.S. news media reporting has left the impression that U.S. intelligence analysts have not made up their mind about the document's authenticity, although it has been widely reported that they have now had a full year to assess the issue.
  • true scum...
    Block the funds, block nominations, lie and then clutch pearls and send out fundraising letter.

    Why do the republicans hate America so much? Why are they so afraid of what our founding fathers believed in? They want a small group to rule (and of course they're all white) and all others are to be their feudal slaves. When will america wake up? The best we can be is being starved and destroyed by the right. America is strongest when all her citizens participate politically, economically and socially. Divide and conquer is for the enemy, not your citizens. But of course a free and independent fourth estate is necessary for a free and independent citizenry.
  • Independentgal
    Some people will believe that Cheney was correct when he recently flooded the media (along with daughter) with his opinion that we will have another attack under Obama.

    I believe Cheney should be investigated for any participation in the plot.
  • J.D.
    MSNBC and Princeton, both = TTT
  • carrion
    WASHINGTON, Dec 28 (IPS) - U.S. intelligence has concluded that the document published recently by the Times of London, which purportedly describes an Iranian plan to do experiments on what the newspaper described as a "neutron initiator" for an atomic weapon, is a fabrication, according to a former Central Intelligence Agency official.

    Philip Giraldi, who was a CIA counterterrorism official from 1976 to 1992, told IPS that intelligence sources say that the United States had nothing to do with forging the document, and that Israel is the primary suspect. The sources do not rule out a British role in the fabrication, however.

    "The Rupert Murdoch chain has been used extensively to publish false intelligence from the Israelis and occasionally from the British government," Giraldi said.

    U.S. news media reporting has left the impression that U.S. intelligence analysts have not made up their mind about the document's authenticity, although it has been widely reported that they have now had a full year to assess the issue.
  • Will somebody please ban this guy!
  • Independentgal
    And Rupert also purchased the Dow Jones and Wall Street Journal right before things started to smell on Wall Street.
  • fukum
    They don't call them GOPigs or Goopers for nothin'
  • carrion
    WASHINGTON, Dec 28 (IPS) - U.S. intelligence has concluded that the document published recently by the Times of London, which purportedly describes an Iranian plan to do experiments on what the newspaper described as a "neutron initiator" for an atomic weapon, is a fabrication, according to a former Central Intelligence Agency official.

    Philip Giraldi, who was a CIA counterterrorism official from 1976 to 1992, told IPS that intelligence sources say that the United States had nothing to do with forging the document, and that Israel is the primary suspect. The sources do not rule out a British role in the fabrication, however.

    "The Rupert Murdoch chain has been used extensively to publish false intelligence from the Israelis and occasionally from the British government," Giraldi said.

    U.S. news media reporting has left the impression that U.S. intelligence analysts have not made up their mind about the document's authenticity, although it has been widely reported that they have now had a full year to assess the issue.
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