On March 29 and March 30, several news outlets uncritically reported Republican criticism of the recently released Democratic national security platform titled "Real Security: Protecting America and Restoring Our Leadership in the World," including a claim by Vice President Dick Cheney that the platform consisted of initiatives that were “totally inconsistent” with the Democrats' past behavior. Stories in the March 30 editions of The Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times, along with wire stories from the Associated Press and Knight Ridder, printed Cheney's statement, which he made during an interview on the Fox News Radio's The Tony Snow Show. In addition, citing Sen. Christopher “Kit” Bond (R-MO) during the March 29 edition of Fox News' Special Report with Brit Hume, chief Washington correspondent Jim Angle reported that “Republicans were somewhat bemused, noting the Democrats proposed things everyone favors along with policies already being pursued.” However, none of the reports noted a crucial fact undermining the criticism by Cheney and other Republicans: The Democratic platform contains numerous proposals that Democrats have pushed but that have been blocked by Republicans, including Bond.

One primary facet of the Democratic plan is the immediate implementation of the recommendations of the 9-11 Commission, which include enhancing security at ports, borders, airports, and other mass transit systems. In its final report, released in December 2005, the 9-11 Commission issued a national security report card that criticized the Bush administration and the Republican-controlled Congress for failing to enact most of its recommendations to improve national security.

Further, congressional Democrats have repeatedly stressed the need for greater port security and have urged Congress and the administration to act on the issue in recent years, only to be rebuffed by Republicans, as Media Matters for America previously noted:

• In March of 2005, 37 Senate Republicans voted against an amendment proposed by Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (D-CT) to the 2006 budget bill to restore $565 million in cuts to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) first-responder programs, provide $150 million in port security grants, and provide $140 million for hiring 1,000 more Border Patrol agents.
• In September 2004, 45 Senate Republicans voted to remove an amendment proposed by Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to the 2005 Homeland Security appropriations bill adding an additional $150 million for port security research and development grants.
• Congressional Quarterly reported on September 14, 2004: “During a week and a day of debate, Democrats were turned away on more than a dozen amendments that would have added $20 billion to” the 2005 Homeland Security appropriations bill. CQ specifically noted: “An amendment by Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., to add $350 million for rail security was struck down on a point of order, 43-51."
• In July 2003, Republicans in the Senate voted unanimously to defeat an amendment to the 2004 Homeland Security bill, proposed by Sen. Robert Byrd (D-WV) that “would have allocated $292 million to local fire departments and to efforts to improve security measures at chemical plants and ports,” according to the July 25, 2004 edition of National Journal.
• Newsday also reported in a November 14, 2002, article on DHS creation that “On port security, Senate Democrats had tried to add a charge on imports to raise approximately $600 million a year for added security, but they were blocked by House Republicans and the maritime industry.”

From a March 30 Washington Post article by Chris Cillizza and Dan Balz:

Republicans immediately attacked the Democratic plan, with Vice President Cheney arguing that Democrats' “behavior has been totally inconsistent with what they're now promising they're going to do.”

Many of the items in the Democratic statement echo themes Kerry advanced in the 2004 presidential campaign, but party strategists believe that they are now in position to capitalize on public disenchantment with the war in Iraq and with declining confidence in Bush as a wartime leader.

From a March 30 Los Angeles Times article by Ronald Brownstein:

In statements and interviews, GOP officials charged that Democrats had belied their tough talk by challenging Bush on some national security issues, including his approval of a domestic surveillance program that operates without obtaining court warrants.

“Their behavior has been totally inconsistent with what they're now promising they're going to do,” Vice President Dick Cheney said in a radio interview.

The Democratic plan was released at a rally attended by dozens of the party's most prominent figures. Amplifying an increasing Democratic campaign theme, a series of speakers accused Bush of mismanaging the nation's defense and foreign policies.

From a March 30 Associated Press report by Liz Sidoti:

Republicans did not let Democrats portray themselves as stronger than them on the GOP's signature issue.

''Their behavior has been totally inconsistent with what they're now promising to do," said Vice President Dick Cheney. Interviewed on Fox News's ''Tony Snow Show," Cheney said that he did not believe Democrats had a credible plan for tracking down bin Laden and that their plan to move US forces out of Iraq this year ''would be a strategic retreat."

''It makes no sense at all to turn Iraq over to the terrorists," Cheney said. ''We can succeed in Iraq. We can complete the mission."

From a March 29 Knight Ridder report by Steven Tomma:

“We are uniting behind a national security agenda that is tough and smart, an agenda that will provide the real security President Bush has promised, but failed to deliver,” said Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.

In response, Vice President Dick Cheney told Fox News that the Democrats had no real plan to catch bin Laden and that their proposal for Iraq would amount to a retreat. He also said that their promise of a strong defense was contradicted by their past opposition to extending the Patriot Act.

“Their behavior has been totally inconsistent with what they're now promising they're going to do,” Cheney said.

From the March 29 edition of Fox News' Special Report with Brit Hume:

ANGLE: The 2006 elections shifted into high gear today as the Democratic Party launched a broad attack on the president and Republicans over national security.

SEN. HARRY REID (Senate Democratic leader, D-NV): We're uniting behind a national security agenda that is tough and smart, an agenda that will provide the real security President Bush has promised but failed to deliver.

REP. NANCY PELOSI (House Democratic leader, D-CA): Democrats are committed to protecting our power, to protect the American people and defend freedom for our people.

WESLEY CLARK (former Democratic presidential candidate): After 9-11, the American people looked to the president for leadership, for security. But what they've been given is incompetence.

ANGLE: What do Democrats propose to do? They lay down all sorts of things.

PELOSI: Democrats stand together to ensure unparalleled military strength, to defeat terrorism and stop the spread of weapons of mass destruction.

ANGLE: Comments like that and their document, “Real Security,” talks about rebuilding a state-of-the-art military, suggesting an increase in its size or the amount of defense spending. The Democrats also criticized Republicans over the war on terror.

SEN. JACK REED (D-RI): We need to do more to defeat terrorists and stop the proliferation of nuclear and chemical weapons. We will keep the focus on al Qaeda and hunt down Osama bin Laden.

ANGLE: The Democratic document also calls for elimination “terrorist breeding grounds by combating economic, social and political conditions that allow extremism to thrive.” Republicans were somewhat bemused, noting the Democrats proposed things everyone favors along with policies already being pursued.

BOND (R-MO): They want to eliminate Osama bin Laden, destroy terrorist networks, finish the job in Afghanistan and eliminate the threat posted by the Taliban. Good idea. That's exactly what George Bush, this administration and his Republican supporters in Congress have been working on.