With Kerry having secured the nomination for the democratic presidential candidate, we can now expect more focused mud-slinging and vitriolic attacks between the two camps — fair enough. Bush and his cronies are war profiteering in Iraq — this is both disgusting and unconscionable. But that Bush would milk the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, for political gain and tactical electoral advantage is deeply offensive.

As Adam Entous reports from Reuters, on Thursday, the Bush team began running television ads, two of which refer to the 9/11 attacks. As Reuters notes:

“One television spot shows the ruins of the World Trade Center behind an American flag while another shows firefighters removing the flag-draped remains of a victim.

The commercials have angered many victims’ relatives, outraged at what they say is an attempt to politicize one of the darkest days in the nation’s history. The Bush administration has defended the ads as relevant and ‘tasteful.’

Despite pressure from Sept. 11 families and firefighters, Bush said he ‘will continue to speak about the effects of 9/11 on our country and my presidency.’”

President Bush no doubt considers his handling of 9/11 as one of the definitive events of his political career, and it is understandable that he should want to “speak about” his response to the terrorist attacks. That he should manipulate this tragedy for personal benefit, against the pleas of victims’ families and against the complaints of the firefighters that rushed to the scene, is despicable and undermines the gravity of the tragedy.

Mimi Hanaoka