Dems Pounce on Blunt Healthcare Comments While Carnahan Position Unclear

State and national Democrats pounced on Congressman Roy Blunt's statement in a radio interview that "government should have never gotten into the healthcare business." Meanwhile, Republicans continued to question Robin Carnahan's positions on a variety of issues.

Blunt made the healthcare comment during an interview with The Eagle 93.9 that can be heard HERE. "You could certainly argue that government should have never gotten into the health care business, and that might have been the best argument of all to figure out how people could have had more access to the competitive marketplace," Blunt said. "The government did get into the health care business in a big way in 1965 with Medicare and later with Medicaid. And government already distorts the marketplace," he went on.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee accused Blunt, the probable GOP nominee for U.S. Senate, of opposing Medicare and Medicaid programs. "Either Congressman Blunt just misspoke or he’s proven how out of touch he is," said Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Communications Director Eric Schultz.

Missouri Democratic Party executive director Brian Zuzenak said Blunt's comments mirror the actions of his son, who lead the effort to cut Medicaid benefits in 2005. "In this case, the tree doesn't grow far from the apple," said Zuzenak.

Later Friday afternoon, Roy Blunt appeared to respond to the charges in a series of TWITTER updates.

"Robin Carnahan is missing from the health care debate. It's why her special interests are attacking and taking my comments out of context," Blunt's TWEET read. "I'm ready to discuss health care with Robin Carnahan any time, any place."

Missouri Republican Party executive director Lloyd Smith questioned Carnahan's 4th of July holiday whereabouts, along with her positions on a variety of issues.

"Candidates and elected officials from across the state spent the Independence Day weekend meeting with Missourians and discussing the most important issues facing our nation—but Robin Carnahan was nowhere to be found," said Smith. "Maybe we should not be surprised—after all, Carnahan has been missing in action for the past six months," he added