'Moonstruck'
In her latest Political Points commentary, CBS News Senior Political Editor Dotty Lynch takes a look at the spirit of national unity and resolve.
The shock and anger over the terrorist attacks this week have engendered a strong streak of patriotism and overwhelming support for military retaliation. But accompanying this desire to strike back has been a wave of kindness and common interest which has washed over the country and even seeped into the political system. Not since Madeleine Albright kissed Jesse Helms have we seen such a public display of bipartisanship. President Bush went to New York with 5 US Senators - all Democrats. The Congress passed a $40 billion appropriations bill without one no vote. The Michigan Republican and Democratic parties issued an unprecedented joint communiqué urging people to give blood and warning against stereotyping the Arab-American and Muslim-American communities.
Even Bill Clinton and Al Gore are back together. The Vice President who was stuck in Vienna when air transportation to the US was halted on Tuesday managed to get a flight to Canada. He and his one aide rented a car to drive back to Washington and stopped to give blood in Buffalo. He was then intercepted by Bill Clinton who offered to bring him to DC on the military plane which was taking Clinton to today’s memorial service. He also invited Gore to spend the night in Chappaqua. Gore was greeted by Bill and Chelsea Clinton when he arrived in Westchester in the middle of the night and he and Gore had their longest (and presumably friendliest) talk in a several years. (Clinton apparently didn’t have a spare razor; Gore appeared at the service with his new beard intact.)
The spirit of national unity and resolve has been seen in gestures big and small over and over again this week. Individualistic Americans are rediscovering common bonds and perhaps the impact of all the touching stories of the families is to remind us to live each day as if its our last.
But as we start down the road to military and legislative action, there will be questions and divisions over how to proceed. While supporting the President, open debate and dissent are the heart of our democracy and it should not be regarded as unpatriotic to have public discourse over what to do next. We need to punish, we need to retaliate but mainly we have to formulate an effective strategy against terrorism in the future.
In the immediate aftermath of the attacks the desire to do something massive and “get the enemy” is understandable. But, in the long run, combating international terrorism is a more complicated issue. Clinton National Security advisor, Anthony Lake, dealt with this in his book, "Six Nightmares," and said this week that we are already “at war against terrorism.” This means obviously beefing up resources for the intelligence services but, Lake said, we mainly need a global alliance” which will have the clout to prevent countries from giving sanctuary to terrorists. He also suggested we may need to shift resources from programs like National Missile Defense to programs to combat terrorism from chemical and biological weapons. He suggested that we have one official “managing this war” (rather than the fractured way we deal with these aspects now) possibly inside the White House but warned against a “fortress America” and moves to impinge on civil liberties in the name of national security.
Today the debates over long-term strategy are down the road. The problem is complex and many proposed solutions are controversial. The bright side is that it may change our politics from “wedge issues” and personal negative ads to a serious discussion of national security, foreign policy and the role of the US in the global world. And, let’s hope, for all the horror of this week, the true spirit of American democracy will bring forth a better, safer world for Americans and all people around the globe.
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