From the Bush speech:

Three days after September the 11th, I stood where Americans died, in the ruins of the twin towers. Workers in hard hats were shouting to me, "Whatever it takes." A fellow grabbed me by the arm, and he said, "Do not let me down." Since that day, I wake up every morning thinking about how to better protect our country.

Here's something I'd love to hear Kerry to say in response:

The president says that since September 11 he wakes up every morning thinking about how to protect the country better. Well, let me remind you of something: On August 6, 2001, five weeks before September 11, the president received a CIA briefing paper titled "Bin Laden Determined to Strike in US." That was the title of the briefing: "Bin Laden Determined to Strike in US." Can't get clearer than that.

The briefing paper said, "Al Qaeda members -- including some who are U.S. citizens -- have resided in or traveled to the U.S. for years, and the group apparently maintains a support structure that could aid attacks." It talked about "patterns of suspicious activity in this country consistent with preparations for hijackings."

The president received this briefing while on vacation at his ranch in Crawford, Texas.

I'm pleased that the president now wakes up wondering how best to protect the country. But shouldn't we have had a president who woke up thinking about protecting America every morning between August 6 and September 11, 2001? Shouldn't we have had a president who woke up thinking about protecting America every morning from the day he was sworn in?