Time to shut up

What is this, a race to see who can say the stupidest things? I thought Sen. Obama's public suggestion that the United States unilaterally invade an ally possessing nuclear weapons was dumb. Rep. Tom Tancredo had to go and up the ante, suggesting that we nuke Mecca and Medina. What is going on here? can someone please have some decency and shut up about things they clearly have no understanding about? Even Sen. Clinton - who's supposed to be the experienced one - is talking about the possibility of sending nukes into Pakistan to take out Al Qaeda. So far, it looks like Rep. Tancredo is winning the stupidest comment race, with Sen. Obama just ahead of Sen. Clinton a short way back.

I'm waiting on Sen. Gravel or Rep. Paul to go next. Maybe Tommy Thompson?

U.S. State Department cringes as presidential hopefuls muddy diplomatic waters
PR Inside

WASHINGTON (AP) - The State Department has a message for White House candidates wanting to expound on sensitive diplomatic issues: Shut up.

Traditionally silent during presidential campaigns filled with divisive foreign policy debates, the department on Friday delivered a rebuke to would-be nominees of both parties whose recent comments have complicated U.S. efforts to overcome deep suspicion about the war on terrorism in the Muslim world.

"Those who wish to hold office can speak for themselves and whoever is elected in 2008 and comes into office in 2009 will then be in a position to talk about what they intend or plan to do," said deputy spokesman Tom Casey, a career foreign service officer.

First it was Barak Obama's talk of dialogue with dictators and invading Pakistan to kill Islamist militants, then it was Hillary Rodham Clinton refusing to rule out the use of nuclear weapons to that end. Now, the Democratic front-runners have been joined by radical Republican Rep. Tom Tancredo, who threatened to bomb Muslim holy sites to stop terror attacks.

The State Department had hoped to steer clear of controversy, complaints and public protests sparked by Obama and Clinton, but Tancredo's comments bumped up against the limit of diplomatic patience.