"In his most public and extensive analysis of the state of the Democratic Party since it lost control of the Senate last month, Mr. Clinton told Democrats in New York City that they could break through to the American public only if they directly confronted the issue of national security. He said the party should challenge Republicans on what he suggested was the administration's failure to spot signs of an impending attack before Sept. 11, and what he called a muddled response to the terrorism threat over the last year."

Clinton disects the midterm losses, and challenges Democrats to confront security issues and present a reasonable plan for handling a dangerous world, rather than deflecting the issue in favor of traditional Democratic issues.