ST. LOUIS (CN) - Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill vehemently denied a New York Times report that she did not want the 2012 Democratic National Convention in St. Louis. Democrats this week chose to meet in Charlotte, N.C.; St. Louis was the other finalist.
"The convention brings organization," McCaskill told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "It brings money. It brings enthusiasm and passion. Why would I ever work against it?"
In front of cameras, McCaskill was one of St. Louis' biggest supporters for the convention. But a New York Times blog by Jeff Zeleny painted a different picture. Zeleny reported that McCaskill expressed concerns that St. Louis' hosting of the convention would complicate her re-election due to anticipated protests.
Brian Wahby, co-chairman of the convention host committee, told the Post-Dispatch that such allegations were "absolutely ludicrous."
"We had no bigger champion than Claire McCaskill," Wahby said.
Republicans jumped on The New York Times report, claiming that McCaskill put her own interests above those of the state.
Charlotte, N.C., was named the host city on Tuesday, despite being the headquarters to Bank of America, which received $4.5 billion in bailout money, and boasts in travel brochures that its hotels are non-union.
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