That’s exactly right–releasing a video tape on the eve of an American presidential election would not be OBL’s first choice.

OBL’s first choice would be to have America’s streets running with blood today, tomorrow and through the weekend.

On the one hand, that means intelligence and homeland security need to be on highest alert right now.

On the other hand, if al Qaeda can’t stage an attack on American soil at this point, that strongly suggests that its abilities have indeed been seriously weakened over the past 3 years (other than in Iraq, where Zarqawi and his forces are making a last stand in Fallujah)..