McCaskill Faults Jim Talent for His Failure in BRAC Process
October 15, 2005
Saint Louis -- In light of Senator Jim Talent's failure to stand up and fight to save Missouri military facilities during the Base Realignment and Closure process, Claire McCaskill today issued the following statement:
"Despite his position on the powerful Senate Armed Services Committee, Jim Talent could not deliver for Missouri. Other Republican Senators who have been in office less time than Jim Talent actually stood up to Don Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney and fought successfully to save their state's facilities from the administration's plans to take them away.
"Instead of sounding the alarm months ago, instead of standing up to the administration, instead of using his position on the Senate Armed Services Committee to block this process and save Missouri jobs, Jim Talent invited Dick Cheney to fly into the very place where some of those cuts are going to take place in order to host a campaign fund-raiser for himself with the powerful special interests that really have become our senator's top priority.
"You can't leave any footprints if you don't stand up. And instead of standing up for his constituents, Jim Talent got walked all over by the Bush-Cheney-Rumsfeld administration."
And what did Jim Talent have to say about his failure to stand up and fight for Missouri's military facilities and the jobs they provide?
"Sen. Talent believes if you try something knowing you won't get many votes it tends to weaken your position." -- Talent official spokesman Rich Chrismer, Associated Press, 10/18/05
** Note: Dick Cheney is headlining a fund-raising event for Jim Talent in Frontenac this Friday, October 21. Cheney's airplane will likely land at Lambert St. Louis International Airport, home of the 131st Fighter Wing of the Air National Guard, which the Bush-Cheney-Rumsfeld administration has pushed to eliminate through the BRAC process.
