A primer for GOP response

House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) released a statement Wednesday evening that should serve as a primer for Republican response to President Obama’s big national security speech today. (At least this time he didn’t call it a “pre-buttal.”)

Boehner stresses the GOP’s message this week: We don’t want detainees coming to the U.S.

“Like a solid majority of Americans, Republicans strongly oppose releasing terrorists from the Guantanamo Bay facility or transferring them to the United States, and we believe that governors and state legislatures should pre-approve the transfer or release of any terrorist detainee into their respective states if this Administration chooses to act on its ow,” he said.

Boehner also referenced FBI Director Robert Mueller’s testimony on Wednesday on his concerns about closing the prison (who called that?!).

“Director Robert Mueller made clear today that the FBI has serious concerns about bringing terrorists like the mastermind of the September 11th attacks into federal prisons. The President tomorrow has an opportunity to outline a comprehensive strategy for keeping America safe, including how he will keep all of the terrorists at the Guantanamo prison off American soil,” he said. “The decision to close this terrorist prison without a clear alternative was a regrettable one, and I hope the President will reconsider it as he did on the detainee photos and military commissions. Doing so will send a powerful message to the American people and the rest of the world about his determination to keep our nation safe.”

Look for more of the same from Republicans – and Dick Cheney – today.

jeremy.jacobs@digital-staging.thehill.com