Eight Words We Need To Hear

by Micheal Goodwin
The Daily News, Thursday July 29, 2004

These are eight magic words and they are offered with the modest suggestion that John Kerry say them from the podium tonight when he is crowned King of all Democrats: "We must kill them before they kill us."

Notice I've helpfully put the phrase in quotation marks. I'm flexible, but no words should be added or subtracted. The way they're written is political haiku: Simple, clear, no room for wiggle room.

For those uncertain about the meaning, herewith a definition guide:

"We" is the United States of America and we are prepared to act with or without France's approval.

"Must" means there is no room for negotiation with those who think we can pretend 9/11 didn't happen and that it cannot happen again.

"Kill" is all necessary ruthlessness, the only Language terrorists understand. They don't respond to milk and cookies and well-meaning social worker who feel their pain.

"Them" is anybody, anywhere who is planning or has already carried out an attack on Americans, in this country or anywhere in the world.

"Before" means the war on terror requires a vast intelligence apparatus and an, aggressive, mobile military ready to strike quickly. Promising to spend more money on domestic first-responders is fine, but it is no substitute.

"They" are still "Them" - see above.

"Kill" here means terrorists are not trying to send us a message in the traditional political sense. They want us to drop dead - and they are prepared to blow themselves up to make it happen. Do not even think of making a deal with them or assume they are interested in talking.

"Us" is all of us, and it makes no difference to Osama Bin Laden whether American corpses are Democrats or Republicans, blue state or red. It is an illusion that terrorism will disappear if only George Bush is no longer President. Merely being American has earned us all a death sentence.

It was probably an oversight that Kerry hasn't asked for my advice. He has been busy dressing up in funny blue rubber suits and crawling through NASA tubes down at the Kennedy Space Center.

You might have seen the pictures. Granted, he didn't look very presidential, and you don't have to be a Republican to get a hoot out of the possible punch lines. But that's not why I've chipped in with my two cents.

See, I've been following the campaign and, after spending three days at the John-John coronation, I'm getting scared.

Not so much scared that terrorists are going to attack us again - I'm sure that's coming. My new fear is that too many people in the Democratic Party are in denial about terrorism.

Day after day, speaker after speaker, the sheer tonnage of words devoted to every issue except terrorism is mind-boggling. When terrorism is mentioned -- after health care, schools, jobs, the environment, civil rights -- it seems only cynical gesture to deflect criticism. What energy there is on the subject is limited to thundering promises to take better care of the troops and spend money on first-responders

Kerry's own views are muddled. Just the other day, he said, apparently for the first time, he would do a better job of fighting the war on terror than Bush. Most troubling is that he has talked frequently about involving our traditional allies -- read France -- in a way that suggests he would not act without international or United Nations backing.

Tonight is Kerry's chance to clear the air. Not only for all Americans worried about their nation's future but also for the delegates and donors here who have heard too little talk about Public Enemy No. 1.

All he has to do is say those eight little words.

E-mail: mgoodwin@edit.nydailynews.com