It changes nothing...

... or so the NYT says. Which to me, means it probably changed or convinced a number of people. Should we dissect this article? Lets at least start out with some humor:

Even the undecided said the tape would not influence their decision.

Uh huh. So when they talk about the undecideds the actually mean the unconscious. I'm starting to understand this cryptic language of the spin doctors.

The snapshot of opinion is hardly scientific and could reflect what some people thought was the proper answer.

Why would they say that?

Some people, interviewed in bars and parks and downtown city
streets...

Oh, because its methodology closely resembles that of this report. I guess that's why they felt compelled to bring the unconscious into it, again:

Of the few undecided voters found by reporters roving through five cities, none said the tape had tipped the balance.

Really? What about this "undecided" in the next sentence?

Veronica Gonzalez of St. Paul said that the tape certainly scared her, but that she did not know whether Mr. bin Laden's words might influence her vote.

"He's a bad person," she said. "It's very scary. I might vote for Bush, but I haven't decided."

Sounds to me Kerry's not even in the picture for her and that this undecided is more torn between voting for Bush or staying home.

Mr. Lisenbee said he thought Mr. bin Laden would not affect the election at all, "unless if they catch him in the next few days - then I'd probably vote for Bush."

Uh oh, look for THK to be using this guys quote in Michael Moore's next flick.

Cheryl Hecksler, a teacher and Kerry supporter in Las Vegas, said she had received a call from her mother in San Marcos, Calif., saying "something about bin Laden."

While she wanted Mr. bin Laden apprehended, she said she worried about what effect that might have had on Tuesday. "I was panicked," she said. "My first reaction was that Bush would win overwhelmingly.

Panicked about OBL being caught? That's because they're not really interested in capturing or killing OBL. They're happy he's out and about so they can say, "See, Bush is bad. OBL hasn't been caught." Yet, if OBL would have been caught they would panic because W. wins in a landslide. That comment right there is just about the most telling of Democrat voters and backers - they are more interested in regaining power than winning the WoT. The NYT knows it so they had to insert "While she wanted Mr. bin Laden apprehended" instead of quoting her saying it.

"This raises people's fears, and Bush preys upon their insecurities," said Ms. Twaddell.

Uh yeah, unlike John Kerry and the imaginary draft and Bush's "January surprise" to take Social Security away from all the old people.

"For people who are on the margin, it helps Bush, because it resurrects the fear that something might happen - and I think that was the obvious intention," said Jeff Sanders, a petroleum engineer in Denver who supports Mr. Kerry. "What bin Laden is afraid of is Kerry's ability to create an international coalition that would really deal with terrorism."

Come on, NYT, you made this quote up. There are definitely people who might actually be HOPING others believe it, but there is nobody stupid enough to actually say it... well, they were interviewing in bars, so it might just be Oktoberfest talking. Bin Laden is afraid of Kerry's ability to create a coalition - that's a good one!

Scott Nelson, a real estate broker from Salt Lake City, said Mr. bin Laden was "just trying to influence the election against Bush."

Now we're getting somewhere, AT THE VERY END OF THE ARTICLE. Sure, it seems like the simplest most plausible explanation, but many Kerry supporters will try to get you to believe OBL was playing Jedi mind tricks on you to vote FOR Bush. Of course, that's if you forget he's an egomaniac with visions of ruling the World. Obi-Wan Kenobi said it best to Jim Geraghty:

"The arrogance of evil," Obi-Wan said, sounding a bit like his movie namesake. "He really thinks the American people will listen to him. Every dictator is like this, and Saddam used to do this all the time when he did interviews with Western media. He's arrogant enough to think that if he speaks to the American people, we will actually come around to his view."

Hey, the butchers of Hanoi were able to convince Kerry.