Clinton, Karzai Tease GOP Candidate Cain Over Uzbekistan Remarks

KABUL, Afghanistan -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Afghan President Hamid Karzai shared some laughs Thursday over GOP presidential hopeful Herman Cain's recent dismissive remarks about Uzbekistan.

At the start of a meeting in Kabul, Clinton said Karzai had seen a news clip in which Cain said he didn't "even know the names of all these presidents of all these countries."

In an interview with the Christian Broadcasting Network earlier this month, Cain was asked how he would deal with "gotcha questions" from the media. He replied: "When they ask me who is the president of Ubeki-beki-beki-beki-stan-stan I'm going to say: `You know, I don't know. Do you know?'"

Karzai chipped in Thursday that Cain was referring to "all the `stans," a reference to Central Asian countries. Clinton laughed and, gesticulating with her hands, said, "All the `stans places."

"That wasn't right, but anyway, that's how politics are," Karzai said.

Clinton then quickly changed the subject to the "beautiful" weather in Kabul before reporters were ushered out of the room.