So there’s Bin Laden tape out, the first in a long while.
This could be seen as an attempt by Bin Laden to influence the election against Bush; his mocking comments towards the President certainly make it come off that way.
But I don’t think it will work, because of a theory I’ll call “The Batman Effect”.
Batman is constantly trying to put the Joker out of business for good. But if you haven’t noticed, he generally never quite manages. The Joker is never, ever truly vanquished; he’ll always be back for more.
But when the Joker’s on the loose again, you don’t stop to think “Damn, Batman still hasn’t managed to get rid of this guy, we better find somebody else.” You don’t say “get me Aquaman on the phone.” You think about the only guy who actually does something about the Joker, even if it hasn’t been a permanent solution: the only guy who’s been able to do the clown some damage and set back his schemes a ways.
You put up the damned Bat Signal and hope that Batman answers the call.
Bush is Batman to Bin Laden’s Joker. And the American public isn’t going to dump Batman just because he hasn’t won the final battle with the Joker yet.
Bottom line: Bin Laden probably just gave the election to Bush. Not because of anything in particular he said: but simply because he lives, and Americans will realize that the lunatic has escaped from Arkham Asylum yet again…
PS: Hey! I think I finally fulfilled my promise to do a Heroes For Bush post myself, if somewhat belatedly…
Round the horn
Captain Ed: “As for the effect the tape will have on the election, I think it will be negligible. It reminds people that OBL is still alive, which hurts Bush; on the other hand, it reminds people that we’re at war and very much at risk, which hurts Kerry…”
Wiz and bang: “Osama Bin Laden, in his just released video tape, quotes Michael Moore’s “My Pet Goat” line. Remember, Michael Moore is so highly thought of by the Democrats that he was given a box seat for the Democratic convention…”
Bill at INDC: “Did bin Laden voice any displeasure with Bush’s support of the Federal Marriage Amendment? Because if he did, I think we definitely need to check Lockhart’s satellite phone records…”
The Jawa Report: “Many in the Muslim world are victims of the propaganda put forth by outlets such as al Jazeera. Al Jazeera and al Qaeda also believe they can foist this worldview upon the American people. They are wrong.
What will our response be to this propaganda effort? I am more confident now than I was just hours ago that President Bush will win reelection….”
Jeff G: “bin Laden