McCain Assails Obama Over Readiness To Talk With Hostile Foreign Leaders

On the presidential campaign trail, Republican Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) visits Miami's Little Havana. (By Jeff Chiu -- Associated Press)

Polling suggests that Obama's position might resonate with voters. A November 2006 poll conducted by the Program on International Policy Attitudes found that 75 percent of Americans think that the United States should deal with Iran by trying to build better relations, though this poll and others have found large gaps between Democrats and Republicans, with Republicans more likely to advocate pressure over negotiation.

The Obama campaign also pointed to previous statements from prominent Republicans such as former secretaries of state Colin L. Powell and Henry Kissinger, as well as Sens. Richard G. Lugar (Ind.) and Chuck Hagel (Neb.), in making the case for direct talks with Iran.

Moreover, in an Oct. 6, 2006, interview on Fox News's "Hannity & Colmes" that began circulating on the Internet this week, Baker dismissed the notion that talking with enemies -- even state sponsors of terrorism -- is any sort of appeasement.

"You don't just talk to your friends; you talk to your enemies, as well," an animated Baker said. "Diplomacy involves talking to your enemies. You don't reward your enemies necessarily by talking to them if you are tough and you know what you are doing. You don't appease them. Talking to an enemy is not, in my view, appeasement."

Baker did not respond to a request for comment.

When asked about Baker's comments, McCain said that as secretary of state, Baker talked only with adversaries who seemed open to changing their tactics. "When Secretary Baker was secretary of state, they didn't talk to Castro. They had a very strict position on whether to negotiate with him or not," McCain said.

Eilperin reported from Miami. Staff writer Peter Slevin in Chicago contributed to this report.