Arianna nails it

Will the Dems Ever Learn? "It's The National Security, Stupid"

Did the Dems learn nothing from 2004? Bush won because he had a double-digit lead on the question of who was going to keep us safer.

Well, Katrina shoots that idea straight to hell, doesn't it? And Democrats should make clear once and for all just how illusory the president's purported strength, leadership, and steely-eyed resolve really are.

The debacle in New Orleans contains all the elements necessary to show how Bush's misguided priorities -- especially his obsession with Iraq -- have left us far more vulnerable, unsafe, and insecure. It's the perfect opportunity to redefine national security in a way that would ironically -- by putting America first -- most appeal to the red states.