Kerry: terrorism equivalent to prostitution, gambling

A story in the New York Times today, which the paper probably thought would help Kerry, some more startling revelations are made about John Kerry's view of terrorism. When asked by his interviewer what it would take to make Americans feel safe again, the Senator replied:

We have to get back to the place we were, where terrorists are not the focus of our lives, but they're a nuisance [...] As a former law enforcement person, I know we're never going to end prostitution. We're never going to end illegal gambling. But we're going to reduce it, organized crime, to a level where it isn't on the rise. It isn't threatening people's lives every day, and fundamentally, it's something that you continue to fight, but it's not threatening the fabric of your life.

So global terrorism is an "organized crime" and merely a "nuisance". The remark speaks for itself. John Kerry honestly views the fight against terrorism as a law enforcement matter. This is the same approach the Clinton administration took after the first attack on the World Trade Center, and now the Senator would like to continue this failed policy after the second Trade Center atack.

Not surprisingly, the Bush campaign sees this as excellent fodder to hit Kerry with and will be using the quote in a new ad. The Kerry campaign, sensing again that their idiot of a candidate has just stepped in it again, issued a statement claiming that the GOP was taking the Senator's words out of context:

This is yet another example of the Bush campaign taking John Kerry's words out of context, and then blowing it up into something that is nothing [...] The whole article is about how John Kerry recognizes that the war on terror requires a multipronged approach. It's not just the military aspect, but you need diplomacy to be able to enlist your allies. The Bush people have never understood that.

How does the need for diplomacy answer the question on whether or not John Kerry views this war as simply a law enforement effort? Is this summit Kerry is so fond of mentioning going to include a request that France send police officers to patrol the streets of the United States? Not satisfied with the depth to which his statement made Kerry's hole deeper, the Kerry spokesman continued:

John Kerry has always said that terrorism is the No. 1 threat to the U.S.

Interesting. Let's review the transcript from the first debate:

LEHRER: New question, two minutes, Senator Kerry. If you are elected president, what will you take to that office thinking is the single most serious threat to the national security to the United States?

KERRY: Nuclear proliferation. Nuclear proliferation.

The man was so sure of his answer he said it twice! Sounds alot like his little fantasy voyage into Cambodia that was "seared, seared" into his memory. John Kerry, flip-flop? Nah!

UPDATE: Bush campaign already has their ad up using the Kerry remarks. The grown-ups over at the Kerry camp must want to strangle their candidate.