Since I Was Gone

Fresh back from a quick 2-day visit to Denver, Colo. (where they've got a testy Governor's race)to see friends . . . and whammo, did I miss a lot!

Before we get down to business though, a quick prediction: The Democrats will select Denver to have their 2008 National convention. The southwest is becoming battleground territory, and Colorado is a state that voted for President Bush, but is now trending Democratic. You heard it here first.

Now, here's a recap:

*First, I've received several calls and e-mails from viewers complaining about our decision to do a live interview with Senator John Edwards on Labor Day. Here's a sample of one:
"I have one question; will you give equal free advertising time to the Republican Party? The interview with Senator Edwards sounded more like a rehearsed commercial than a real news story. Seriously Claire McCaskill will be able to use this interview in her commercials, as will Senator Edwards. I am highly disappointed." We stand by our decision to interview Edwards live, and for the record, we would/will give the same opportunity to a big-name Republican stumping for Sen. Talent in Springfield if they were to agree to do it.

*The Missouri Republican Party used our interview with Claire McCaskill to lambaste her for calling for immediate withdrawal from Iraq. The McCaskill camp has said she doesn't mean immediate withdrawal, but rather a gradual redeployment of troops.

*The Missouri Democratic Party fired right back by jumping on Senator Talent for an off-the-cuff comment about amnesty. Watch it here on that oh-so-influential You Tube.

*Democratic State Senate candidate Doug Harpool called lawmakers decision to not meet for a special session to deal with Medicaid "a moral embarrassment."

*A "progressive hillbilly" took Claire McCaskill to task for "dodging the war issue" at the Labor Day parade in this Greene County Democrats blog entry.

*The G.O.P fired out another release against McCaskill for casting a "phantom vote" two years after leaving the legislature.

*Both McCaskill and Talent appeared on MSNBC. Say what you want about the troubled cable channel, they sure know how to cover politics.