In Colorado Interview, Clinton Doesn't Rule Out Sending Guantanamo Bay Prisoners Here
By Shaun Boyd
DENVER (CBS4) - Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton is taking heat after she wouldn't rule out the possible transfer of Guantanamo Bay prisoners to Colorado.
The issue came up during a one-on-one interview with CBS4 political specialist Shaun Boyd after Clinton's campaign stops Tuesday in Boulder and Denver.
"I have as secretary of state supported the closing of Guantanamo and did everything I could to move prisoners there back to countries that would take them, but I'm not going to prejudge whatever the president proposes because I think we have to weigh all the pros and cons, and I want to see what his plan is," Clinton told Boyd.
Despite signing a defense bill Wednesday that bars him from transferring the prisoners to the United States without Congress approval, the president believes he has constitutional authority to do so. Clinton wouldn't say if she would take executive action to close the prison as president.
She also tread carefully when asked about a 2016 ballot measure that would create a single-payer healthcare system in Colorado. The measure is being pushed by Democrats in the state.
"States are the laboratories of democracy and I know there's a very strong push to put this measure on the ballot. I support the Affordable Care Act and improving it ... I want to get costs down -- the out-of-pocket costs, the premiums, the deductibles. I want to get prescription drug costs down. So, I think it will be up to the people of Colorado to make a judgement on this proposal."
Clinton noted Vermont tried something similar and it failed.
On women's health care, Clinton said she supports over-the-counter birth control.
"I think that over-the-counter birth control is a real possibility that will make drugs more available and more cheaply," she said.
But, her campaign said she only supports it if insurance pays for it.
In addition to the Affordable Care Act, Clinton says she wants to improve the Veterans Administration. She has previously said she doesn't think the scandal, involving veterans dying on waitlists, is as widespread as reported, but she denied downplaying it and she rejected any attempt to privatize the VA.
"It would be a great loss to our veterans if we were to just end the VA and turn everyone out into the private marketplace. Some of the specialized needs veterans have, like prosthetics for example, there's nobody better in the world than our VA," she said.
"Let's fix it, let's hold people accountable that were not doing the job they were sworn to do."
Clinton also addressed the VA Hospital in Aurora, which is millions of dollars over budget and years behind schedule.
She called it "appalling" that the facility was so long in coming.
"I don't know what we need to do more of to make sure the VA works, but I'm going to get to the bottom of it when I'm president," Clinton said.
She also promised action on gun control.
"I think there may be some areas for executive action particularly with the provisions under federal law now to really focus on certain gun sellers and hold them accountable... I'm going to wait to see what, if anything, President Obama does. I prefer to handle it legislatively, but lives are at stake. We're losing 33,000 people a year and frankly there's a relatively small number of gun sellers who are responsible for most of the guns that end up in the hands of those who kill others."
Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper has been rumored to be a possible vice presidential candidate.
Clinton said "I have the highest regard for your governor. He's one of the most creative and effective governors in the country."
But, she said it's premature to say who her running mate might be if she wins the nomination.
Shaun Boyd is CBS4's political specialist. She's a veteran reporter with more than 25 years of experience. Follow her on Twitter @cbs4shaun.
