What do Republicans do when they're in trouble?

You know it: announce a national security threat.

This time, the DHS is saying there's been some online chatter about the possible use of dirty bombs outside of NFL football stadiums this Sunday while at the same time saying they have no reason to believe anything's actually going to happen and they're encouraging the public not to worry about it. There is absolutely nothing about this supposed threat on the DHS website.

Oh I'm so skeptical, you say.

Well, here's why:

Posted 5/10/2005 11:21 PM

Ridge reveals clashes on alerts

By Mimi Hall, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — The Bush administration periodically put the USA on high alert for terrorist attacks even though then-Homeland Security chief Tom Ridge argued there was only flimsy evidence to justify raising the threat level, Ridge now says.

Ridge, who resigned Feb. 1, said Tuesday that he often disagreed with administration officials who wanted to elevate the threat level to orange, or "high" risk of terrorist attack, but was overruled.
[...]
"More often than not we were the least inclined to raise it," Ridge told reporters. "Sometimes we disagreed with the intelligence assessment. Sometimes we thought even if the intelligence was good, you don't necessarily put the country on (alert). ... There were times when some people were really aggressive about raising it, and we said, 'For that?' "

This administration is so damn predictable. Political trouble? Just weeks before the elections? Need a a distraction? Quick! Come up with some flimsy terror threat.

Americans love their football, so being scared to death about going to a game might just take their minds off of these realities:

10 US soldiers were killed in Iraq on Tuesday

Court-Martial ordered in Iraq rape-murder case. Two of the four involved are facing the death penalty for their alleged roles in the rape and murders of the young girl and her family in Mahmudiya. Such a horribly disturbing incident...

While North Korea seems to be preparing for a second nuclear test, according to US intel, the Condi Does Asia tour is all about the regular bluster.

Iran is also racheting up the rhetoric over its nuclear program.

And then there are all of those pesky GOP corruption scandals filling up the front pages.

But what you really should focus on, Americans, is this faux threat against your NFL football stadiums because, even though DHS wants you to carry on as usual, something just might happen. That, and the fact you might get hit by a bus tomorrow. Yes, that's what you should be worried about. Pay no attention to that Rove guy behind the curtain.