Giannoulias: Obama response to terrorism should have come quicker
Democratic Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias criticized President Barack Obama - his longtime basketball buddy - Wednesday for not coming out sooner to reassure the public following the failed bombing of a Christmas flight.
"I don't think it is out of line to say he should have come out earlier and made some sort of statement," the one-term Illinois treasurer told the Daily Herald editorial board.
Giannoulias said the failed bombing attempt of a Detroit-bound international flight was "extremely scary" and he said the public wanted to be "reassured" about the nation's security.
But Giannoulias' criticism was also balanced with concern about politicizing the timing of Obama's first public statements, which came three days after the incident.
"I don't think we should make it a political issue right away," Giannoulias said. "In a perfect world, he would have come out as quickly as possible to reassure people."
Giannoulias also said, "I'm not going to sit here and say that was a mistake and it should have been 24 hours or 4 hours or 32 hours."
Republicans have been quick to pounce on Obama's perceived delay in addressing the public, but supporters have pointed to the fact that President George Bush took six days to publicly respond to a similar failed attempt in 2001 by 'shoe bomber' Richard Reid.
Giannoulias said he is withholding judgment on what should be done in the wake of the incident for the release of a White House report, expected to come today.
Obama voiced anger that warning signs weren't caught earlier to prevent the Nigerian bomber from boarding a plane into the United States.
"All the red flags were there for this individual," Giannoulias said of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab. "I'm going to try and be as patient as possible and see what the review says."
Overall, Giannoulias expressed strong support for Obama's presidency.
As for national security, Giannoulias says he supports the use of full-body scanners in airports and opposes racial profiling of passengers.
"It is not what this country was built on," he said. "It is not what the Constitution is all about."
Giannoulias supports Obama's troop surge in Afghanistan along with the current timeline for withdrawal.
Giannoulias also said the Christmas Day bombing attempt has not changed his support of Obama's push to move Guantanamo Bay detainees to a prison in western Illinois. A panel of state lawmakers voted in favor of that proposal Wednesday, but Congressional support is also required.
On other topics, Giannoulias criticized management of the bank bailout funds by the federal government and voiced support for the health-care reform measure that passed the Senate last month.
Giannoulias, a friend of Obama's for years, has sought the president's backing in his crowded primary field.
But the White House tried to recruit Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan to run for Obama's old Senate seat, apparently viewing her as the best Democratic candidate in the state. Madigan chose to seek a third term as attorney general.
Incumbent Roland Burris, who was appointed by embattled Gov. Rod Blagojevich early last year, is not seeking re-election.
The other Democratic candidates have visited the Daily Herald editorial board. They include Chicago Urban League President Cheryle Jackson, former Chicago Inspector General David Hoffman, Chicago businessman Jacob Meister and Burr Ridge radiologist Robert Marshall.