Kondracke: "[Y]ou would figure" that Iraqi insurgents will plan "more upsurges of violence in Iraq to ... help President Bush's adversaries" in upcoming elections

Summary: On Fox News, Morton M. Kondracke asserted that "you would figure that the enemy" would "help President Bush's adversaries" by "hav[ing] much more upsurges of violence in Iraq to try to focus people's attention back on Iraq." Shortly before the 2004 presidential election, Kondracke similarly claimed that, "for all I know," the growing insurgency in Iraq was "designed ... to help elect John Kerry."

During the September 19 edition of Fox News' Special Report with Brit Hume, Roll Call executive editor Morton M. Kondracke asserted that "you would figure that the enemy" would "help President Bush's adversaries" by "hav[ing] much more upsurges of violence in Iraq to try to focus people's attention back on Iraq." Kondracke added that "maybe an attack on the Green Zone" or "something big" could "shift attention." National Public Radio senior political correspondent and Fox News analyst Mara Liasson replied that the reason there hasn't been a large-scale insurgent attack in Iraq is "not because they're laying low and thinking about U.S. elections," adding that "they try to kill as many people as they can at all times." Kondracke's comments came after he stated that the most recent Fox poll, as well as "many others," shows that voters who consider the Iraq war to be the most important issue will "favor Democrats" in the upcoming midterm elections. As Media Matters for America has documented, shortly before the 2004 presidential election, Kondracke similarly claimed that, "for all I know," the growing insurgency in Iraq was "designed ... to help elect John Kerry."

From the September 19 edition of Fox News' Special Report with Brit Hume:

KONDRACKE: You know, if this [most recent Fox News] poll, as, as many others, show that if you -- if terrorism is your most important issue, by miles, you favor Republican candidates. If Iraq is your most important issue, by miles, you favor Democrats. Now, I, I -- this, this is all very good news for, for President Bush, but it's still, you know, not even October yet and the, and the -- you would figure that the enemy -- if the enemy has it in mind to cause Bush fits, that they would -- you know, even up -- have more upsurges of violence in Iraq to try to focus people's attention back on Iraq, and, and help, help President Bush's adversaries. I don't know what they could do -- maybe an attack on the Green Zone, I -- you know, something, something big, I think, you could expect would, would try to shift attention.

LIASSON: Well, the reason why there hasn't been one is certainly not because they're laying low and thinking about the U.S. elections. I think they try to kill as many people as they can at all times.

—B.A.