FBI ALERT WILL BACKFIRE WITH BASKETBALL FANS

Mikevotes over at Born at the Crest of the Empire has the lowdown on the regularly-scheduled post-polls-dive Rove-sponsored FBI terrorism alert. Mike points out the interesting fact that Bush's biggest approval losses among Republicans were among white males. And what's the biggest audience for the college basketball tournaments and the NCAA tournament? Males.

Here's where I think the administration screwed the pooch this time. March Madness freaks are going to any games they can despite the terrorism alert. They'll pack the arenas, but just as they enter they'll remember the FBI warning and be pissed that their day of excitement had to be marred by another reminder that Bush hasn't finished off the terrorist threat. They'll consider the alert a political ploy, the equivalent of the boy who cried "wolf!" and feel a momentary bite of contempt for the Bushies. So the alert will backfire -- nobody will take it very seriously, but they'll resent Bush for the minimal anxiety it causes all the same.

Tags: Bush, FBI terror alert, March Madness