GOP Senator Burns: 'Faceless' terrorists 'drive taxi cabs in the daytime and kill at night'

RAW STORY

Published: Thursday August 31, 2006

At a fundraiser on Wednesday featuring First Lady Laura Bush, Montana's Republican Senator Conrad Burns said that "faceless" terrorists "drive taxi cabs in the daytime and kill at night."

Wednesday's invitation-only reception was held at Arlin's Aircraft Hangar at Gallatin Field in Belgrade, Montana, and was closed to the public.

"Burns talked about the war on terrorism, saying a 'faceless enemy' of terrorists 'drive taxi cabs in the daytime and kill at night,'" the Associated Press reports.

In her speech, the first lady praised Burns for talking about terrorism with "civility and respect."

"Ending our dependence on foreign oil, reforming our immigration system, rebuilding the Gulf Coast and keeping our country safe from terrorism are not easy tasks, but they're absolutely vital goals," said Bush.

"And to accomplish them, we must have serious national conversations conducted with civility and respect," Bush said. "And Conrad Burns is a positive and powerful part of that dialogue."

"About 300 donors paid $250 each to attend the ice cream social in an aircraft hangar at the Gallatin Field airport in Belgrade," the Associated Press reports. "A $2,100 donation allowed donors to have pictures taken with Bush, the campaign said."

Like Virginia's Republican Senator George Allen who recently stirred up some controversy after referring to a Democratic campaign worker as "Macaca," Burns has also made some provocative statements that some critics call racially-based.

"He has drawn criticism in recent weeks for calling his house painter a 'nice little Guatemalan man' during a June speech," Matt Gouras reports for the Associated Press. "Burns, whose re-election campaign is pressing for tighter immigration controls, also suggested that the man might be an illegal immigrant."

The latest poll conducted by Rasmussen shows Burns and Democratic challenger Jon Tester running neck and neck at 47 percent apiece.