When I first heard about the Bin Laden tape my first inclination was to panic. I thought that this news would hand the election to Bush. However, after seeing the video, hearing the statements by Bush and Kerry, and seeing the media's reaction, I think that it is a non-issue in the election.The only way that it becomes an issue is if the media decides to make it an issue. There are reasons why this hurts and helps both campaigns. It helps both campaigns with their base and it hurts both of them by widening the partisan divide. However, as far as undecideds are concerned, they will hardly even notice the tape. The undecideds that were leaning Bush will lean harder towards Bush. The voters that were leaning Kerry will lean further into Kerry.
Besides, it is just a tape. Some of us political junkies see this and think it is nuclear, but it really is only a small blurb in the great scheme of the campaign. As I said, the only way this becomes significant is if the media places significance upon it. Because people will often come to the conclusion the media gives them.