(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN EDWARDS (D), CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT: This Memorial Day weekend, don't stand quietly, don't just go to picnics, don't just gather with your friends. Engage in an act of patriotism. Show how much you love this country, and speak out in support of our troops and bring an end to this war.

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COLMES: Critics are lashing out at Edwards, saying he's politicizing a day of remembrance for America's troops. Joining us now, former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum and former Tennessee Congressman Harold Ford, Jr., both FOX News contributors.

Welcome aboard here...

HAROLD FORD, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: Thanks again.

COLMES: ... Mr. Ford. Good to see you. Mr. Santorum, good to see you, Senator.

Let me ask you about, you know, this idea of politicizing. Is it OK for George W. Bush to stand in Arlington and promote his war policy or other politicians on Memorial Day to promote the war policy? And President Bush says, "Our duty is to ensure that the outcome justifies the sacrifices," and goes on to say, "That's our country's calling, our country's destiny." Isn't that politics, Rick?

RICK SANTORUM, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: OK, I'm sorry, I didn't know who you were asking. What I would say is that the president was there remembering the troops. And John Edwards was, you know, making a political statement.

And I'm not suggesting that what he did was wrong. I think what he did just shows you that this war is a winner for him. This is his ticket to the White House. He's out there in Iowa listening to what the people in the grassroots are saying. And he believes that that is the way that he can get past the haircuts and all the other mistakes that his campaign has made, which is to be the definitive antiwar candidate.

And it shows one other thing. It shows how ineffective the president has been in selling this war. I listened to the earlier clip that you used from his statement, and he talked about how George Bush is selling this war based on patriotism. And a lot of Americans are believing that right now, because he's not been very articulate here on the homefront of articulating the nature and the gravity of the threat that we face.

He's doing things that show that the threat isn't serious, like negotiating with Iran, for example, who is out there, you know, capturing our citizens. And now we see reports that they are helping both Sunni and Shia in Iraq kill our soldiers. And yet we negotiated with them. So the president is just floundering all over the place.

(CROSSTALK)

COLMES: ... even though he did a flip-flop.

Let me get Congressman Ford in here. John Edwards said, "End the war, bring the troops home to the heroes' welcome they deserve." To me, that sounds very supportive of the troops. He says, "Go shopping. Send the troops care packages, pray, organize prayer vigils." That should sit well, you know, with people on all sides. So this idea that he's not supported the troops simply because he disagrees with the war policy and is politicizing is ridiculous.

FORD: I think the large issue -- I would agree with you -- I think the larger issue is, how do we craft a winning plan in Iraq? And I think we could all agree, even Rick, I think trying to referee a civil war, which clearly is what our effort -- I should say what our efforts are doing in Iraq at the moment -- is not a winning strategy. We have to hunt down and beat Al Qaeda.

They're spread across the Middle East, their proliferation in terms of recruitment and strength in the Middle East.

COLMES: And they're not just in Iraq.

FORD: Right, they are across the region. What we need is a 21st century version of containment from the 20th century. For us to win, winning in Iraq is not the sole purpose. I think Jim Webb said it so well when he ran for the Senate in '06. He said, "You need not occupy a country to win this war."

We didn't have to occupy Russia or the Soviet Union to win the Cold War, but we had -- in order to win that contest of ideas, we had to implement a broad strategy. We need the same when it comes to Iraq. And so, John Edwards, for that matter, some of the other Democrats, I think that's the purpose and focus of what they're saying.

HANNITY: I think I know where Senator Santorum was. He would have voted to fund the troops. If you were in the Senate for this important...

FORD: Yes, I would have voted to fund the troops. But the reality is, we need -- the question is beyond that. I know, to answer your question succinctly, yes, I voted throughout my time in the Congress to do that and the Senate.

But I wouldn't read so much into how some voted on this matter, because I think the country is as frustrated as some of those who voted against it. I wouldn't dare label anyone unpatriotic, because there were those who voted.

HANNITY: And I wouldn't either.

FORD: I'm not suggesting you. But I think there are some who will and some who have. And as much respect as I have for Senator Santorum, I think it's a good thing that we have opened a dialogue and created an opportunity to talk with the Iranians, because, frankly...

HANNITY: Does John Edwards, though, go too far, which is the topic here, when he says, you know, "End the war, bring these signs to Memorial Day celebrations"? I mean, we argue about the war, you know, for years now. Can we just have one day to honor the troops? He's selling bumper stickers and t-shirts that say "End the War" if you donate to his campaign.

FORD: Well, Memorial Day, regrettably, is a politicized holiday. When I was in Congress, I showed up in Memorial Day parades and spoke on Memorial Day festivities. And it was all effort to honor our troops and honor those who have fallen in sacrifice, paid the ultimate sacrifice. So there's a tradition, unfortunate, maybe, tradition...

HANNITY: It seems a little low. Selling -- I mean, if you donate, Senator Santorum, do you agree with that?

SANTORUM: I think that it was probably not the best time to do that. I think the rest of the statement that Alan read is certainly in play, but to basically say that we should use this holiday to protest the war, when, look, this is a war that we're just not fighting in the streets of Baghdad. We're also fighting it here. And the enemy knows that, if public opinion does not hold for this war, and we get out, they win. And so what Edwards is doing, saying he supports the troops, at the same time calling for us to get out, is not supporting the troops.

HANNITY: Last word, Congressman?

FORD: I would agree. When public support fades considerably for this war, the winner will be, in a lot of ways, our opponents here, which is why a new strategy and a new direction...

(CROSSTALK)

HANNITY: ... troop surge is? That's a new strategy.

(CROSSTALK)

FORD: I'm willing to give the president to September. And when Petraeus comes, if we've not seen the kind of progress in fighting Al Qaeda, remember, refereeing a civil wars...

(CROSSTALK)

SANTORUM: We don't need deadlines.

COLMES: We've got to run.

SANTORUM: We don't need deadlines.

COLMES: We thank you both. We thank you both. I'm sure you'll be both back to debate again.