Some thoughts off the top of my head on today's revelations:

1. President Bush needs to get back to Washington. It is hotter than Hades in Central Texas. Cindy Sheehan is here. The President had a very short trip planned anyway. Go back to Washington. You need to be seen in control.

2. This attack is certainly at least part (not necessarily all) of the next big terrorist event. Cheers for MI-5. Congratulations to the good guys for foiling this attempt. But something seems to be in the air. The al Qaeda crowd is carping too much. Unaccounted-for Egyptians on student visas. Young muslims in Ohio buying mass quantities of cell phones. Caution seems to be the word for the day.

3. We have got to stop boasting about our success in keeping America terror-free over the past five years. Isn't anybody in the administration a baseball fan? You never talk about a no-hitter in the dugout. You never brag to the press about your winning streak. As things have turned uglier in Iraq, and the President's popularity has plummeted, the administration (the VP is especially guilty of this) has increasingly fallen back on its success in preventing a terror event. Stop saying that! Let us stay tough and vigilant and keep our mouths shut.