Walker spokeswoman: He's not advocating a wall


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ONAWA, Iowa (AP) — A spokeswoman for Republican presidential candidate Scott Walker says the Wisconsin governor's remarks have been misunderstood -- and that he isn't really calling for a wall between the U.S. and Canada.

The spokeswoman says Walker was referring generally to border security when he told NBC's "Meet the Press" yesterday that it was a "legitimate issue."

But Walker's Republican rivals are still ridiculing the idea, with Rand Paul calling it "pretty dumb." Speaking to Boston Herald Radio, Paul likened it to Donald Trump's proposal to get Mexico to pay for a wall along its border with the United States. Paul says that's "the dumbest of dumb ideas."

Joining in the criticism is Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy from the border state of Vermont. He says, "Election season always brings out crazy ideas, but this is one of the craziest."

Walker had been asked on NBC whether he thought a wall should be built along the more-than 5,000 miles of border with Canada. He replied, "Some people have asked us about that in New Hampshire." And he said they had raised some "very legitimate concerns" and that it's "a legitimate issue for us to look at."

%@AP Links

115-a-11-(Governor Scott Walker, R-Wis., GOP presidential candidate, in interview Sunday)-"to look at"-GOP presidential candidate Scott Walker says building a wall along the country's norther border with Canada is a legitimate issue that merits further review. COURTESY: NBC's 'Meet the Press' ((mandatory on-air credit)) (31 Aug 2015)

<<CUT *115 (08/31/15)££ 00:11 "to look at"

APPHOTO WX101: FILE - In this Feb. 26, 2015, file photo, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker speaks during the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in National Harbor, Md. Walker famously stripped the union rights from public workers in Wisconsin, but his record as governor also includes championing school vouchers, vacillating on gay marriage and immigration, and tussling with academia. He's doggedly resisted a Medicaid expansion and championed a new Bucks arena that will cost taxpayers millions of dollars. How does he plan to campaign on these things, or will the focus be all on unions. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen, File) (26 Feb 2015)

<<APPHOTO WX101 (02/26/15)££

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