I’m no defender of George W. Bush, but I’m even less of a defender of the double standard. And let’s be honest, if Bush’s C.I.A. director and members of his administration said this 9 months out from an election, cries of “fearmongering” and “trying to influence the election” would be going up from the Democrats:

“The nation’s top intelligence officials warned Congress on Tuesday that terrorists are “certain” to attempt another attack on the U.S. within the coming months…CIA Director Leon Panetta said the foremost risk was of another al Qaeda attack using recruits that have relatively low or “clean” profiles that are hard to detect.

Panetta’s warning came at the Senate Intelligence Committee’s annual threat assessment hearing…It was echoed by Blair, FBI Director Robert Mueller, acting U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Intelligence and Research John Dinger, and the director of the Defense Intelligence Agency Lt. Gen. Ronald L. Burgess, Jr.

While no one referenced specific plots against the U.S., all of the officials agreed with Blair that they were “certain” another attempt would be made in the next three to six months.”