Byron York of National Review

Byron York of National Review Online on new polls that show “widespread repudiation of the [Democrats’] approach to terrorism, and virtually everything else.” According to the numbers York cites, 64 percent of the public said that the Republicans are tough enough on terrorism, while 27 percent said they aren’t tough enough. But only 34 percent said the Democrats are tough enough, while 57 percent said they aren’t sufficiently tough. Other results are also discouraging for the Democrats, but for the foreseeable future, it’s the terrorism numbers they will have to reverse in order to get back into the game. As I have suggested, this is a difficult mission, should they choose to accept it. The Democrats’ jockeying on national security issues this year has created an impression that may be almost as lasting as the opposite impression President Bush created in the weeks after September 11.