A Different Sort of Straight Talk

Sure, Charlie Black has given the Republicans fever, John McCain a headache and Barack Obama a gift, but why are his comments so shocking? Black told Fortune magazine that the assassination of Benazir Bhutto “helped us” and another terrorist attack before the fall election would be “a big advantage” for his boss, McCain. Oops.

Almost one year ago, back when Hillary Clinton was inevitable, invincible, intimidating and everything else a winner could be, she told a crowd of Democrats in New Hampshire that the GOP would benefit from any terrorist incident during the presidential campaign.

“It’s a horrible prospect to ask yourself, ‘What if? What if?’ But if certain things happen between now and the election, particularly with respect to terrorism, that will automatically give the Republicans an advantage again, no matter how badly they have mishandled it, no matter how much more dangerous they have made the world,” Clinton said. “So I think I’m the best of the Democrats to deal with that,” she added.

Democrats didn’t like that kind of straight talk from Hillary, and no one likes it coming from Black either, including McCain, who had to disavow Black’s comments and strenuously disagree with what is clearly the truth.

The shocking part is not that terrorism aids the Republican Party politically, but that all these years after Sept. 11, 2001, the party wouldn’t have a stock answer for this question — a politically correct and palatable one, I mean. “Well, we all know Americans trust Republicans more than Democrats when it comes to safeguarding the nation’s security, keeping our defense strong and fighting the ongoing terrorist threat, blah blah blah.” Something like that would work just fine, Charlie.

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HOW DAMAGING ARE BLACK’S COMMENTS FOR MCCAIN? Ask A.B. returns next Monday, June 30. Please join my weekly video Q & A by sending your questions and comments to askab@digital-stage.thehill.com. Thank you.