Bhutto Primary Winners and Losers

There is nothing like an assassination in one of the world's most dangerous hot spots to urge voters to take another hard look at presidential candidates with the most foreign policy experience. Former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto's horrible demise sets up an audition of sorts for commander in chief as contenders compete for the most presidential on-camera reaction.

On the losing side of this equation? Rudy Giuliani overplayed 9/11. Mitt Romney rambled incoherently. Joe Biden and Bill Richardson were too quck with hot-headed action plans. And Barack Obama haltingly read a prepared statement that sounded like boilerplate for a vice president attending the funeral of someone he barely knows.

Winners of the Bhutto primary include Hillary Rodham Clinton and John Edwards, who effectively devoted their first on-air comments to descriptions of their personal relationships with the downed leader. John McCain also got a chance to display his international credentials, but undercut himself by nervously wandering around the stage like a homeless person talking to himself.

More on Craig Crawford's Trail Mix.

Read more reactions from HuffPost bloggers on Benazir Bhutto's assassination

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Comments

[Nutcase]

02:17 PM on 12/29/2007

Biden acquitted himself well. He showed his mastery of the subject.

Edwards didn't hurt himself. That is a plus for someone without the international credentials. He could easily appoint someone for that area.

Richardson showed his weakness in policy but he is an excellent diplomat.

McCain showed his complete ineptitude. Claiming to be the greatest expert in the field is not the same as being an expert. From the clips I saw of him, he appeared almost hysterical while making those claims.

All of the others were perfect losers.

[LizM]

08:29 AM on 12/29/2007

Joe Biden - too quick with a hot-headed action plan? Clinton and Edwards - description of their personal relationships with the downed leader? You gotta be freakin’ kidding me...seriously!

Every time I begin to think that the media and blogosphere can’t possibly be as obtuse as I perceive them to be, I am proven wrong.

[Tellmethetruth]

04:19 PM on 12/28/2007

While "hot-headed" is a projection on your part, and one no one else would agree with, Biden did publically disagree with Richardson and took a cautionary approach to Pakistan. Remember when Obama threatened to bomb, invade, and possibly use nuclear weapons in the Democratic Foreign policy Debate in August of 2007, the people in Pakistan rioted.

Thanks for the article and being honest enough to give credit where credit is due - to Joe Biden for being the most knowledgeable about the Middle East, most especially Pakistan, for being engaged on a regular basis with the President of Pakistan. Joe Biden has mentioned through out his campaign that world leaders talk to him because they have stopped calling Bush/Cheney as they cannot talk to them and diplomacy with either of them has not worked.

For bloggers who want to refresh their memories of what Joe Biden wrote on two occassions on Pakistan on Huffington Post on November 6th and November 8th - two months ago, here are the links.

It is worth reviewing to see how prophetic Biden was and right on the money considering how today's tragedy has worked out.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joe-biden/a-new-approach-to-pakista_b_71733.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joe-biden/we-need-a-pakistan-policy_b_71399.html

[PaulAbrams]

03:30 PM on 12/28/2007

You're nuts, period.
Time to get real about US foreign policy, and the person we choose to lead it.
What Bhutto's assassination conveys more than anything is a need to end the Iraq War that is a diversion for the war against al-Qaeda. Having a candidate with REAL foreign policy experience would help--that's Richardson and Biden for the Dems. Edwards experience in foreign policy is what? Hillary's? See yesterday's NYT for that analysis. Only McCain has that on the Republican side, but he wants to continue the war in Iraq and has bought the "surge" as a successful policy.

Anyone who wants a safer US, from a person who has actually achieved that already, with more respect around the world, and a de-emphasis on militarism in foreign policy would look first to vote for Richardson and secondarily for Biden. Richardson has already rescued the US from more than one crisis, and was the ONLY person running contacted by the North Koreans to restart the nuclear talks, that now appears to be headed for success. Biden has 35 years on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee....

