Talent Doesn't Know Of A Wasteful Missouri Project

After the show, there's the afterparty.

In debate terms, afterwards there was a press conference, where members of the media actually tried to pin the two U.S. Senate candidates down on some of the things they avoided during the debate.

During the debate, neither candidate could name a single wasteful federal project in Missouri.

Not one.

So post-debate, I asked, Why the heck not?

Claire McCaskill: I'm not as familiar with all the federal projects Senator Talent has brought to Missouri. I haven't reviewed them on an annual basis. He certainly is familiar with all the projects that have come here, he's had a part in bringing them here. I have looked at state projects, with a fine-tooth comb as auditor and I've found hundreds of millions of dollars in waste, that I've been able to put out. So I think I'm well-equipped to get to Washington and stop this giveaway on these earmarked pork barrel projects.

Sen. Jim Talent: I could've named one, but in Missouri . . . in terms of . . . there was a dog pound they were funding in Rhode Island, I voted to take out. And maybe I should've said . . .
Catanese: But in Missouri, there's not one project you found wasteful?
Talent: Well, most of the things I've seen Dave are things that I've done and I don't sponsor things I don't think are relevant and important. You got to understand how this process works, typically it is local leaders gathering behind an agenda, what they think is important. Certainly in Greene County, we are one of the best in the state in doing that. You've got municipal officials and county officials together and they come and present what they think are the priorities and we check it out. I don't sponsor it if I don't think it is, so the answer is no, but I have to say I'm not familiar with every line item that everyone else in the state has sponsored.