WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Osama bin Laden, the man President Bush vowed to capture “dead or alive,” tossed a bombshell into the deadheat U.S. presidential campaign on Friday in a video address to the American people which some political analysts said could actually help Bush.
Bin Laden, in his first video in more than a year, threatened new attacks on the United States.
“Despite entering the fourth year after Sept. 11, Bush is still deceiving you and hiding the truth from you and therefore the reasons are still there to repeat what happened,” he said.
Political analysts contacted by Reuters were still trying to digest the effect on the race with only four days to go until Election Day next Tuesday and Bush tied with Democrat John Kerry in the polls.
None thought it would persuade a large number of voters one way or another but with the race this close, even a small movement could be decisive.
“My visceral reaction is that it could hurt Kerry. I don’t think the American people will take kindly to Osama bin Laden stepping into our election,” said St. Louis University political scientist Joel Goldstein.
“It’s an unfortunate 11th hour diversion but it reminds people of the terrorist threat and that’s Bush’s strong point,” Goldstein said.
From Bin Laden Tape Could Help Bush – Analysts
A little convenient though, don’t you think? And Bush saying he’s not too concerned about Osama… not even concerned enough to go after him and distracting America with… err… the drama in the Persian Gulf. How could they notice a little thing like that. They wanted Osama, started calling his name before the WTC building had even collapsed, were just smoking columns in the sky, but somehow managed to go after (and get Sadaam)… what the jail is wrong with America?
Also worth reading, How Osama Won the War on Terror
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