Emerson, Talent rally GOP forces

~ Republican speakers discuss port deal, party gains made at state level.

Two Missouri Republicans in Congress celebrated the collapse of the Dubai ports deal Saturday, saying it's a victory for national security.

U.S. Sen. Jim Talent and U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson said lawmakers were right to oppose President Bush on the issue.

Bush said Friday that the collapse of the ports deal could hurt U.S. efforts to recruit Middle East government as partners in the war on terror.

But Talent dismissed such concern. "We can't risk national security because a foreign country has its feelings hurt," he said prior to the Cape Girardeau County Republican Lincoln Day dinner Saturday night.

About 250 GOP-faithful attended the event at the Arena Building in Cape Girardeau.

Dubai-based DP World backed away in the face of relentless criticism and announced it would transfer its management of port terminals in major U.S. cities to an American entity.

Both Talent and Emerson said the national government needs a better system to alert congressional leaders and even the White House to transactions that could affect national security.

Talent said the U.S. Treasury Department was looking at the economics of the ports deal rather than the possibility that it could leave ports vulnerable to Arab terrorists.

Port deal 'dead'

"The port deal is dead. We will not outsource the security of this country," Emerson told the partisan crowd.

Emerson said Democrats are looking to retake control of Congress. "They can smell the blood," she said.

Emerson doesn't want to see that happen. "I can't imagine being in the minority," she said.

Missouri House Speaker Rod Jetton said Republicans in the state House, Senate and governor's office have improved state government.

Jetton said the state has benefited from limits on abortion and reforms to the Missouri Department of Transportation.

"Tort reform. Workers' comp. We fixed them," Jetton said.

"Missouri is in the best shape it's been probably in the last 25 years," he said. "I guarantee the voters appreciate what we are doing."

The dinner ended with the presentation of three awards to local GOP leaders. Kathy Jordan of Jackson received the Republican Spirit Award. Former state representative Mary Kasten of Cape Girardeau received the Tuff Tusk Award. Leonard F. Sander Jr. of Jackson, chairman of the Cape Girardeau County Republican Central Committee, received the Bill Emerson Public Service Award.

mbliss@semissourian.com

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