E.Coligate Evolves

"It's Like Jaws" Minus Sharks

The latest development in E.Coligate has the Governor angry, a top official sidelined, the opposition salivating, the tourism industry fearing fallout and the public increasingly skeptical.

WATCH THE KY3 NEWS @ 10 REPORT HERE

ALSO: LISTEN to the audio of Nixon's conference call included in this story at KY3.com

Back in May, water at Public Beach 1 tested positive for E.Coli levels five times higher than allowable. State officials did not let the public know. Documents showed the beach was closed, but it never was. And it's still unclear who in Governor Nixon's administration was aware of it all.

"I'm going 'Oh My Gosh', it's Jaws. It's not sharks but it's a cover up because they don't want tourism not to come to the lake," said Bonnie Wiltrout, a Kansas City resident visiting Public Beach 1 (pictured above) at Lake of the Ozarks Wednesday. "There's got to be a reason for concern anytime you find out there's been a cover-up," she added.

Tourism officials stress there's been no locally reported cases of water born E-Coli illnesses all year, but worry about fallout from the ongoing controversy.

"In the public's mind, they're still looking at Lake of the Ozarks as being unsafe, unhealthy waterway. And it just rehashes the point. And the Lake of the Ozarks, the water quality is good here at the lake," said Lake Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Trish Creach.

"Because of this, the reporting procedures have been changed significantly as the outcome. And as you did see in July, August and September and then again in October -- you'll see those results in a timely fashion," said Creach.

***

"If we had issues to the extend that they're discussing, then we would certainly have people standing in line in the emergency room at Lake Regional Hospital. And they have not reported one water born E.Coli case in the last two years, according to their records," said Jim Divincen of the Lake Area Lodging Association. "Nor have our health departments -- in the three counties, Camden, Miller and Morgan counties didn't have any reports of water born E.Coli."

***

"On six separate occasions I have requested meetings with Gov. Nixon to voice my concerns and frustrations with these roadblocks. Unfortunately, those meetings have never occurred nor have I been given a response to my requests," said Sen. Brad Lager, who chairs the Senate Commerce, Consumer Protection, Energy and Environment Committee. "I am grateful that the governor has finally decided to join the committee’s efforts in getting to the truth surrounding this willful disregard for public safety, which placed countless Missourians at risk. I am hopeful that the governor will direct every DNR employee to work in conjunction with the committee, in an open and honest manner, as we continue our thorough review of this unfortunate situation."

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Gov. Nixon sidelines DNR Director

Gov. Jay Nixon has put the director of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) on unpaid administrative leave for two weeks after new revelations about how the agency handled high E.Coli levels at Lake of the Ozarks in May.

Nixon, who spoke to reporters on a conference call from Branson, said he learned on Tuesday that Park Beach 1 at the lake was not closed as DNR documents had indicated.

The Governor said DNR documents provided to him showed that Park Beach 1 was closed after May 18th and May 27th tests showed high levels of E.Coli. But that was not the case.

Nixon called the revelations "unconscionable" and "nothing short of an outrage."

"These were abysmal failures," said Gov. Nixon, putting blame on "individuals in the department."

He added that the inaccurate documents allowed him to "unwittingly pass along false information," which he said he regretted.

As a result, Director Mark Templeton has been put on unpaid administrative leave.

Nixon has ordered the interim director to launch a full investigation of the mistakes made.

More to come on The Notebook and on Ky3 News @ 5, 6 and 10.

Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

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Obama Birther Infomercial Airs in Springfield

Almost nine months into his presidency, there are still groups questioning whether Barack Obama is a natural born citizen of the United States.

And now the so-called "birther" movement has taken to the airwaves right here in the Ozarks.

WATCH THE KY3 NEWS @ 10 REPORT HERE

BELOW:

INTERVIEWING THE BOSS

WHY KY3 INC. OK'D IT TO AIR ON SISTER STATION KSPR

"Obviously, the opinions in this particular program may be a minority of our viewers, but certainly I think this group has the right to express themselves. I don't think it's libelous in any fashion," explained Ky3 Inc. General Manager Mike Scott.

EXCERPTS OF MY PHONE INTERVIEW WITH U.S. JUSTICE FOUNDATION LEADER GARY KREEP:

"I'm saying that his family was probably trying to cover up something -- not the fact that he was born in Africa," said USJF executive director Gary Kreep in an interview from California.

