BLUNT, MCCASKILL DISAGREE ON METH, CONCEALED GUNS AT FORUM

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - Gubernatorial candidates Matt Blunt and Claire
McCaskill disagreed during a forum Friday on strengthening laws for
methamphetamine crimes and publicizing the names of concealed gun
permit holders.

Each relied heavily on their state office experience -- she as
Democratic state auditor, and he as Republican secretary of state --
and proclaimed they would better represent the views of Missourians if
elected Nov. 2. The forum was sponsored by the Missouri Press
Association.

Blunt said he supported a state law that makes it illegal for law
officers to disclose the names of concealed gun permit holders -- even
though separate applications to sheriffs to purchase guns have been
open records for years.

"I would be opposed to the public release of that information," said
Blunt, 33, of Springfield. "I would view it as some sort of step
toward registration of gun ownership."

McCaskill, 51, of Ladue, said she saw no reason for the names to be
kept secret. She said that provision was only one of her points of
contention with the concealed guns law, enacted when the legislature
overrode Gov. Bob Holden's veto last year. She also pointed to a
provision that allows people without a permit to carry a gun in their
vehicle's glove box, saying it presents a threat to law
enforcement.

"I think everyone has a right to own guns. My father had a lot of
them, and I grew up around them," McCaskill said. "But if we are going
to have everyone carrying weapons in the state and we are going to be
registering for them, I think it's important that the records be made
public."

The two also proposed different approaches to dealing with
methamphetamine. Law enforcement officers seized 2,860 meth labs in
Missouri last year, the most in the nation.

Blunt said he would take a tougher approach to dealing with the
illegal drug by proposing a three-strikes law for all offenders. It
would mirror a federal criminal law that requires prison time for a
third conviction.

"I think three-strikes laws work," he said. "They've worked for states
like California. I think one would work here."

McCaskill pointed to the skills she honed as Jackson County prosecutor
in dealing with drug crimes, saying a three-strikes law would fill
prisons with drug users while leaving violent offenders on the streets.

She proposed a statewide, multi-jurisdiction task force that would,
among other things, carry out sting operations and inform residents of
how to spot mobile meth labs. A similar effort cut the number of meth
labs in Jackson County in half from 1996 to 1998, she said.

Libertarian John M. Swenson, 64, of Kirbyville, also participated in
the forum. Swenson, who also was the party's gubernatorial nominee
four years ago, got several laughs.

When asked about fighting meth, Swenson responded: "I guess it's
because the economy is down, and they want to make some money. They
probably figure, well this is the only job we can get. It's like back
in the moonshine days."

Meanwhile, Blunt and McCaskill also clashed over fixing Missouri roads
and the proposed Constitutional Amendment 3 on the November ballot,
which would reduce the amount of state highway user fees and taxes
transferred to agencies other than the Missouri Department of
Transportation.

Blunt accused McCaskill of speaking out against the diversion of fuel
tax dollars only after it became an election issue. McCaskill,
however, said it was her office's audit that first brought the issue
to light. McCaskill said she immediately initiated a plan in her
office to turn back the money.

Both candidates agreed millions of dollars could be added to meet the
transportation department's needs, including additional revenue to pay
off bonds for construction projects.