June 30 (Bloomberg) -- Democrats sometimes struggle in talking about national security. Jane Harman is trying to teach them how, and she says it's a lesson some don't want to learn.

Harman, a member of the Homeland Security Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives and the senior Democrat on the House intelligence panel, has created a political action committee to help Democrats articulate centrist positions on issues like Iraq, terrorism and weapons of mass destruction.

``The threat is serious, it's with us for the long term and we have to think of permanent, funded policies to deal with it,'' Harman, 61, said in an interview yesterday. ``We aren't trying to look for a partisan edge. We are trying to look for competence. And I think that's what the center is looking for.''

For her troubles, Harman had to face an anti-war primary challenger in her California district who accused her of colluding with the Bush administration on secret anti-terror programs, and she may lose her seat on the intelligence committee.

``Why don't they like me?'' Harman said. ``I think our party is making a big mistake by focusing on differences that we have on Iraq. I think the goal should be to build a bigger tent and take the majority back.''

Harman has emerged as one of the leading House Democrats on security issues and perhaps the country's most prominent female voice in this area. Should the Democrats retake the White House in 2008, she would be considered a strong candidate for a top position, possibly as national intelligence director or secretary of defense.

Necessary Operations

``If I can add a little value someplace, I would love to do that,'' she said. ``I'm not campaigning for a job, but I love public policy.''

Harman has criticized President George W. Bush for failing to ensure that anti-terror programs comply with the law and not briefing Congress on the operations. ``It's about the exercise of power by the executive,'' she said. ``This administration has ignored the role of Congress.'' Still, she says the anti-terror operations are necessary.

With Republican Representative Dan Lungren, a fellow Californian, she helped write legislation that would tighten security at U.S. seaports by requiring more radiation detectors and background checks for dockside workers.

``Many things keep me up at night, but I think the biggest threat we face at the moment is a radiological bomb coming in through a U.S. port,'' Harman said. ``We do not have an adequate system for screening containers for what's coming into the ports.''

Breaking With Her Party

Harman has broken with some in her party, including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who have called for an immediate withdrawal of American troops from Iraq. Harman instead calls for a timetable set by American generals in the field.

``It's not her inclination to go in the Nancy Pelosi direction,'' Lungren said in an interview. ``I don't agree with Jane Harman on everything. But really, you can work with her. You can talk with her.''

Harman's positions have earned her criticism from her left, as bloggers attack her for being too supportive of Bush's anti- terror programs. Her primary opponent was endorsed by groups such as the United Farm Workers of America and the West Los Angeles Democrat Club, as well as long-time political activist Tom Hayden.

Party members ``don't want Democrats to roll over, and they're particularly upset at those who embrace Bush,'' said Robert Borosage, co-director of Campaign for America's Future, a Democratic campaign group in Washington. ``It was that sense about Jane, that she was rolling over too much and not representing her district.''

Primary Victory

Harman won the June 6 primary 62 percent to 38 percent, and should easily win re-election in the strongly Democratic district in the November general elections.

Even so, her views have endangered her spot on the intelligence committee, she said. ``I don't know whether I will have any committee assignments in the next Congress,'' she said in the interview.

The next two Democrats by seniority on the committee are Florida's Alcee Hastings, a former federal judge who was impeached by Congress in 1988, and Silvestre Reyes of Texas, a former border patrol agent.

Pelosi spokeswoman Jennifer Crider said committee membership won't be decided until after the elections.

Pelosi appointed Harman to the intelligence committee in 2002 after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Two years later Harman helped draft legislation that reorganized intelligence gathering and created the new position of director of national intelligence to oversee the nation's 15 intelligence agencies.

Spread the Message

Harman is trying to spread her message on national security issues to other candidates through her political action committee, SecureUS. The group's advisers include Democrats such as former Florida Senator Bob Graham, former United Nations Ambassador Richard Holbrooke and former Secretary of Defense William Perry.

In April, the group conducted a seminar for 32 Democratic candidates to help them speak with voters about national security issues. Candidates practiced giving stump speeches, which were videotaped and critiqued by other participants. Another session is planned in September.

Harman said the positions espoused by the committee -- such as giving more power to the national intelligence director to manage intelligence-gathering, encouraging the spread of democracy by rebuilding Afghanistan and Iraq and reminding voters that the terrorist threat will require a long-term response -- would help Democrats appeal to middle-of-the-road voters who are concerned about security issues.

Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine, who heads the Homeland Security Committee, agrees. Harman ``believes very strongly in national security and helps to correct what has been a weakness for a lot of Democrats,'' Collins said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Nicholas Johnston in Washington at njohnston3@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: June 30, 2006 00:05 EDT