This message from Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge must make the cubicle jockeys at the Citicorp building feel a lot better: "Just by showing up at work you have made a powerful statement that [the terrorists] will not succeed." It would make an excellent epitaph, really. Then again, a terrorist attack still seems pretty unlikely; would so many government officials be showing up at Citicorp if it were? If they're not being more overtly reassuring, it's only because it's harder to believe that you're really sending the terrorists much of a message "just by refusing to be intimidated by three-year-old information that's clearly being used for political purposes." Sure, there are mixed messages here -- Bush says America is "a nation in danger"/Hey, you wouldn't want to miss Hawaiian shirt day -- that's only because the administration wants us to panic, but not enough to actually do anything. Except, you know, vote for Bush.

Administration Defends Its Security Response [CNSNews.com]

We are a nation in danger - Bush [Guardian UK]