Opinion: Winning Back the Audience - Obama and the Polls

Buy an ad on DigitalJournal.com

As reported on Digital Journal and elsewhere, John McCain has – depending on which poll you look at – drawn even with Barack Obama in terms of public support, meaning that the 2008 presidential race is too close to call.

But just a few short weeks ago Obama enjoyed a double digit lead over McCain in public support, so what happened? Well, to say it simply, world events haven’t been kind to Obama for the past little while. So as Obama enjoys his Hawaiian family vacation (or at least tries to), he is surely mapping out the ways in which he can regain his once dominant lead over McCain.

One such plan may be to oppose the National Security Oversight Initiative (NSOI).

Although relatively unreported, the US Justice Department put forward a new bill late last month aimed at increasing the ease with which law enforcement agencies can undertake ‘intelligence gathering’ operations.

Considering our memories are still fresh with the many controversial civil rights amendments (rollbacks may be a more accurate word) brought into effect by the Bush Administration (the Patriot Act, the Patriot Act II, and the Protect America Act to name a few), it is surprising that there hasn’t been a more vocal opposition to this new progra.

Although there has only been a limited (in fact nearly a non-existent) commentary on the issue, that is likely about to change. On August 16, 2008, the Washington Post published an article critiquing the Justice Department’s new initiative, which ought to inspire a political response by both Obama and McCain.

In their poignant, candid article Spencer Hsu and Carrie Johnson illustrate both the core features of NSOI and why such a program is worth examining (and reconsidering).

“Under the Justice Department proposal for state and local police, published for public comment July 31, law enforcement agencies would be allowed to target groups as well as individuals, and to launch a criminal intelligence investigation based on the suspicion that a target is engaged in terrorism or providing material support to terrorists. (…)

“Criminal intelligence data starts with sources as basic as public records and the Internet, but also includes law enforcement databases, confidential and undercover sources, and active surveillance. (…)

“Critics say pre-emptive law enforcement in the absence of a crime can violate the Constitution and due process. They cite the administration's long-running warrantless-surveillance program, which was set up outside the courts, and the FBI's acknowledgment that it abused its intelligence-gathering privileges in hundreds of cases by using inadequately documented administrative orders to obtain telephone, e-mail, financial and other personal records of U.S. citizens without warrants.”

This issue could (and should) be the focus of a heated exchange on domestic counter-terrorism measures between the Democratic and Republican Party nominees; and if it is, Obama will likely walk out with more supporters than heading in – here’s why.

According to John McCain’s website, in order to combat “violent Islamic extremists and terrorist tactics” the US “cannot afford to be complacent (…) or ignorant to our national vulnerabilities.” If elected president, McCain promises to “ensure that America has the quality intelligence necessary to uncover plots before they take root, the resources to protect critical infrastructure and our borders against attack, and the capability to respond and recover from a terrorist incident swiftly.”

Couple this with his apparent support of ‘enhanced interrogation’ techniques, and it is safe to say that McCain is pretty much in line with the Bush administration’s angle and efforts to counter terrorism; all of this making him more than likely to support NSOI.

In the democratic camp however, a much different take on this initiative should be expected.

On Barack Obama’s website, the transcript to his speech on National Security gives us an idea of what his response to NSOI is likely to be:

“In addressing global terror and violent extremism, we need the kind of comprehensive counter-terrorism strategy I called for last August. We need to strengthen security partnerships to take out terrorist networks, while investing in education and opportunity. We need to give our national security agencies the tools they need, while restoring the adherence to rule of law that helps us win the battle for hearts and minds. This means closing Guantanamo, restoring habeas corpus, and respecting civil liberties.”

Now couple that with Obama’s statement that ‘warrantless surveillance of American citizens is unlawful and unconstitutional’ and we’ve got a here debate folks.

And when we consider that at least 70% of the American population take issue with at least some of the Bush Administrations new laws pertaining to civil liberties, it is likely that – if properly addressed – Obama’s words would appeal to that audience, potentially convincing them to, for the sake of civil rights and justice, vote Obama.

What do you think? Should Obama take issue with NSOI? How should Obama address it? Is there a way for Obama to regain his once dominant lead over McCain?

Thanks for reading.

GRMM