[George W. Bush, President Of The United States:] In these past eight years, I've sat at the resolute desk and reviewed the daily intelligence briefings, the threat assessments, and the reports from our commanders on the front lines. I've stood in the ruins of buildings knocked down by killers and promised the survivors I would never let them down. I know the hard choices that fall solely to a president. John McCain's life has prepared him to make those choices. He is ready to lead this nation.
[O'brien:] And the implication of course is that the other guy's not ready. Par for the course at any convention, whether you're talking about the Republicans or the Democrats. Kind of what a convention is all about. What we try to do is cut through the spin. So joining me now is Democratic foreign policy analyst James Rubin, who served as an assistant secretary of state in the Clinton administration, and McCain supporter Clifford May. He's the president of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Nice to see you both. You just heard what President Bush had to say. We have this latest polling that actually shows Barack Obama now closing that gap. Where Iraq was a big issue for John McCain, not so much anymore. Economy, though, for voters seems to be the top issue. How important will Iraq policy be for voters, do you think?
[James Rubin, Democratic Foreign Policy Analyst:] Well, I think in the end it will matter. The United States is at war in Iraq, in Afghanistan. The commander in chief role is unique. Only the president really has the ability to affect war, and I think the public may not regard the war in Iraq as its foremost concern. I do think, however, foreign affairs, national security in Iraq will play a big role in how they vote and who they vote for.
[O'brien:] Cliff May, explain to me this poll, then. We'll pop it up. This is from August 29th through the 31st. Obama was at 44 percent, now at 49 percent, when asked the question, "Who will better handle Iraq?" And John McCain, who talked a lot about how this was really his issue, this is his strength, was at 53 percent and has dropped to 48 percent.
[Cliff May, President, Foundation For Defense Of Democracies:] I think that suggests that Barack Obama made some very good speeches at the Democratic convention in Denver, and that more Americans are feeling OK about his lack of experience, perhaps because they think he has judgment that will compensate for it. But this will be an issue that will be debated over the next weeks and months. The fact of the matter is, Barack Obama has no experience in foreign policy. He was against the war in Iraq. He was also against the surge, which prevented America from suffering a terrible defeat at the hands of al Qaeda in Iraq. And Joe Biden, who is very experienced in foreign affairs, voted for the war in Iraq and then he was against the surge. And for a while he had a kind of strange plan to divide Iraq up into three countries. So I would say expect foreign affairs to continue to be a volatile subject, along with the economy, as you suggest, although I think energy is the long pole in the economic tent.
[O'brien:] Interesting. Let's talk about Afghanistan. And give me a basic layout of the different policies between the two, Obama, McCain.
[Rubin:] Well, here's the essence of the foreign policy debate. We're in a mess in Iraq, and the question is, why? And the why is that George Bush, followed by John McCain, diverted America's attention and the world's attention away from the real threat to the United States from al Qaeda in Afghanistan, devoted our intelligence resources, our military resources, and squandered America's goodwill going into Iraq. Meanwhile, Afghanistan has been left to fester, and it has now gotten to the point think about it, how many years after the fall of the Taliban we're still fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan because George Bush, with John McCain's support, refused to realize and this is the job of a commander in chief, to understand priorities. The priority to keep America safe is to go after al Qaeda. That's what Barack Obama has been talking about for years now. Finally, the rest of the country has realized we've got to focus in on Afghanistan, while John McCain still refuses to accept that Afghanistan is as crucial as it needs to be.
[May:] I've got to disagree with my friend Jamie on a couple of points. One, this week, Anbar Province, which just a couple of years ago was so under al Qaeda's control that military experts said there was no way we could get it back, was handed over to Iraqi authorities, democratically-elected Iraqi authorities, and the Iraqi security forces have taken over Anbar, and they've taken over control in 11 of 18 provinces. As for Afghanistan, that was supposed to be NATO's mission. And it's politically incorrect to say, but NATO failed. Now, General Petraeus, who turned things around in Iraq, despite opposition from people like Barack Obama and I guess Jamie, is looking at the situation of Afghanistan and looking how America can salvage that situation as well. It's tough, largely because al Qaeda is ensconced in Pakistan. Now, I know Obama said during his speech that if he were president, he would go after Osama bin Laden in Pakistan. I would love Jamie to explain how he's going to do it. He also suggested that somehow John McCain is not or would not go after Osama bin Laden. That's a very strange suggestions which I wish some folks in the media would give some examination to.
