Former Sen. Jim Talent, R-Mo., and state Rep. Jason Brown, R-Platte City, headlined a conference call Wednesday  aimed at bolstering GOP assertions that Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama might dangerously slash defense spending.

In the call, set up by Republican John McCain’s campaign, Talent and Brown echoed some of the concerns raised earlier by Gov. Matt Blunt, in response to recent published statements by U.S. Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass. Frank was quoted as saying that he’d like to see defense spending reduced by 25 percent, and linked that to the withdrawal from Iraq.

Talent, who used to be on the Senate Armed Services Committee, contended that military cuts of such magnitude would hurt the nation and the St. Louis area. In the latter’s case, he said that the region could face job cuts if defense spending is reduced.

Missouri, said Talent, is “a defense manufacturing state..a defense dependent state.”

Talent called on Obama to disavow Frank’s remarks.

Brown went much further, asserting that Obama likely shares Frank’s views, unless Obama makes clear otherwise.

 ”The liberal elite has always seen the military as something not to be proud of,” Brown said. “The liberally elite…don’t want us to be successful militarily overseas.”