Edwards tells Clinton and Obama to stop fight

DOVER, N.H. — Presidential hopeful John Edwards said the dispute between Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama is completely wrong for the Democratic Party.

"The last thing we need is two presidential candidates fighting with each other, instead of fighting for the change we need in America," Edwards said. "And, man, do we need change in the worst possible way."

Since last week's debate in South Carolina, Clinton and Obama have been arguing about how far each would go, as president, to meet with leaders of hostile nations such as Iran, Syria, Venezuela, Cuba and North Korea.

An Obama spokeswoman disputed Edwards' comments.

"This is a substantive and important debate people want to hear about, whether we are going to turn the page on the Bush-Cheney foreign policy, which has damaged our national security and America's standing in the world," Leslie Miller said.

Edwards also responded to criticism Republicans Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani have thrown at him for proposing an increase in capital-gains taxes.

"What I say to Romney and Giuliani is all that money that they're making from their investments ... I want them to pay their fair share of taxes on those investments," Edwards said.

A Romney spokesman said Edwards missed the point.

"While we'd all like to be able to join Mr. Edwards and laugh off $400 haircuts, Mitt Romney believes that working families should be able to keep more of their money," Craig Stevens said.

McCain says he won't let U.S. "lose this war"

GREENVILLE, S.C. — Republican presidential candidate John McCain said Saturday he will not relent in his fight against Democrats in Congress who want to set a date for withdrawing troops from Iraq.

"We will not allow the United States of America to lose this war," the Arizona senator told a crowd at a Spartanburg restaurant that has become a traditional stop for Republican candidates.

McCain led GOP efforts to defeat legislation this month that would have forced the withdrawal of combat troops. Doing so, he said, would mean chaos and genocide.

"If the war's lost, who won? Al-Qaida? Tell that to the 160,000 brave young Americans who are serving and sacrificing in Iraq today as we speak," he said.

McCain's poll numbers have fallen nationally, largely because of his stances on Iraq and his embrace of the defeated immigration bill.

Answering a question from the crowd, McCain said he will not change his stance, even if it means his defeat. "I'll take my stand on this war, my friend," he said. "I would much rather lose a campaign than a war."

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