"If we don't find these guys by the election, they are going to stick this whole nuclear mess up our asshole."
Anonymous Pakistani General

The murmurs of crazy conspiracy theorists may not be so crazy after all. An article in The New Republic claims that Pakistan is being pressured to produce Bin Laden and other HVTs (High Value Targets) before the November election but not at any time before the election. A capture would be ever so much better if it took place during the Democratic convention.

a White House aide told ul-Haq last spring that "it would be best if the arrest or killing of [any] HVT were announced on twenty-six, twenty-seven, or twenty-eight July"--the first three days of the Democratic National Convention in Boston.

It seems that a week of Democrats in the news is too much for a scared White House. Of course, two days of Democrats in the news brings another terror threat from Tom Ridge.

It is clear that Bush has messed up enough that Kerry might win. I don't mind that. I just wish that Kerry were able to seize the day and win on his own. Depending on Bush to lose is a dangerous strategy.