Meanwhile, on Friday, Senator Obama responded to President Bush’s remarks that meeting with Iran’s leader was akin to appeasement of Nazi Germany. During a speech in South Dakota, Obama outlined his views on diplomacy and Iran.

Sen. Obama: “I believe we need to use all elements of American power to pressure Iran, including tough, principled and direct diplomacy. That’s what John F. Kennedy did. That’s what Ronald Reagan did when dealing with the Soviets, and that’s what the President’s own Secretary of Defense wants to do. Understand, George Bush’s Secretary of Defense suggests that we talk directly to Iran. So, I don’t know if George Bush is calling his own Secretary of Defense an appeaser. I don’t know who he’s talking about.”

Senator Obama went on to criticize President Bush’s and Senator John McCain’s foreign policy.

Sen. Obama: “It’s time to present Iran with a clear choice: if it abandons its nuclear programs, support for terror and threats to Israel, then Iran can rejoin the community of nations; if not, Iran will face deeper isolation and steeper sanctions, but in the Bush/McCain world view, everyone who disagrees with their failed Iran policy is an appeaser.”