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Dems Rebuke Giuliani Over Attack Comment
"America's mayor should know that when it comes to 9-11 and fighting terrorists, America is united," Obama said. "We know we can win this war based on shared purpose, not the same divisive politics that question your patriotism if you dare to question failed policies that have made us less secure."
Edwards, the 2004 vice presidential nominee making a second run for the White House, said it's wrong to suggest Republicans are better at fighting terror.
  Republican presidential hopeful, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani responds to a question at a town hall meeting during a campaign stop at New England College in Henniker, N.H., Tuesday, April 24, 2007. (AP Photo/Jim Cole) (Jim Cole - AP) 
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"The current Republican administration led us into a war in Iraq that has made us less safe and undermined the fight against al-Qaida," Edwards said in a statement. "If that's the Republican way to fight terror, Giuliani should know that the American people are looking for a better plan."
Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut, a Democratic presidential candidate, said Republican candidates are continuing "the smear tactics and fearmongering of the current administration."
"Americans want real solutions to the many problems our nation faces, not divisive and false rhetoric," Dodd said in a statement. "We need a president who has the experience and ability to unite America, move us forward and make us safer together, and that means leading with hope, not fear."
The Democratic National Committee accused Giuliani of failing to prepare for the World Trade Center attacks, among other criticisms of his record.
"So far Rudy's rhetoric sounds like more of the same failed policies, incompetence and arrogance we've had to suffer for the past six years," said DNC spokeswoman Karen Finney.
Another Republican presidential candidate, Arizona Sen. John McCain, wouldn't say whether he agreed with Giuliani's suggestion. "I can't judge whether somebody else would cause an attack on America," McCain told reporters aboard his campaign bus in New Hampshire.
New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg, who succeeded Giuliani and also is a potential presidential candidate, said he doesn't see terrorism as a partisan issue.
"There are some people I think who would do a better job fighting terrorism than others, but I don't think there's any party affiliations, no partisanship in that," Bloomberg said.
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Associated Press writers Liz Sidoti and Holly Ramer in New Hampshire and Sara Kugler in New York contributed to this report.
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