Edwards Opposes More U.S. Troops in Iraq

U.S. Presidential candidate John Edwards speaks at a rally of supporters, Saturday, Dec. 30, 2006, in Chapel Hill, N.C. Edwards has announced that he is running in the 2008 presidential election. (AP Photo/Karl B DeBlaker) (Karl B Deblaker - AP)

"And the last thing I'll say about this, a lot of people would think, 'Well, this is a feel-good thing. He wants the world to feel good about America.'

"It's much more than that. Without America as the central stabilizing force in the world, there is no stability. There's chaos. There's no one else that can do this. We have to do it," Edwards said.

Domestically, Edwards said Americans must make sacrifices in energy use, including changing their personal vehicles.

"There has to be a willingness to give up some of the vehicles they drive, and I myself have driven," he said.

Edwards said he is not advocating a gasoline tax increase at this time but added, "You can't take it off the table."

The former senator acknowledged there is a tension between those who want to reduce the nation's budget deficit and advocates _ like himself _ of investing in universal health care, a million government housing vouchers and tax cuts for economically disadvantaged people.

"It means you cannot do about the deficit what you'd like to do, that's true," he said.

Edwards, 53, said he is not ready to take a position yet in gay marriage, saying his upbringing in the rural South makes this a troubling issue for him.

"It's easy for me to say, civil unions yes, partnership benefits, yes," he said. But on gay marriage, he said, "I'm just not there yet."