RNC - Day One

After watching the first evening of speeches, the game plan seems pretty obvious. Take us back to the days after 9/11 and we'll all be too scared to vote for anyone besides Bush. Let's look at a couple quotes:

John McCain:
But remember we are not enemies, but comrades in a war against a real enemy, and take courage from the knowledge that our military superiority is matched only by the superiority of our ideals, and our unconquerable love for them.
Our adversaries are weaker than us in arms and men, but weaker still in causes. They fight to express a hatred for all that is good in humanity.
We fight for love of freedom and justice, a love that is invincible. Keep that faith. Keep your courage. Stick together. Stay strong.
Do not yield. Do not flinch. Stand up. Stand up with our President and fight.

Rudy Giuliani:
And as we look...as we look beyond this election...you know, as we look beyond this election and realize that elections do accentuate our differences...you know, let's make sure that we rekindle that spirit that we had that we're one America, we're united to end the threat of global terrorism as one people.

What the point seems to be is that America should be scared and united and that by breaking from Bush to vote for Kerry would be to give hope to the terrorists. Don't buy it.
I think it's a dangerous thing to use a national tragedy as a political rallying point. It has the potential to backfire on the Bush campaign. Most of the country supported the war in Afghanistan because we had a clear enemy who had struck our country, but then the Administration tried to capitalize on the national unity to attack a country that was not involved. It was a war of choice. And it has made us less safe.
We do have a greater war to face, we do have legions of terrorists lining up to attack Americans and we need a leader who will face those challenges. But we need one who will do it deliberation, with collaboration. We need a leader who will only use military force when necessary.
By attacking Iraq, Bush has set the bar very low. It no longer takes a great threat to go to war. Apparently it no longer requires the capability to make nuclear weapons. Using the standards of the Bush Doctrine, there are any number of country that would require immediate military intervention. Do you want a President who would take us to war so easily?

Maybe tonight we'll here something on the economy or health care. Maybe they will show that they care about what the American people care about.