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Day 3: Carnahan still has no position on Guantanamo Bay

May 14, 2009

JEFFERSON CITY—On Monday, Robin Carnahan refused to take a position on Barack Obama’s controversial closure of the Guantanamo Bay terrorist detention facility, claiming that she had not seen a press release from the campaign of Roy Blunt.  Carnahan has now had three days to review the issue and prepare her response, but she has failed to do so.

“For three days, Robin Carnahan has refused to explain how she hopes to ‘get past’ the issue of Guantanamo Bay,” said Lloyd Smith, Executive Director of the Missouri Republican Party.  “The president has pledged to close the terrorist detention facility, but he has not described what he plans to do with the terrorists.  This is an issue with severe national security implications, but Robin Carnahan continues to remain silent.”

From the St. Louis Beacon, May 11: Carnahan said she had not seen Blunt’s release, and therefore could not comment directly on it. However, Carnahan said, “There’s pretty wide consensus that we need to get past Guantanamo…We need to do things that reflect our values.”

“The closure of Guantanamo Bay is a cut-and-dry issue—one that has made the front page of many newspapers across the nation, but Robin Carnahan is not interested in discussing it,” said Smith.  “She wants to be a Senator, but she won’t say anything except consultant-driven, focus group-tested statements such as ‘we need to do things that reflect our values.’  When dealing with imprisoned terrorists, what does that really mean?”

Missouri Republicans have taken the lead to ensure that no Guantanamo Bay terrorists are sent to or through our state.  Sen. Kit Bond delivered the Republican’s weekly radio address, criticizing Obama for his lack of a strategy on how to close the prison; the GOP delegation has supported Congressional resolutions meant to keep these terrorist out of Missouri; and yesterday, the Republican-led Missouri General Assembly approved a resolution urging the president not to transport the Guantanamo Bay terrorists through Missouri.