On the tape, bin Laden chastises the Democratic Party for failing to end the Iraq War and blames corporations for global warming, CNN reported. There are references to the Democratic victory in the 2006 election and to Nicholas Sarkozy becoming president of France -- suggesting that the tape was made within the last few months.

Bin Laden is believed to be living somewhere on the border of Pakistan and Afghanistan. He last released a videotape just before the 2004 U.S. presidential election.

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said the government has a standard procedure when dealing with tapes ostensibly posted on the Web by al-Qaida.

"We review it for authenticity, we review it to see when we think it was made, if it's a single tape or a compilation of outtakes. We look to see if there are overt messages or hidden messages," he said.