Presidential Candidates React to Bhutto Assassination

Daniel Macht, OffTheBus contributor, wrote this piece.

Both Democratic and Republican presidential candidates condemned Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto's assassination on Thursday. But Democratic candidate Bill Richardson's statement went the furthest, by calling for Pakistan's president to resign.

"President Bush should press Musharraf to step aside, and a broad-based coalition government, consisting of all the democratic parties, should be formed immediately," Richardson said. "Until this happens, we should suspend military aid to the Pakistani government. Free and fair elections must also be held as soon as possible."

Democratic hopeful Senator Joe Biden, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relation's Committee called for an international investigation into Bhutto's death, saying he twice warned Musharraf to provide better security for her.

"The failure to protect Ms. Bhutto raises a lot of hard questions for the government and security services that must be answered," Biden said.

Senator Barack Obama issued a two-sentence statement expressing "shock" and "sadness" over attack, but unlike Biden and Richardson, he did not stake out a position on what actions should follow.

In August, Republicans and some Democrats criticized Obama for his outspoken positions on Pakistan.

When Obama ruled out the use of nuclear weapons against pursuing terrorists, Hillary Clinton criticized him for discussing military tactics.

After Obama said he would consider bombing terrorists training camps regardless of permission by Pakistan's president, Republican Mitt Romney accused Obama of threatening an ally.

On Thursday, Romney and other Republicans tried to connect Bhutto's assassination to the global war on terror.

"America must show its commitment to stand with all moderate forces across the Islamic world and together face the defining challenge of our generation - the struggle against violent, radical jihadists," Romney said.

Rudolph W. Giuliani said Bhutto's death was "a reminder that terrorism anywhere -- whether in New York, London, Tel-Aviv or Rawalpindi -- is an enemy of freedom. We must redouble our efforts to win the Terrorists' War on Us," Giuliani said.

Republican Mike Huckabee said he was praying for Bhutto's family. But he also used the occasion to contrast the violence surrounding Pakistan's elections with American democracy.

"On this sad day, we are reminded that while our democracy has flaws, it stands as a shining beacon of hope for nations and people around the world who seek peace and opportunity through self-government."

Comments

[Pat15]

agree she should have been careful...knowing that she is under attack from these ruthless allah talibans etc ..but many politicians love the aura of being loved by people & boost their inner egos ..why did she take chances like that ..I dont know ..she had many enemies & paid the price for her casual mingling with her supporters ..A smart politician wont have done that & would have taken extreme precautions to protect herself ...

[Maxbyte]

Pressuring Bush to ask for Musharraf's resignation is another knee-jerk reaction from someone who probably hasn't thought about what happened and who had advance knowledge of it. There's probably another book in this for Musharraf, if he wants it. But this time, he should buy a little uninhabitated island of his own, and more there before he sents it to a publisher.

Money is no problem for Musharraf. He has ripped billions off of us, with Bush's help.

As for the images of Bhutto's head and blood stained car seat, the blood stains on the seat and floor strongly suggest to me that she was killed by a passenger in the car on her left.

There would have been blood in other locations if she had been killed by someone outside of the car.

I do not believe the x-rays, either.

[Dap]

Benazir Bhutto, martyred herself, and in doing so she made an already bad situation worst. It was the act of a *Believer* not the true act of leadership, she had a duty protect herself. The responsibility for her own safety was her's alone, she had a death wish and fulfiled it, being ever so carful to place the blame on her enemies, leaving the country she claimed to love in a worse state.

Allah (God) willing my arse!

[missmarple]

I know I heard Guiliani say "We may need to put more troops in there" - I sputtered my coffee all over the table! What right do we have to put any troops into a foreign country?

[Pdubya]

you should have seen Paul on CNN with Wolf!!!!

Man! the dude takes risk in telling the truth!