LivePrayer's website has a video comparing President Obama to Hitler.

HERE is FactCheck.org's findings that Obama is a U.S. citizen.

HERE is PolitiFact's Final Chapter on the matter.

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Carnahan Ethics Complaint Dismissed

CLEARED =

Win, Then Give In?

It's much easier to acknowledge your opponent's point after you've beaten them, than during the heat of the fight.

So it goes in life, sports and even politics.

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Robin Carnahan has been cleared of an ethics complaint involving her husband's finances, according to the documents provided to The Notebook.

Back in June, Missouri Republican Party executive director Lloyd Smith charged that Carnahan failed to disclose a business owned by her husband, Juan Carlos Antolinez. The party filed state and federal complaints.

But in a letter dated September 14th, Senate Ethics Committee Chief Counsel John Sassaman writes that Smith's allegations set forth in the complaint "lack substantial merit and no further action is appropriate."

Smith said that Carnahan had not properly registered the Antolinez's business, Antolinez International Trade. But the Carnahan campaign maintained that the business was never formed, only considered.

Ethics complaints are commonly filed and often, just as swiftly dismissed. The usual goal is to make a broader point about a political opponent, not win an official complaint case.

Still, the Carnahan campaign filed new campaign disclosure forms just to cover its bases as the 2010 campaign season moves into full gear.

"To address any concerns the Missouri Ethics Commission might have, we have amended the relevant reports, which should close the matter," said Carnahan spokesman Tony Wyche.

And, predictably, the Missouri Republican Party declared victory.

"Robin Carnahan was forced to come clean and report Juan Carlos Antolinez’s company, which three months ago she claimed didn’t even exist," said Smith in a statement sent to The Notebook. "Her new filing raises more questions about her response to our initial complaint, the nature of the business, and why it was absent from her disclosure forms for so many years. You would expect better from the person whose job it is to maintain business records in the State of Missouri," Smith concluded.

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Hartzler Seizes Opening On Taxes Against Stouffer

UPDATED: STOUFFER CAMPAIGN RESPONDS

"The goal here is better government . . . not attacking others"

Republican candidate for Congress Vicky Hartzler is seizing on the touchy topic of taxes in an attempt to illustrate a difference with her 4th District GOP primary opponent Sen. Bill Stouffer.

In a release Tuesday, Hartlzer picked up a Democratic attack on Stouffer and pledged to not vote for a tax if sent to Washington.

"When Bill Stouffer was elected to the State Senate, he proposed a bill to raise the state sales tax by 1 percent for 10 years. I think raising taxes is the wrong way to solve problems," Hartzler said in a statement.

The former State House representative is referring to a 2007 bill that would have raised the sales tax by 1-cent over a decade to pay for $7.2 billion dollars in interstate highway upgrades. On the day Stouffer announced his candidacy, the Missouri Democratic Party blasted out the charge to reporters and called the Napton Senator a hypocrite.

As Chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, Stouffer was the main backer of the tax for roads plan.

"My answer is, ‘Don't raise any taxes. High-tax thinking is the problem, not the solution. I know the people of Fourth District strongly agree, in a broad and bipartisan way," Hartzler said.

"I never voted for a tax increase while I was in Jefferson City. I won't vote for one in Washington, D.C. Unlike my opponents, I believe Americans need lower taxes, not higher taxes," she added.

On the second day of his announcement tour in Jefferson City last week, Stouffer defended his position, saying that voters would have ultimately decided whether to implement the tax increase. "I don't shy away from tough decisions," Stouffer said, in an interview published by Capitol Calling.

UPDATED 8:09 P.M. The Stouffer campaign said it was disappointed Hartzler had taken a "negative tone." "There are so many folks interested in running for this position now because the district isn't happy with Ike Skelton voting with Nancy Pelosi 95% of the time. We are disappointed one of these candidates has chosen to start this important race with a negative tone. The goal here is better government, not attack others for presenting solutions to a vote of the people to solve the problems we face in Rural Missouri," said Stouffer spokesman Scott Paradise.

This marks Hartzler's first direct criticism of Stouffer. Republicans privately worry that a contentious and costly GOP primary campaign would eviscerate any shot at upending Democratic Congressman Ike Skelton.

