Kerry blames 9/11

Washington, D.C.

Sen. John Kerry this week blamed his defeat in last year’s presidential election on the public’s continued unease following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Kerry said on NBC’s Meet the Press that he might have cleared “the 9/11 hurdle” if a videotaped message from Osama bin Laden had not surfaced the weekend before Election Day. In the tape, bin Laden warned Americans to abandon the war on terrorism or face more attacks on U.S. soil. Kerry said the last-minute reminder jolted voters already wary of switching leaders in wartime. Financier George Soros, who spent millions trying to unseat President Bush, suggested another reason for Bush’s victory. “Kerry did not offer a credible and coherent alternative,” Soros said.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up