Politico helps GOP “revive” misleading attacks on Obama's terrorism policy

In an article headlined “Republicans revive 'soft on terror' charge,” Politico uncritically repeated several GOP attacks on the Obama administration's response to the attempted Christmas Day bombing which are undermined by the similarity of that reaction to the Bush administration's response to Richard Reid's 2001 attempted shoe bombing. The attacks included that President Obama was “slow to speak to the public” after the attempted Christmas Day bombing, and that the Justice Department was wrong to read the bombing suspect Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab his Miranda rights and decide to try him in a civilian court; moreover, Politico pushed the misleading GOP attack that Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano “said 'the system worked' because passengers on the plane jumped on” Abdulmutallab.

From the January 31 Politico article:

A series of recent controversies -- capped by Friday's decision to pull a key 9/11 trial out of Manhattan -- is prompting Republicans to turn up the pressure on President Barack Obama, by resurrecting the kind of “soft on terrorism” charge that has dogged Democrats in the past.

[...]

But a series of stumbles in recent weeks has given Republicans a chance to renew that line of attack against Obama, at a time when he's already confronting public criticism of his handling of the economy and health care.

The GOP has leapt on Obama's handling of the Christmas Day bombing plot, saying he was slow to speak to the public about the initial attack and criticizing the Justice Department's decision to try the suspect in a civilian court, not a military one. Republicans also are criticizing the Justice Department for an FBI decision to end questioning of the suspect, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, after less than an hour and read him his Miranda rights.

[...]

Republicans howled after Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said “the system worked” because passengers on the plane jumped on the Abdulmutallab. And the head of the National Counterterrorism Center, Michael Leiter, went on a ski vacation shortly after the attack.

Politico repeats “slow to speak in public” attack they previously rebutted

Obama waited four days to publicly address to attempted Christmas Day bombing, but Bush waited six after 2001 attempted shoe bombing. Obama first addressed the attempted bombing on December 29, 2009, four days after Abdulmutallab's attempt and arrest. On December 22, 2001, after Richard Reid attempted to light a fuse in his shoes while aboard a U.S.-bound American Airlines international flight, the passengers and flight crew were able to restrain him and foil the plot. Bush first mentioned Reid on December 28, 2001 -- six days after Reid's attempted bombing -- during a press conference in Crawford, Texas.

Politico previously contrasted Bush and Obama responses and reported: "[T]here were virtually no complaints from the press or any opposition Democrats that [Bush's] response was sluggish or inadequate." In a December 29, 2009, article, headlined “President Obama takes the heat President Bush did not,” Politico reported that “it was six days before President George W. Bush, then on vacation, made any public remarks about the so-called shoe bomber, Richard Reid, and there were virtually no complaints from the press or any opposition Democrats that his response was sluggish or inadequate.” Politico added: “That stands in sharp contrast to the withering criticism President Barack Obama has received from Republicans and some in the press for his reaction to Friday's incident on a Northwest Airlines flight heading for Detroit.”

Shoe bomber Reid was also read his rights, tried in federal court

During Bush administration, Reid was also read his Miranda rights. According to news reports, Reid was read his rights and the investigation into Reid's crimes was handled by the FBI and federal prosecutors.

Reid tried under federal court system, is serving life sentence in Colorado. On January 31, 2003, as The New York Times reported, Reid pleaded guilty in federal court “to trying to blow up a trans-Atlantic flight with explosives concealed in his shoes” and “was sentenced today to life in prison.” Reid had claimed “he was a member of Al Qaeda.” Reid is serving his sentence at the Supermax facility in Florence, Colorado.

Politico advances GOP's mischaracterization of Napolitano's comments

Napolitano explained her comments were in reference to the emergency response system. On the December 27 broadcast of CNN's State of the Union, Napolitano stated that “the system worked” before discussing the emergency notification system and response to the incident, making clear that she was not only referring to how passengers “jumped on Abdulmutallab:

NAPOLITANO: One thing I'd like to point out is that the system worked. Everybody played an important role here. The passengers and crew of the flight took appropriate action. Within literally an hour to 90 minutes of the incident occurring, all 128 flights in the air had been notified to take some special measures in light of what had occurred on the Northwest Airlines flight. We instituted new measures on the ground and at screening areas, both here in the United States and in Europe, where this flight originated.

So the whole process of making sure that we respond properly, correctly and effectively went very smoothly. [12/27/09]

Later on NBC, Napolitano said that “the comment is being taken out of context” and clarified that she was referring to the fact that, after the incident, they “were immediately able to notify the 128 flights in the air on protective measures to take, immediately able to notify law enforcement on the ground, airports both domestically, internationally, all carriers, all of that happening within 60 to 90 minutes.” On Fox News, after Steve Doocy stated that “there are some who are calling for her to lose her job,” Bush Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff defended Napolitano's job performance, stating: “I think she's actually done a good job.”