[Rubin:] Well, let me direct that addressly [sic], Soledad. This is the issue where should the United States have focused its resources? What is the priority for our country? George Bush and John McCain diverted our attention away from al Qaeda, away from the threat in Afghanistan, all of our military resources, our intelligence resources, and got us into this mess in Iraq. Yes, we're cleaning it up, and that's good news. But a commander in chief has to have the whole picture in view, not just one picture. He's not the field commander for Iraq. He's the commander in chief for the United States. And Afghanistan is where al Qaeda is. It's still there six years later. Think about how long it's been that we've been fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan. And George Bush has failed to do anything about it, and John McCain still thinks everything that matters in the world of foreign policy is occurring in one province of Iraq, when the truth is that al Qaeda in Afghanistan should have been our priority. It still needs to be a priority. And under an Obama administration, it will be a priority.
[May:] Jamie, surely you understand that we could not have let al Qaeda and the Iranian-backed militias overtake Iraq, which is in the heart of Arab Middle East, oil rich, usually important. You know that as well as I know that. Also, I'm sure that you understand that General Petraeus has done a fabulous job. It would be nice if people like Obama could say that.
[Rubin:] I think he's done a terrific job, and so has Barack Obama.
[May:] Can you tell me what Barack Obama...
[Rubin:] He says he's done a great job.
[May:] You think he'll keep Petraeus on in the next administration should he become president?
[Rubin:] I have no idea. I have no idea.
[O'brien:] Before we run out of time, I want to ask you about the recent test that we saw between Georgia and Russia.
[Rubin:] Very important.
[O'brien:] So break it down for me. Yes, clearly an important test at a crucial time when voters are trying to make a decision.
[Rubin:] I think what you saw in the case of Georgia is what voters really, really need to think about. The fist reaction of John McCain was war. "I am a Georgian." This is the phrase John McCain used. It's something that John Kennedy used in Berlin when the United States prepared to fight for the safety of the people in Berlin. It's a phrase that raises the idea of war. And that is not the first thing we want our commander in chief to do when there's a problem in the world, is rush to the use of force.
[May:] First of all...
[Rubin:] John McCain doesn't understand that there are very complex issues in Georgia, in that region, that Barack Obama got it exactly right. Confront the Russians, but don't raise the idea that we're going to go to war first thing off the bat.
[May:] Jamie...
[O'brien:] Go ahead, Cliff.
[May:] Jamie, when John F. Kennedy said that, we did not go to war, as I'm sure you know.
[Rubin:] The Berlin airlift. We saved the people of Berlin. You know what I'm talking about.
[May:] I know what he's talking about. He was trying to say to the Russians, as John McCain did, we are not going to let you take over small countries with impunity.
[Rubin:] We just did, Cliff. They just did.
[May:] And meanwhile let me finish. Barack Obama, he fumbled on this, as I'm sure you know, by suggesting that it was the Georgians' fault as much as the Russians' fault.
[Rubin:] He never suggested that. That's not correct.
[May:] What we need to do, we need to show the Russians I hope you agree with this that they cannot simply run roughshot not only over Georgia, but over the Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia, and all the countries of East Europe, while we sit back and hope that they will come to the U.N. and talk about it.
[Rubin:] No.
[May:] Barack Obama said the U.N. should deal with it.
[Rubin:] Barack Obama understands full well that what we need to do is to confront the Russians.
[May:] How? We should.
[Rubin:] But fortunately, if Barack Obama were president, the first thing he's not going to do is reach for his pistol in his belt.
[May:] And neither do John McCain.
[Rubin:] He's going to consider how to proceed.
[O'brien:] And that will be our final word, gentlemen. Jamie Rubin and Clifford May, thanks to both of you. Appreciate your time. One other note before we go. We just got a quote from Sarah Palin's top aide, Tucker Eskew, about her speech tonight. He says this: "She's going to speak as a governor, a former mayor, and someone with both hands on the steering wheel of America's energy economy. She will detail her record of shaking up the status quo in Alaska and standing up to entrenched interests to put the government back on the side of the people. She will make the case for Senator McCain as the only candidate who's fought for America and the best man to protect us in dangerous times." So we will see how she does when she delivers her speech later this evening. That's it for now. Soledad O'Brien at the CNN Election Center in New York. I'll see you back here in just about 15 minutes, continuing our nonstop coverage of the convention. Back to CNN NEWSROOM after these messages.