Give the GOP a taste of their own medicine

I don't like targeting a particular group of people for unfavorable treatment, it's just obnoxious and, frankly, wrong to do so. But, let's face it, the Arab world has certainly offered the west some reasons to be a little wary, shall we say, especially in national security matters.

So this recently announced deal, on which the Bush administration has signed off, in which Dubai Ports World, a United Arab Emirates company, will take over major U.S. port operations in New York, New Jersey, Baltimore, New Orleans, Miami and Philadelphia, should be the perfect occasion for the Democrats – if they have an ounce of political sense left – to do a little demagoguing of the GOP.

The Republicans, after all, are masters at this, and they are also especially good at taking a candidate's strengths and somehow turning it against them: Al Gore was too stiff and intellectual (and, you know, who wants a smart guy in the Oval office, we want a good ol' boy who more Americans would prefer to have a beer with) and then John Kerry and his war hero status (hmm, questions must be raised, did he really deserve those medals, pay no attention to the man behind the curtain).

Well, now the Dems should be pounding on the port security issue non-stop. Bush and his party somehow have the reputation for being better at national security (never mind 9-11 actually happened under them) so throw that very issue right back in their faces.

Asked about the port deal, the head of homeland security, Michael (“Hurricane? What hurricane?”) Chertoff, said, "We make sure there are assurances in place, in general, sufficient to satisfy us that the deal is appropriate from a national security standpoint.”

Who cares. Make this an issue.

The blow back is already beginning, to an extent. As A.P. reports, “Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), who is working on legislation to prohibit companies owned or controlled by foreign governments from running port operations in the United States, said Chertoff's comments showed him that the administration "just does not get it."

It's a start, but the Democrats should be ginning this issue up daily and make it into a major embarrassment for the Republican administration. I'm tired of our side just rolling over and playing by Queensbury rules, while the other side goes for the jugular. We should be fighting as hard as Karl Rove and his gang of dirty tricksters.