Edwards Sets Self Apart on Foreign Policy (Focus Terrorism before 9-11)

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A37644-2004Jul8?language=printer

In his Senate years and primary campaign, vice presidential candidate John Edwards has emerged as a politician willing to push beyond conventional foreign policy ideas and introduce imaginative proposals that often do not meet with swift approval.

In one typical case, Edwards in January called for the United States to draw up a "freedom list" that would identify dissidents jailed for political or religious expression in an attempt through "name and shame" to persuade other countries to free political prisoners. He also proposed linking U.S. aid to progress on human rights and democracy -- a practice that, if implemented, would almost certainly disqualify many key U.S. allies, such as Egypt and Pakistan.

In the summer of 2001, when much of the Republican and Democratic policy community was obsessed with missile defense, Edwards urged more attention to terrorism. The North Carolina senator had such limited luck pitching an OpEd article on terrorism to major newspapers that the piece, warning of poor cooperation among federal and local law enforcement, ended up in the weekly Littleton Observer, circulation 2,230 -- four weeks before the Sept. 11 attacks.

Edwards's approach and style are in contrast to those of running mate John F. Kerry, who after years steeped in foreign policy has recently become more of a pragmatist whose positions shy away from bold ideas -- in some cases differing from Bush administration policy only by degrees.

Sounds like he's already more qualified than Cheney. Anyone have that op-ed?

[UpInArms]

1. he sounds like

an adult!

Can we have him in charge?

[struggle4progress]

6. He is an adult.

I don't always agree with him. But he's serious and thoughtful. And he really cares.

[hedda_foil]

2. Very very nice article. Very nice indeed.

And page one of the WP to boot!

[olddem43]

3. Yeah, Edwards for President -

Well, lets get him to VP first. He'll only be 59 in 8 years and by then we can change the term limit amendment. After that, first president-for-life since FDR.

[truthspeaker]

10. OK let's not fly off the handle!

[schultzee]

4. A populist too! I love this man.

[AP]

5. There's something I didn't know before. Can't wait to see how

people react to this tomorrow.

[HuckleB]

7. Damn. This is sweet.

What an ad this should make!

Go Edwards!

[moondust]

8. Wow.

More evidence that there was no public will or even interest in fighting terrorism in summer 2001 or, by default, BEFORE THAT during previous administrations. When a U.S. Senator cannot even get major newspapers to publish an OpEd on it, you can rest assured that it is a non-subject about which nothing will be done in the foreseeable future.

The U.S. desperately needs more people of vision and imagination like JE and a lot fewer of the "Who could have imagined?" kind.

[AP]

9. Clinton told Bush it was the most important issue. Edwards was trying

to warn the public.

Meanwhile, Ashcroft is telling people he doesn't want to hear one more word about it, Condie is saying that a report titled "OBL wants to strike inside the US" is too vaguely worded for Bush to understand the implications, Bush was generally not playing defense, and Freeh was doing everything he could to not address this issue.

What moe will it take for people to realize that Republicans are not their friends.