Theater

Now, Howard Dean is insane. We all know that, right? He was insane when he had the unmitigated gall to suggest that, when Saddam was pulled out of his hole in the ground, his capture did nothing to make America safer. And he's insane now, suggesting yesterday that there could be some political motivation behind the new "Be Very Afraid" terror alert from yesterday, which came to us, as Tom Ridge said, as "the result of the president's leadership in the war against terror."

Bush, who two weeks back repeated, ad infinitum, the phrase, "America is safer," told reporters yesterday that "We are a nation in danger." I guess that's what was meant by the new Bush-Cheney slogan, "We've turned a corner."

In any case, Dr. Dean was not alone in his doubts. Counter-terrorism experts were also crying foul yesterday, though no one noticed in the broadcast orgy of fear-mongering. The networks and 24-hour news channels bought into the warning hook, line, and sinker. Let's remember, though, as the NY Times says today:

Much of the information that led the authorities to raise the terror alert at several large financial institutions in the New York City and Washington areas was three or four years old, intelligence and law enforcement officials said on Monday. They reported that they had not yet found concrete evidence that a terrorist plot or preparatory surveillance operations were still under way.

Three to four years old. And, as is the normal procedure for the Bush administration, after the Two Minutes' Fear led by Minister Ridge had passed, the administration quietly backed away from its initial claims. After all, mission accomplished, right?

The comments of government officials on Monday seemed softer in tone than the warning issued the day before. On Sunday, officials were circumspect in discussing when the surveillance of the financial institutions had occurred, and Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge cited the quantity of intelligence from "multiple reporting streams'' that he said was "alarming in both the amount and specificity of the information.''

The officials said on Monday that they were still analyzing computer records, photos, drawings and other documents, seized last month in Pakistan, which showed that Qaeda operatives had conducted extensive reconnaissance.

"What we've uncovered is a collection operation as opposed to the launching of an attack," a senior American official said.

The bobble heads are all agog too, harping on the unprecedented "specificity" of this warning (and after the last few "warnings" being blasted for their ambiguity if not their political motivation, does it surprise anyone at all that this time, specifics were given?). In fact, if one were to get his or her news solely from the television, one could be convinced that such an attack were imminent. And if so, would actually feel good, even thankful about something such as this:

First thankful, then complacent. The clock is ticking, y'all.