Arizona Senator: No Detainees In My Backyard, Either
Sen. John McCain said that although the harsh treatment of detainees has ended at Guantanamo Bay, the American military prison has become a symbol regardless of how detainees are currently treated. "The harsh treatment stopped a long time ago, but it is still a symbol," he said on Face the Nation.
McCain said that, having set a target date during his earliest days in office to close the prison, President Obama has failed to formulate a comprehensive policy for dealing with those held there.
"Because of the damage that's been done by 'We didn't have a comprehensive package,' you have quite a selling job," he said. "Right now without a policy, I would not support sending them to the United States, either."
"So we find ourselves in a quandary [on how to deal with the detainees] with a public reaction, a very strong one," McCain said.
The unwillingness of some countries to accept detainees is made more difficult to overcome by the challenge finding places within the United States to house them. "The fact that we won't is a great example," he said.
He said an overall and comprehensive plan on finding a safe and secure place to house detainees is necessary to convince the public. "But to just say 'we're going to send them some place in the United States,' it arouses the obvious reaction: NIMBY, not in my back yard. And I fully understand that. I don't want them in Arizona, either!"
He admitted that he is working on a plan with the president and fellow members of Congress.
McCain did admit that President Obama "has done well" in his first 150-plus days in office.
"If you want to look at a legislative scorecard, he has achieved literally every one of his legislative accomplishments. Unfortunately, it's by picking off a couple of Republicans. It's not been bipartisan. So there really hasn't been that 'change' in the climate in Washington.
"But," he mused, "elections have consequences."
More from Face The Nation (6.21.09):
McCain: U.S. Must Be On "Right Side Of History" In Iran
McCain: China Should Step Up In North Korea
Schieffer: A Guide To A Successful Father's Day
Read The Complete Transcript (pdf)
To watch Part One of John McCain's appearance on Face The Nation click on the video player below.
To watch Part Two of John McCain's appearance on Face The Nation click on the video player below.
Watch CBS Videos Online
McCain said that, having set a target date during his earliest days in office to close the prison, President Obama has failed to formulate a comprehensive policy for dealing with those held there.
"Because of the damage that's been done by 'We didn't have a comprehensive package,' you have quite a selling job," he said. "Right now without a policy, I would not support sending them to the United States, either."
"So we find ourselves in a quandary [on how to deal with the detainees] with a public reaction, a very strong one," McCain said.
The unwillingness of some countries to accept detainees is made more difficult to overcome by the challenge finding places within the United States to house them. "The fact that we won't is a great example," he said.
He said an overall and comprehensive plan on finding a safe and secure place to house detainees is necessary to convince the public. "But to just say 'we're going to send them some place in the United States,' it arouses the obvious reaction: NIMBY, not in my back yard. And I fully understand that. I don't want them in Arizona, either!"
He admitted that he is working on a plan with the president and fellow members of Congress.
McCain did admit that President Obama "has done well" in his first 150-plus days in office.
"If you want to look at a legislative scorecard, he has achieved literally every one of his legislative accomplishments. Unfortunately, it's by picking off a couple of Republicans. It's not been bipartisan. So there really hasn't been that 'change' in the climate in Washington.
"But," he mused, "elections have consequences."
More from Face The Nation (6.21.09):
To watch Part One of John McCain's appearance on Face The Nation click on the video player below.
To watch Part Two of John McCain's appearance on Face The Nation click on the video player below.
Watch CBS Videos Online
The secrets of tennis legend 
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See all 34 CommentsThe type of inmates, and the crimes they have committed are not well known by the local residents for good reasons. Most all people would rather not know about what goes on in our prisons and take a consistant out of sight out of mind attitude.
We decided to capture them, then to illegally hold them without trial. We have to take responsibility for that, and decide whether to try them, or return them home.
[quote]Do you know what they call a place that breaks the law every time they have an emergency?
Dictatorship.[/quote]An appropriate comment from Lie To Me
How are these people from Guantanamo any different?
McCain continues to look stupid...
Typical stupid liberal.
why on earth would we ask our friends and allies to accept prisoners that we are unwilling or unable to take care of ourselves?
They can rot there until Allah sees fit.
Any high security prison that cannot safely hold Gitmo detainees should have their prisoners, and their jobs, moved to someplace that can.
Yes it is, it's telling how stupid we Americans can be, we have some of the most depraved animals on the planet in our prisons, serial killers, multiple child rapists, CANNIBALS, but we're terrified to accept a few un-educated foreign zealots into our most secure prisons. Yes sir, it's telling alright, it tells the world how stupid we are.
Time will tell.... personally, I have faith in the common sense of our electorate.
Yes, it's terrible that Mr. Obama hasn't been able to do in 150 days, what the Republicans didn't get done in SIX YEARS! That is, come up with a comprehensive policy on what to do with Guantanamo prisoners!
And contrary to what he implies, there's at least one community that would love to get their hands on these prisoners and guard them! There are probably others as well!
So, it isn't the citizens who are saying 'NO'! It's the gutless and cowardly politicians like McCain and Max Baucus who are afraid of these
emaciated snakes! But, that's part of being a politician and a senator in particular; that is, looking for reasons why things CAN'T BE DONE!
Now Barry wants to move them to an island in the South Pacific, Guam, and pay millions to do it. Uh, can we use the money here at home instead, Barry ? Let the pigs in gitmo drop dead in place for all I care.
This doesn't mean or invalidate the wishes and sensibilities of many millions that the debacle that is the way many of these captives were treated was an embarrassment to our nation and a huge impediment to progress fighting terrorism with a shred of diplomacy and brains rather than just trying to kill every one of them and, somehow, put them all back in caves. When will "neocons" ever study their history and realize that our past behavior has everything to do with where this whole problem grew up in the first place? A sticker on my back window reads, "We are making terrorists faster than we can kill them". I live in conservative Charlotte, NC, and I am congratulated on that sticker everywhere I go.
After the years of fear-mongering and constant references to the attacks on Sept 11th stoking people's unease, it will take some time for common sense to prevail.
If you are a person who feels these detainees could not be held securely in the US prison system, I would like to ask you to consider why you think ANYONE is currently held secure?
chemney ought to be out there defending Khamenei b/c he understands the threats to national security these crowds are causing.
troll atert
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