FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Will the U.S. Presidential Race Be Affected by
Recent Terror Attacks on Spain?

March 12, 2004 - Attention media members: If you are preparing a story on issues related to the recent attacks on Spain and the implications on the US Presidential race and need expert commentary, please call 310.338.2389 for an interview with:   
 
MATTHEW STREB, PhD
Assistant Professor, Political Science, Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles
Areas of Expertise: electoral politics, politics of race
 
Streb is an expert on Electoral politics. He is the co-author of Polls and Politics: The Dilemmas of Democracy with Michael A. Genovese, due out this month, and is the author or editor of four books, including The New Electoral Politics of Race (University of Alabama Press, 2002), and Election Law and Electoral Politics (Lynne Rienner Publishers, forthcoming 2004).  Streb has published articles in Public Opinion Quarterly, Political Research Quarterly, Social Science Quarterly, and Politics and Policy, among others, and is a frequent radio and television commentator, appearing on C-Span's "Washington Journal," Fox News, and "Today in LA."
 
COMMENTS FOR USE BY MEDIA, AS ATTRIBUTED:
Spain Attacks: Impact on the Presidential Race?
 
When asked about the impact of the terrorist attack in Spain on the American presidential race, LMU political scientist Matthew Streb says:
 
"?What happened in Spain will probably be talked about only briefly in this presidential race.  Unfortunately, Americans are fairly complacent.  The vast majority of Americans feel very safe.  After the 9/11 attacks, people got back on with their lives.  Although a lot of people thought we'd be more vigilant and aware, it really hasn't happened.  However, people still pay close attention to how safe they feel here at home, and would clearly pay attention if there were more terrorist attacks in the US. 
 
"The main issue in this election is jobs versus national security: with Kerry betting on a lack of job growth to propel a win, and Bush positioning national security as the most important reason to vote Republican."
 
"The terrible attacks in Spain are unlikely to be an issue that voters have on their minds in November.  The economy, jobs, healthcare - those things will be on the minds of the voters next fall.  Generally, foreign policy is not a major issue in presidential elections.  But there's a distinction between foreign policy and national security."

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