# Massive terrorist attack in the US

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massive-terrorist-attack-in-the-us/228569>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [February 11, 2004, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massive-terrorist-attack-in-the-us/228569 "2004-02-11T01:52:12Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Pepsi\_Classic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f19dbf/32.png) [@Pepsi\_Classic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pepsi_Classic)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2004, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massive-terrorist-attack-in-the-us/228569/1 "2004-02-11T01:52:12Z")

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Would another massive terrorist attack in the US help or hurt Bush in the Presidential election?

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**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2004, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massive-terrorist-attack-in-the-us/228569/2 "2004-02-11T02:00:26Z")

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Why, what do you have in mind?

🙂

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**Author:** ![robertliguori](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/46a35a/32.png) [@robertliguori](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robertliguori)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2004, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massive-terrorist-attack-in-the-us/228569/3 "2004-02-11T02:19:56Z")

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> [@Pepsi Classic](#):
>
> Would another massive terrorist attack in the US help or hurt Bush in the Presidential election?

It depends. Right before the election, there would probably be another rally-behind-the-president blitz. A bit before, and the democrats would be able to bring it up as evidence that everything Bush has done hasn’t worked at all.  
Basically, whoever spends more on PR wins. Business as usual.

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**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2004, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massive-terrorist-attack-in-the-us/228569/4 "2004-02-11T02:53:22Z")

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> [@robertliguori](#):
>
> Basically, whoever spends more on PR wins.

Says a lot about the Voting public. It makes me sad. No matter how utterly crap for America and the world Bush is, he will probably win the election somehow.

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**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2004, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massive-terrorist-attack-in-the-us/228569/5 "2004-02-11T03:22:06Z")

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> [@robertliguori](#):
>
> It depends. Right before the election, there would probably be another rally-behind-the-president blitz. A bit before, and the democrats would be able to bring it up as evidence that everything Bush has done hasn’t worked at all.

I agree. That’s the same answer I gave in the thread with the exact same OP a few months ago… 🙂

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**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2004, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massive-terrorist-attack-in-the-us/228569/6 "2004-02-11T03:42:03Z")

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I think it helps. Joe Blow is going to want a strong response to the attack and the GOP is perceived as more likely to provide one.

Haj

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**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2004, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massive-terrorist-attack-in-the-us/228569/7 "2004-02-11T03:55:16Z")

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> [@robertliguori](#):
>
> It depends. Right before the election, there would probably be another rally-behind-the-president blitz. A bit before, and the democrats would be able to bring it up as evidence that everything Bush has done hasn’t worked at all.  
> Basically, whoever spends more on PR wins. Business as usual.

Did the Clinton campaign spend more than Dole and Bush in their respective elections?

Marc