BLITZER: Critics of President Obama are calling on him to speak out more forcefully about the upheaval in Iran. But some say that would be a grave mistake. And joining us now from Capitol Hill, Senator John Kerry, Democrat of Massachusetts, the chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee.

Senator, thanks for coming in.

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), CHAIRMAN, FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE: Glad to be with you.

BLITZER: All right.

KERRY: Thank you.

BLITZER: You...

KERRY: Sorry (ph).

BLITZER: You wrote a strong article in "The New York Times" making your point.

I want to play for you what Senator John McCain said here on CNN this week, criticizing the president's response to what's happening in Iran.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: On this issue, I do not believe that the president is taking the leadership that is incumbent upon an American president, which we have throughout modern history, and that is to advocate for human rights and freedom. And free elections are one of those fundamentals.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: So what do you think about what Senator McCain is recommending?

KERRY: Well, I don't know where he was when the president went to Cairo and gave a speech and stood up in Cairo and talked about democracy and the rights of women and people to be able to express their views.

I think the president has been more than powerfully heard across the world about his -- his support for those kind of movements.

But to be -- you know, specifically, for the president of the United States to get in the middle of what is happening in Iran right now, I believe -- and I think many people believe -- would be an enormous mistake, because it just gives the Iranian clerics, who are already, in some cases, oppressive and restrictive with respect to what people in Iran can do -- more excuse to make America the target and America an excuse for their actions. And we...

BLITZER: Which ....

KERRY: We don't need that. BLITZER: ...which is a fair point, although this paragraph jumped out at me in "The New York Times" when I read it today. Let me -- let me read it to you: "Even while supporting the president's approach, senior member of the administration, including Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, would like to strike a stronger tone in support of the protesters, administration officials said."

Would you like the president to be more forceful, to strike a stronger tone in expressing his support for the opposition?

KERRY: Is there any question in anybody's mind about where the president or anybody in America is with respect to what's happening in Iran?

Please.

I -- I mean, we have been as clear as I think you can be about the need for democracy and the need for people to be able to express their views.

And the president has articulated it in any number of fora.

At the same time, we need to deal with Iran and the government of Iran with respect to nuclear weapons in the near term. And I think the president has already engaged in an outreach effort which is of vital importance, not only to the United States, but to the whole world, and particularly to the Middle East.

I think his -- his first obligation, frankly, is to do what's necessary to protect the United States of America and our citizens. And the first effort with respect to that is the nuclear program of Iran.

BLITZER: And that...

KERRY: I think he's on track to try to deal with that.

And -- and -- and what is happening in Iran -- nobody in the world has any difficulty interpreting an election result of paper ballots being cast and two hours later, before they could even...

BLITZER: So this...

KERRY: ...physically be counted.

BLITZER: ...this election, in your opinion, was a total sham?

KERRY: I think there are serious questions about the election. But I don't -- I think the Iranians are carrying that message to their own leadership. There is no need for the United States of America to step into the middle of it and make this about America when it is an Iranian moment spurred on by Iranians, thoroughly supported by Iranians -- to the degree that the supreme ayatollah has now backed off of his own support for the elections, called for an investigation. The Guardian Council is going to meet, hear from all three candidates. This is a really extraordinary event that is playing out before our eyes. And it is playing out because Iranians are demanding that it play out. Iranians are being killed. Iranians have taken risks.

I think, you know, the president has, obviously, already expressed his concerns about the election. He has expressed, you know, in the middle of the region, his hopes for democracy. I think he's been very clear.

BLITZER: We'll leave it on that note.

Senator Kerry, thanks for joining us.

KERRY: Thank you.