Obama fights Bush remarks on terror talks

Democratic White House hopeful Sen. Barack Obama yesterday injected himself into a tussle with President Bush over diplomacy, aiming to push a foreign-policy issue he thinks helps his candidacy as the president’s comments sparked an uproar on Capitol Hill.

In a speech to the Israeli Knesset, Mr. Bush mocked direct talks with U.S. adversaries such as Iran and Syria — likening such a strategy to wanting to speak with Adolf Hitler.

Though the president never referred to the Illinois senator aiming to replace him, Mr. Obama, who has campaigned on reaching out to such adversaries, responded sharply, calling the speech a “false political attack” and saying it was “sad” the Bush comments came on the 60th anniversary of Israel’s independence.

Mr. Bush said “some seem to believe that we should negotiate with the terrorists and radicals.” He called that position a “foolish delusion” and compared it to when an American senator said speaking with Hitler may have avoided Nazi tanks crossing into Poland in 1939.

“We have an obligation to call this what it is — the false comfort of appeasement, which has been repeatedly discredited by history,” Mr. Bush said.

Mr. Obama rebuked the president soon after he spoke.

“Instead of tough talk and no action, we need to do what Kennedy, Nixon and Reagan did and use all elements of American power — including tough, principled and direct diplomacy — to pressure countries like Iran and Syria,” Mr. Obama said in a statement.

The White House insisted the president was not referring to the candidate.

“There are many who have suggested these types of negotiations with people that President Bush thinks we should not talk to. I understand when you’re running for office you sometimes think the world revolves around you — that is not always true and it is not true in this case,” White House press secretary Dana Perino said.

Presumptive Republican nominee Sen. John McCain of Arizona told reporters the spat brings up an issue for the general election: “Why does … Senator Obama want to sit down with a state sponsor of terrorism?”

He said he found Mr. Obama’s position one that shows “naivete and inexperience and lack of judgment.”

The Obama campaign accused Mr. McCain of embracing Mr. Bush’s “disgraceful political attack” after promising bipartisanship.

“Instead of delivering meaningful change, John McCain wants to continue George Bush’s irresponsible and failed Iran policy by refusing to engage in tough, direct diplomacy,” said Obama spokesman Tommy Vietor.

Mr. Obama’s primary rival Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, New York Democrat, also criticized the president even though she disagrees with Mr. Obama’s willingness to directly speak with adversaries.

“President Bush’s comparison of any Democrat to Nazi appeasers is both offensive and outrageous on the face of it, especially in light of his failures in foreign policy,” she said.

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