Monday, July 20, 2009

Nixon Travel Spat Exemplifies Growing Rift with Kinder

Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder didn't know about Gov. Jay Nixon's overseas trip until two days after the Governor left to head to the Mideast.
Nixon left for Iraq to visit with Missouri troops on Friday, but Kinder, the state's second highest ranking official, had no idea he was gone until Sunday.

WATCH THE KY3 NEWS @ 10 REPORT HERE

Nixon spokesperson Scott Holste: "He informed all the statewide officials at the same time. There was no reason to treat the Lieutenant Governor any different . . ."

Kinder spokesperson Gary McElyea: "The protocol with the previouis administration is that we would be notified anytime the Governor was leaving the country, regardless of whether there was a transition of power."

Nixon Communications Director Jack Cardetti: "The Department of Defense said we could not release the Governor's whereabouts until they authorized it."

MSU Political Science Professor George Connor: "The Governor and Lieutenant Governor don't get along. They don't get along politically and by all reports they don't get along that well personally."
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***QUICK QUIZ: When was the last time Missouri had members of opposing political parties serving in the state's two top offices?

***16 years ago . . . in 1993: When Republican John Ashcroft was Governor and Democrat Mel Carnahan was Lieutenant Governor.

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