Bin Laden remix

Osama Bin Laden makes his October surprise, releasing a new video tape that may become 18 very important minutes in this long, hard fought campaign. Here's the part that seems to be getting most of the play:

"Your security is not in the hands of (Democratic candidate John) Kerry or Bush or al-Qaida. Your security is in your own hands," bin Laden said.

"To the U.S. people, my talk is to you about the best way to avoid another disaster," he said. "I tell you: security is an important element of human life and free people do not give up their security."

So the question becomes, will this harken America back to the 9/11 days and unite them behind Bush, or will it remind the people that Bush is the guy that let him get away two years ago? No one seems sure for now. And both sides (except for Dick Morris, who says this helps Bush tremendously) have to handle the thing with kid gloves for now so they don't look to be taking advantage of the guy who is responsible for the death of thousands of Americans.

The campaign responses? Bush gave a four sentence speech stating we won't be intimidated, and that we will prevail in the war on terror. The media tells me Kerry has said that we are all united in a campaign to hunt down and kill the terrorists and Osama Bin Laden. Neither side wants to turn this into an overt campaign issue.

The way I look at it now, if the President says he's not concerned with OBL, then we shouldn't be either.