Frist says public just wants to be safe

WASHINGTON, Sept. 24 (UPI) -- U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist says the public will draw its own conclusions about the fact there has been no terror attack on U.S. soil in five years.

Appearing Sunday on ABC News' "This Week with George Stephanopoulos," the Tennessee Republican and probable GOP presidential candidate said he had not read the latest National Intelligence Estimate, which contends the Iraq war has increased the risks of terrorism.

Frist said congressional leaders have not been offered the classified report, even though the estimate was leaked to major news outlets.

Frist said average people discount such reports and say, "'Listen, just keep me safe. I just want to be safe in Nashville ... I want to be safe in Memphis, New York City, Washington, D.C.' That's what they want."

Average people remember the terror attacks during the Clinton administration, he said, "and then they saw that we haven't had an attack in the last five years."

Frist said, "I think Americans ... understand that this (terror) war is big and either we are going to be fighting this battle, this war, overseas, or it's going to be right here in this country."

He said Democrats such as Sen. Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts want to "cut and run."