Bush commenting on how vile Kerry is to even mention Tora Bora after the bin Laden tape was released, suggesting Kerry was shameful for taking political opportunity from the message:

“Unfortunately — unfortunately, my opponent, tonight, continued to say things he knows are not true — accusing our military of passing up a chance to get Osama bin Laden in Tora Bora. As the Commander in charge of that operation, Tommy Franks had said, it’s simply not the case. It’s the worst kind of Monday morning quarterbacking. It is especially shameful in the light of a new tape from America’s enemy.”

Two GOP officials, meanwhile:

“We want people to think ‘terrorism’ for the last four days,” said a Bush-Cheney campaign official. “And anything that raises the issue in people’s minds is good for us.”

A senior GOP strategist added, “anything that makes people nervous about their personal safety helps Bush.”

He called it “a little gift,” saying it helps the President but doesn’t guarantee his reelection.

Meanwhile, new poll numbers out partially covering the period after the bin Laden tape was released favor Kerry a bit more than not, meaning the bin Laden tape probably will not have any negative impact. I would not say that it stands to benefit him, as his trend was already slowly upward.