Edwards gets most of the answers when quizzed on world leaders

[JohnLocke]

Edwards gets most of the answers when quizzed on world leaders
By Elizabeth Dunbar--Associated Press
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
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CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Back on the campus where he earned a law degree, former Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards did OK Tuesday when challenged with a pop quiz on world leaders.
"This is ridiculous, but go ahead," Edwards said a live broadcast of MSNBC's "Hardball with Chris Matthews" from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Edwards did fine when asked for the leaders of Canada, Mexico, Iraq, Italy and Germany, correctly giving Matthews the last names of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, President Felipe Calderon, President Jalal Talabani, Premier Romano Prodi and Chancellor Angela Merkel.
"What don't we know here," a seemingly surprised Matthews said, to which Edwards quickly taunted, "Keep going."
(...)
The pop quiz was followed by a discussion with Matthews and the students in the crowd at UNC Chapel Hill about his foreign policy experience. Edwards told the crowd about his recent trips to Africa and the Middle East.
(...)
Edwards didn't hesitate to criticize President Bush's handling of the war in Iraq when given the chance. Edwards said the country shouldn't have to wait for next year before Bush offers a new plan for his strategy in the war torn nation, agreeing when asked if U.S. troops are now refereeing a civil war.
"It's amazing to me and completely unacceptable that the president of the United States, after having led us there and help create this mess along with the help of others, is not taking responsibility in changing course," Edwards said.
(...)
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Read the rest here.

[TechBear_Seattle]

1. Has Shrub or any other Repug "leader" ever gotten a similar quiz?

Why not?

[volstork]

2. * probably couldn't name all of his siblings

let alone the leaders of other countries

[ncrainbowgrrl]

9. Hah! Quite well said!

Uh... there's Jeb- uh- he's my brother- he's the governor of Florida. He gave me the presidency

Um... Neil, Marvin- uh- not "Marvin the Martian (he he he)"

etc...

[LSparkle]

3. RatBastard did in 2000 and flunked

His famous response re the leader of Pakistan was "General" (!). In this "post-9/11 world," I think it's perfectly legitimate for potential leaders to be quizzed like this. If foreign policy is going to be the big "deciding factor," then we have a right to know that these guys at least know some of the people they'll be dealing with on the world stage.

[Bucky]

4. Bush got embarrassed in 2000 when a reporter quized him.

Bush lauded the president of Pakistan as a "good man" but couldn't think of Mussharaf's name.

[Igel]

7. Musharraf.

Like many such names, it's Arabic. Means "honored", I think.

[blm]

12. praised him as a good man even though he oversaw a coup of the democratically elected

president who had been working with Clinton to target Bin Laden. Musharraf canceled the cooperation when he took over. What does THAT tell you about that coup?

9-11 couldn't have happened if Bin Laden was taken out by the joint efforts of special forces from US and Pakistan as they had been preparing for two years before the coup.

[kay1864]

5. Chimpy did get such a quiz during the 2000 campaign

Couldn't name a couple of world leaders, plus he famously referred to "Grecians" and "Kosovarians", IIRC

Anyone surprised that he was that clueless?

[AndyA]

6. I remember seeing a news snip on Bush when he was running to be

Pretzeldent, and he didn't know the names of world leaders. It was during an interview. It was embarrassing, I thought. And that was yet another reason why I never thought the man would be the big Pretzel.

Of course, we all know he lost the popular vote the first time. And stole the elections with the help of Diebold the second time.

What a pox Bush is on America.

[ChiciB1]

8. Also, In Case It Wasn't Noted By Others... On MSNBC Poll He Was

the ONLY candidate that polled ahead of McCain. Hillary didn't nor did Obama!

And, did we hear them talking about this today?? I dun sink so!! What a shame... only Hillary and Obama, and of course Rudy and McCain!!!

I do like Obama, but can't "do" Hillary. But WSJ poll showed Edwards beating McCain! I'm really really big on Edwards and think he's getting a "raw" deal these days.

[Mass]

10. This shows how low we have fallen, Be amazed that somebody

who wants to be president can pass a basic test: the name of the leaders of our two neighbors, of two European countries, and of the country we are stuck in.

Come on! The rest of the answers he gave are fine, but Edwards is right, this part is absolutely stupid.

[jcrew2001]

11. foreign policy

Yeah, I think that Edwards weak spot is his lack of foreign policy experience. He will really need to come out strong on knowledge, etc. to win over independents.

The VRWC will come out against him for his lack of experience, and so will Hillary, Clark, but not Obama.