Character Issue Goes Global

By Candy Crowley/CNN

NEW YORK (June 25) -- "Senator (Robert) Dole has a wonderful pro-life record. It's not for me to determine the political platform." So spoke Cardinal John O'Connor. It wasn't a blessing from on high, but close enough and welcome words for a campaign that is hit daily on the abortion issue.

Boosted in the morning by the archbishop, Dole blasted his way into the afternoon with an international policy speech in Philadelphia. "After haphazardly getting Americans into Bosnia, President Clinton now has no idea how to get Americans out or how to accomplish the mission they went to fulfill," Dole charged. (128K WAV sound)

Clinton policy in Bosnia remains a work in progress, and a volatile spot which could explode literally on the scene and figuratively in U.S. politics. But some experts believe Clinton can claim success in certain areas.

"There were some problems in the first year or two getting a coherent policy together in certain ways, but that has come together in a number of areas," commented analyst Allen Weinstein of the Center for Democracy. "The image of a peacemaker has become a rather vital one to this campaign." (192K WAV sound)

The theory is that absent a war, Americans do not elect presidents for their foreign policy expertise anyway. But listen to the Republican candidate and the strategy is clear.

"President Clinton has given a green light to the most dangerous tendencies in the new Russia," Dole said. "Bill Clinton's policy of indecision, vacillation and weakness is making the world a more dangerous place."

It is the character and leadership issue -- Dole campaign staples -- taken to the international arena. Focusing on Bosnia, the Baltics and NATO, Dole laced his speech with none-too-subtle references to Clinton's soft spots.

One is Clinton's lack of military experience. "In an era of tectonic shifts in world affairs, we must not continue to entrust American leadership to would-be statesmen still suffering from a post-Vietnam syndrome," Dole said.

Another is Clinton's reliability. Said Dole: "'I give you my word,' he wrote. Yet six months after the Dayton accords, not a single bullet has been delivered and Bosnia remains outgunned."

White House press secretary Mike McCurry shot back that the administration was putting those accords into effect and that Dole should get his facts straight. (64K WAV sound)

This story originally appeared on CNN's "Inside Politics."

Character Issue Goes Global

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