More on Edwards' Chat With Musharraf

By: Aaron Lewis
Topics: John Edwards

(CBS)

From CBS News' Aaron Lewis:

WAVERLY, IOWA -- John Edwards again told caucusgoers about his phone call with Pervez Musharraf this afternoon, this time taking a bit more critical tone of the Pakistani president.

After reiterating his insistence that Pakistan "continue on this path to democratization with free and open elections," Edwards expressed some skepticism.

"He assured me he'd do it," said Edwards. "But we have to hold his feet to the fire because he's made those kind of promises before."

Edwards also urged his fellow presidential candidates not to politicize the Benazir Bhutto's assassination - perhaps a veiled message to Barack Obama's campaign, who earlier today implied that Bhutto's death was a result of Hillary Clinton's "judgment" to divert attention away from Afghanistan, Pakistan and the Middle East.

"What the president and the presidential candidates need to be doing is not talking about politics and the political advantage supposedly this gives somebody or somebody else," said Edwards. "This is a crucial, important issue that presidential candidates need to show some calm and strength and leadership on."

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by evereye3 December 28, 2007 3:48 PM EST: Why didn''t any of the Republicans, who are supposed to be so strong on national security, or any of the Democratic candidates, who keep trumpeting experience as if it were more important than good judgment, think of making the extremely presidential move of calling Musharraf?

I think it is now pretty clear that good ideas, not the length of time in office, is what it takes to be right on foreign policy.

Go Edwards!; Reply to this comment


by nfekx December 28, 2007 7:12 AM EST: Edwards is great, but I don''t think Obama, or his campaign staff, can be criticized for making the valid point: Pakistan has always been the front line against Al-Qaeda. Iraq only became a front line after we invaded, as the war progressed. We would have had more resources for Afganistan and Pakistan had we not invaded Iraq. All unassailable arguments.

Musharraf must be held accountable for such a failure on his own soil, and certainly, as Obama has maintained, the U.S. should conduct raids against AQ in Pakistan if Musharraf won''t.; Reply to this comment


by demforchange December 28, 2007 4:22 AM EST: That was very deft how he sort of admonished Jim Axelrod''s comments on Clinton as well as blowing off the immediate reaction of some media personalities who want to turn this into another win for Hillary Clinton.; Reply to this comment


by oscar19861 December 28, 2007 1:03 AM EST: Edwards is The Man!

he showed world class leadership, acting like a president, not a candidate.

I can''t imagine Hillary of Obama appearing as presidential. It is a man''s world.; Reply to this comment