[JDWPS]

02:42 PM on 12/28/2007

In my opinion Craig never misses a chance to promote Hillary. And if the opportunity is not there,he STILL promotes Hillary. It is fine for him to prefer a candidate but not when he feigns neutrality. Remember praising Edwards is now regarded as "helping" Clinton because she does not see him as a real threat to her in the end.

[roncraw]

02:31 PM on 12/28/2007

Clinton at least sounded presidential and sympathetic. obama sounded as if he was reading someone elses words. Clinton meet w/Bhutto as the first lady and was the first lady to visit a muslim country. I'd be surprised if Obama would have know who Bhutto was if she walked in the door.

[Researchguy66]

01:46 PM on 12/28/2007

I usually agree with Craig, but this is one of those examples when all the media types get together, wish and dream about how this will change the status quo and make it so with their predictions on air.

I'm not buying it. Most people understand precisely one thing about this event...dead=bad. Beyond that, if people can't get it and understand how the situation should be addressed, they'll disregard it and go back to caring about ethanol, agricultural subsidies and "rural renewal".

[Bocababs]

01:03 PM on 12/28/2007

Love Ya...Craig!! You are one of my favorite talking heads on MSNBC. You stay true to your beliefs and you never let the moderator take you off topic.

[cblcar]

12:00 PM on 12/28/2007

You criticize Biden for not being all warm and fuzzy like Hillary or Edwards? Perhaps, you don't grasp the enormity of this tragedy. It's not just the death of one woman, however courageous she was. It's about the dangerous instability of a nuclear-equipped nation and the very real possibility of those nukes falling into the hands of the very same people who want to wipe our asses off the planet. Biden did talk about his personal relationship with her and how much he admired her, but he also was ready with a plan of action which is exactly what we need in a leader. Your judgment here is way off base. Biden '08.

[ChristopherLib]

11:28 AM on 12/28/2007

You could see Giuliani licking his chops talking about this yesterday. I think it does benefit him with Republican voters, granted the guy basically has no foreign policy experience. It comes back to 9/11, and because he walked down a street he becomes a great leader, at least in the eyes of Fox News viewers. The fear mongering comment he made yesterday helps him with Republicans without question.

[lwaxanatroi]

11:22 AM on 12/28/2007

Re: gender identification, Benazir and Hillary. I remember when Geraldine Ferraro was asked in a vice-presidential candidates' debate (against the senior George Bush) whether a woman was capable of leading a country in wartime. The answer I wished she had given and didn't would have referenced Indira Gandhi, Golda Meier, and Margaret Thatcher. If the fact that other countries have had successful female leadership--and some of that leadership led to martyrdom--can't we finally put to rest the notion that women are biologically unfit to lead? That is all Hillary should get from the Bhutto tragedy.

[Bulbul]

11:15 AM on 12/28/2007

Nice analysis Craig. See you frequently on MSNBC.
On a personal note, Craig shows lot of strength. During Imus`s unfortunate fall, most of his favorite guests turned their back. Craig stayed loyal, have seen him being ridiculed in one of the show.
Good Craig !

[drricklippin]

11:02 AM on 12/28/2007

Do not minimize the importance of gender identification in regard to the Bhutto assasination on Hillary's candidacy

Dr. Rick Lippin
http://medicalcrises.blogspot.com

[brilliantatbreakfast]

10:40 AM on 12/28/2007

Thanks, Craig, for not buying into the automatic meme being pushed by the mainstream media (especially by MSNBC, where you appear frequently and where even the great Keith Olbermann neglected to mention Edwards' phone call with Musharraf last night) that this meme somehow helps the most hawkish candidates.

[OhgReaTone]

10:40 AM on 12/28/2007

The highlight of an assassination brings focus to an important process of electing the leader of the free world - but fear must not rule.
Ohg.
http://thefiresidepost.com/2007/12/28/fear-must-not-choose-a-president/