I thought Cheney’s comment was foolish. You should argue that you will do a better job than your opponent in fighting terror (if not, why run?). But a better job can only mean putting up the best defense possible, and addressing the root causes–i.e., toppling or hogtying dictatorships. This will thwart many planned attacks, and weaken the enemy generally. But it is never possible to prevent all attacks. We are all marked men and women, and will be for the rest of our lives. We need manly stoicism, not bluster.