Relax!
Some people ask, "What if we have a major terrorist attack again? Will the elections be halted?" No election in the U.S. has ever been halted, even
due to war. The 1814 Elections happened in the middle of a British invasion of the U.S. The 1864 Elections happened in the middle of the Civil War.
The 1934, 1938, 1942, and 1944 Elections happened during the Great Depression and World War II... in this case, the U.S. suffered a near economic
meltdown and was directly attacked in the middle of the economic crisis... and of course, the 2000 Election was hotly contested, followed by a direct
attack on the U.S. less than a year later...
My point is, the U.S. has survived worse already, so I'm not worried about the 2004 Elections.
Another thing that puzzles me... how would the survival of Osama bin Laden and another terrorist threat
help Bush remain as President?
Bush, I think, wants just the opposite... a terrorist attack in the U.S. between now and November would not scare people into voting for him; it would
enrage them into voting against him, thus ensuring his loss. People wolud think, "After all the crap that Bush has put us through for 3 years after
9/11/01, the U.S. is still attacked? Forget that, he obviously can't do the job." However, if he makes it to November with no more terrorist attacks
in the U.S. since 9/11/01, people will think, "Well, we've been through a lot of crap, but most of the terrorists are over in the Middle East trying
to stop us right now, so we might as well let him keep taking the fight to their home field instead of on over here on ours." Bush gets reelected.
If the Bush administration is reporting another credible terrorist threat in the U.S., it's only grudgingly that they admit it. If Bush is likely to
do anything unethical between now and November, it'll be trying to hide a terrorist attack in the U.S. if it occurs, or trying to make it look like
an 'unfortuante accident.' Even if Bush did 'rig' the 2000 Election (which he didn't... that's a whole discussion in itself), he won't even try
it in the 2004 Election, because all eyes will be on the ballot boxes during elections for decades to come now.
The opposite is true for Kerry, of course -- another terrorist attack in the U.S. or Osama bin Laden showing us he's alive and well would guarantee
his victory. I don't think he hopes for such a thing, of course... However, if it did happen, he's not stupid, he'd voice his concerns about Bush
not being up to the task of stopping terrorism around the world loud and clear.