Edwards Reacts to Bhutto Tragedy Like a President

A few weeks ago, I gave you my take on Republican presidential pretenders. How about the Dems? In the wake of yesterday's senseless assassination of Benazir Bhutto, one name stands out among the Dems - John Edwards.

Hillary Clinton:

Rudy and Hillary played on the Bhutto tragedy to claim we need people like them to keep Americans safe from the world's dangerous thugs. "[D]eep down, in places you don't talk about at parties, you want me on that wall. You need me on that wall."

Although Senator Clinton eventually got around to being "profoundly saddened and outraged," her initial reaction was strangely cold. She ignored a television producer who twice asked her, "Senator, were you moved by Bhutto’s death?”

Everything about her is just a little too calculated, a little too contrived. And why on earth is she claiming to be so experienced? Does she think osmosis establishes presidential creds? If so, Republicans should run Laura Bush. At least people like her.

Clinton's campaign tactics evoke scary memories of Richard Nixon, and that's no surprise. Although she will mobilize disgruntled Republicans like no other Dem, the sad truth is that she's practically one of them. Republican-lite.

Barack Obama:

He's playing up the Bhutto tragedy, too. Chief strategist David Axelrod is already trying this spin:

"Barack Obama had the judgment to oppose the war in Iraq, and he warned at the time it would divert us from Afghanistan and Al Qaeda, and now we see the effect of that."

Wow! But can he predict what I'll be eating for breakfast? In case there is any doubt in your mind whether Clinton caused Bhutto's death, Axelrod takes things one step further.

"She was a strong supporter of the war in Iraq, which we would submit, was one of the reasons why we were diverted from Afghanistan, Pakistan and al-Qaeda, who may have been players in this event today, so that’s a judgment she’ll have to defend."

Obama is halfway through his first term as a U.S. Senator, and that already gives him more experience than Abraham Lincoln had when he ran for president. He's ready for us.

But are we ready for him? If The Morning Call Reader Forum is any indication, I'm guessing no. Bigotry may in fact be experiencing a revival, even here in the northeast. Call me crazy, but Americans just won't elect a minority candidate whose middle name happens to be Hussein.

John Edwards:

Clinton speaks of her "experience" and Obama is whining, "I told you so." So how did Edwards respond to the news of Bhutto's murder?

"I spoke with the Pakistani Ambassador and then a few minutes ago I spoke with President Musharraf, urging him to continue on the path to democratization, to allow international investigators to come in to determine what happened, what the facts were so that there would be transparency and credibility about what actually occurred and also about the upcoming schedule of elections and that the important thing for America to do in this unstable environment is first of all focus on the tragedy that's occurred. Benazir Bhutto was a strong woman, a courageous woman, someone that I actually spoke at a conference with a few years and she talked about the path to democracy in Pakistan being baptized in blood so she understood the extraordinary risk that she was taking by going back and it's a terrible tragedy for the people of Pakistan, but it's important for America to be a calming influence and provide strength in this environment."

Like it or not, the only Democrat who comes close to sounding and more importantly, acting like a president in the face of this crisis, is John Edwards. He's our best hope. The only Democrats who have been elected president since the assassination of JFK - LBJ, Carter, Clinton and Gore - have all been from the south.

Edwards shuns money from corporate special interest PACs or lobbyists. He's the only Democrat with a progressive agenda who can actually be elected. He's campaigning against classic Democratic enemies - corporate power and greed.

"What makes America America is at stake: jobs, the middle class, health care, preserving the environment in the world for future generations.

"But all those things are at risk. And why are they at risk? Because of corporate power and corporate greed in Washington, D.C. And we have to take them on. You can't make a deal with them. You can't hope that they're going to go away. You have to actually be willing to fight. And I want every caucus-goer to know I've been fighting these people and winning my entire life. And if we do this together, rise up together, we can actually make absolutely certain, starting here in Iowa, that we make this country better than we left it."

He's always had a very good vision, but I'm now convinced that Edwards is a leader and he's finally earned my vote. Now he just needs a few more.