WATERLOO - The United States must be a "voice of restraint and calm" as the world is still reeling from news that popular Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto was assassinated in a suicide bomb attack, said John Edwards, Democratic presidential candidate, during a rally Thursday.

Bhutto, who served as the country's prime minister twice, was killed after an unknown attacker reportedly shot her twice before blowing himself up shortly after she finished a campaign rally.

"It's a tragic death," Edwards said. "Prime Minister Bhutto was a courageous woman who risked her life to go back to Pakistan to push for democracy."

Edwards said he participated in a conference on the Middle East a while ago with Bhutto, where she said the path to democracy was "bathed in blood." The former U.S. senator said he spoke with Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf on Thursday, asking him to let independent international investigators in to determine what happened and who staged the attack.

He encouraged Musharraf to continue with Bhutto's work. Parliamentary elections scheduled for Jan. 8 may be in jeopardy because of turmoil from Bhutto's death.

"We need to continue to push for democratization and open and free elections," he said.

Edwards also was among a group of several other Democratic candidates who rejected New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson's call for Musharraf to step down as president.

His comments on Pakistan came after a rally at East High School, where he was flanked by actor Danny Glover and Rep. Bruce Braley, D-Iowa. Edwards again branded himself as the change candidate among another packed crowd of Democratic candidates.

Edwards railed against what he called big corporate greed and promised to fight to get the voice of everyday people back into government.

"We're going to tell the truth, that's what we're going to do, and it's going to feel like hell," Edwards said.

Glover spent the day urging voters to support Edwards. The "Lethal Weapon" star said he met Edwards while trying to organize hotel and service workers and talked about "re-imagining America."

"You and me, we're here because we have children, and we have grandchildren," Glover said. "We want to them to realize this dream."

Edwards argued that powerful interests like drug or oil companies have developed a strong enough influence to block many meaningful reforms, from health care to energy bills. Nothing can happen until their power is curbed, he said.

"They'll give their power away when we take their power away," he said.

Messages like that resonated with several people, including Veronica Carroll of Waterloo. This is the fourth time Carroll has seen Edwards speak.

"It's the big corporations and the money they're making," she said. "It needs to be under control. It needs to stop."

Contact Josh Nelson at (319) 291-1565 or josh.nelson@wcfcourier.com.