Campaigning in Pennsylvania today:

McCain, at a town hall meeting in this Philadelphia suburb, was asked if he had concerns that anti-American militants in Iraq might ratchet up their activities in Iraq to try to increase casualties in September or October and tip the November election against him.

"Yes, I worry about it," McCain said. "And I know they pay attention because of the intercepts we have of their communications ... The hardest thing in warfare is to counter someone or a group of individuals who are willing to take their own lives in order to take others."

Critics will certainly have a field day with this one. McCain's SCAREMONGERING! But he answered a question, and what he said is true (cf. Madrid, March 11, 2004). Al Qaeda and the rest have the Internet, they watch our news, they know that the perception in America is changing in favor of continuing the war, and they know where the candidates stand on that.