Obama Says on Foreign Policy He's Like Reagan and Bush 41

From CBS News' Maria Gavrilovic:

GREENSBURG, PA. -- Barack Obama argued that his foreign policy proposals are more in line with former presidents George H.W. Bush and Ronald Reagan than with the current President Bush and Hillary Clinton.

“The truth is that my foreign policy is actually a return to the traditional, bipartisan, realistic foreign policy of George Bush's father, John F. Kennedy, of in some ways Ronald Reagan,” Obama told a crowd at the first town hall meeting of his “Stand for Change” bus tour.

“It's George Bush that's been naïve and its people like John McCain and unfortunately some Democrats who have facilitated him acting in these naïve ways that have caused us so much damage in our reputation around the world.”

Obama accused Hillary Clinton of subscribing to President Bush’s politics when it comes to foreign policy, even though he said she may not agree with all of his policies.

“In many ways, she has been captive to the same politics that lead her to vote for the war in Iraq. Since 9/11, the conventional wisdom has been you have to look tough on foreign policy by voting and acting like the Republicans,” Obama said, “She, like McCain and Bush, said you shouldn't talk to leaders of countries like Iran.”

Obama praised former President Bush’s Gulf war policy, saying that the war was conducted with allies and only cost $20 billion. He said that the Gulf war strengthened the United States because national interests were not compromised.

“There is a history of Democrats and Republicans who understand the importance of using our diplomatic power and economic power and that is over time what brings us influence and makes us more secure.”