GOP banking on national security issue

By Dana Bash
CNN Congressional Correspondent
WASHINGTON (CNN) - House Republican leader John Boehner released a Web video Thursday suggesting Democrats aren't keeping Americans safe - part of what Republican sources tell CNN is a renewed effort to push a historically winning issue for Republicans.

"We're quite happy to be talking about national security," said a House Republican leadership aide who requested anonymity to speak freely about internal strategy.

The aide insisted that Republicans have substantive, serious policy differences with President Barack Obama on national security - especially with his approach to dealing with detained terror suspects. But the Republican aide also conceded party members believe those differences have a political upside for them.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's spokesman, Jim Manley, said scare tactics are scaring voters away from the Republican Party.