You are the Candidate: Could Dole in '96 have realistically won?

[Steve_MB]

@Curtis LeMay

With hindsight I would try to wake up America to the growing threat of Al-Qaeda. I would do everything to make it an issue-call up experts, set up TV ads of terrorists crashing planes into skyscrapers, call for tougher security measures and more military action against Al-Qaeda. It may if it causes a sufficient storm produce a Dole victory and President Dole and the destruction of Al-Qaeda.

The problem was that this would prevent the GOP from sniping at Clinton’s anti-terrorism actions (by calling them “wag the dog” ploys). The GOP was unwilling to give up that political weapon in the name of mere national security.

[Diogenes_the_Cynic]

Yeah, Clinton got hooted down by the Republicans every time he even tried to suggest that terrorism was an issue. He was accused of “wagging the dog” when he bombed Iraq in retaliation for the alleged plot to assassinate Poppy Bush.

[Qin_Shi_Huangdi]

@Steve_MB

The problem was that this would prevent the GOP from sniping at Clinton’s anti-terrorism actions (by calling them “wag the dog” ploys). The GOP was unwilling to give up that political weapon in the name of mere national security.

As I’ve said this is with hindsight so if the Republicans do push this it may make Clinton take even stronger counterterrorist policies.