Although quite a few Democrats in the House apparently would support this commonsense legislation, only a few have been willing to let Speaker Pelosi know, in no uncertain terms, that they want to be allowed to cast their votes.

It’s hard to avoid this conclusion: We are living in what John Edward might call two Americas. In one, are those who think we are fighting a war and better fight hard and well because our enemy is dangerous. In the other, are those who think the “war” against militant Islamism is a figment of the neo-conservative imagination -- hardly worth mentioning.

That’s no exaggeration. Check out the presidential candidates’ websites. On John McCain’s, under “Issues,” you’ll see “National Security,” with a subheading on “Fighting Against Violent Islamic Extremists and Terrorist Tactics,” and prominent mention of “the global war on terrorism” and “threats from rogue states like Iran and North Korea.”

Hillary Clinton’s web site, by contrast, lists 14 issues. Terrorism, national security, the war against Islamist terrorists and even foreign policy are conspicuously absent. Instead there is “Restoring America’s Standing in the World.”

Barack Obama’s web site shows 25 issues – but, again, national security and militant Islamism do not make the cut. Instead, in a section on “Foreign Policy,” he promises to close the terrorist detention facility in Guantanamo (he does not say where the terrorists now housed there would go), and “lead the world to combat the common threats of the 21st century: nuclear weapons and terrorism; climate change and poverty; genocide and disease.”

Obama does assert that he will “finish the fight against al-Qaeda.” He does not specify what weapons he will use to get that job done. Apparently, however, he doesn’t believe a robust intelligence gathering capability need be among them.