"Terrorists declared war on the United States of America, and war is what they got," Bush said tonight at a $1.2 million campaign fundraiser here, repeating lines that are part of his stump speech. "The enemies of freedom are not idle, and neither is America."
24 years ago, Ronald Reagan raised and spent $21m (£13m) in the primary stages of the 1980 election. This time around fellow Republican George Bush, whose father served two terms as Reagan's vice-president before winning the most senior office himself, is poised to raise and spend more than $200m (£126m). Some say the figure might be even higher.
Just where does all this money go? How can George Bush possibly spend $200m - the same amount that he has pledged to spend fighting Aids in South Africa next year - campaigning, especially when it is all but certain that as the incumbent he will not face an opponent from his own party?
How we're going to win our perpetual war and how Bush will win a second term is left an exercise for the reader.
A non-violent, counter-dominant, left-liberal, possibly charismatic, quasi anarcho-libertarian Quaker's take on politics, volleyball, and other esoterica.
Lo alecha ha-m'lacha ligmor, v'lo atah ben chorin l'hibateyl mimenah.