Hartzler's release also points out that she was the first candidate in the race Rep. Skelton. She takes a shot at Skelton for voting for the House climate change legislation, which she refers to as a "carbon tax," and attempts to paint both men with the same charge.

"With great personal respect, I strongly disagree with both gentlemen. Taxes are too high, not too low," Hartzler said.

"Principled disagreements will occur, as on this issue. When important differences do occur with Senator Stouffer or Congressman Skelton, I will state my position clearly and will strive to deal with vital issues in a way that is respectful at all times," she added.

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Nixon: "There Could've Been More Precise Communication"

Governor Jay Nixon said someone in his communication office may have known about high levels of E.Coli last spring, but said policy officials did not know about the results until almost a month after it was discovered.

"The bottom line is obviously I think that there could've probably been more precise communication," said Gov. Nixon, in what appears to be the closest acknowledgment of mistakes by his office.

Nixon took questions about E.Coli-gate in Kansas City Monday and The Star's Steve Kraske has a transcript of the entire Q & A.

Key Quotes:
On Whether His Administration Suppressed Release of the Results: "There was communications between communications departments out at DNR and our office about those results that could have been more precise and released more quickly."

On Whether Jeff Mazur Relayed His Knowledge To Anyone Else: "I'm not exactly sure."

Did Not Rule Out That Other Aides Knew Sooner Than Acknowledged
Did Not Say He Would Dismiss Anyone For Wrongdoing
***
ALSO: The Missouri Record pens a column for BigGovernment.com, comparing the Governor to the embattled former president with the same name.

"It’s rarely the infraction that brings down a politician, it’ the coverup that ensues. Not only is Missouri’s governor a former 16-year attorney general, his name is Nixon," writes Patrick Tuohey.

Tuohey also raises the question of campaign contributions.

Read it HERE.

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Week 37: Nixon's Grade

NIXON'S WEEK 37 GRADE: F

It's like they could sense it was coming. Last Wednesday, hordes of reporters from across the state huddled before Governor Jay Nixon at the Lake of the Ozarks as he unveiled a new all-encompassing plan to clean up the body of water that has entangled his administration with suspicion and doubt. It was, without saying, the beginning of Nixon's rehabilitation on the one issue that has significantly sliced into the credibility of his freshman year. Nixon's team had a bright idea: Seize on your weakness, and turn it into a strength. Except, about 24 hours later, the Kansas City Star and then the Springfield News-Leader revealed that top Nixon aide Jeff Mazur knew about the high E.coli levels much sooner than the Nixon administration had previously acknowledged. Somewhere, a Missouri Republican, immediately channeled Joe Wilson. The Governor, and his team, had previously stressed that they weren't aware of the troubling results until at least June. Now, because of the gritty work of Karen Dillon and Chad Livengood, we know a close confidante of the Governor knew almost a month earlier. The story is not only a "gotcha" moment, it's one that will raise the level of skepticism among the press corps for the remainder of Nixon's term. "The media was on point before. Now it smells blood," wrote The Star's Steve Kraske. Nixon's legislative ride has been mostly smooth. But E.Coli-gate is not going away, and it ties into his opposition's concerns with tourism funding too neatly to ignore. Unless the Governor himself addresses the lingering doubts and questions about E.Coli-gate directly, he's likely to face more scrutiny -- not only from the media -- but from the GOP-controlled legislature that has the power to craft the bills that raise and re-raise these uncomfortable issues again.

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Bond on Iran: "They've Shown Us Enough"

Hours after the country tested two short-range missiles, Sen. Kit Bond called for tough economic sanctions against Iran and said the revelation of a secret nuclear site undermines the credibility of its leaders.

"Today's action in firing the missiles is really a poke in the eye to those who think that diplomatic efforts and agreements and inspections are going to change the way that Iran is going," said Sen. Bond in an interview on FOX News Sunday.

"I think, as the "Show-Me State" senator, they've shown us enough, much of it through speeches by Ahmadinejad saying, 'We're going to wipe Israel off the face of the earth.' He has launched the missiles to show that they are taking seriously their threat," Bond said.

Bond, who appeared with California Sen. Dianne Feinstein, said strong economic sanctions could force Iranian leaders to change their policy. He noted Senate legislation that would restrict refined petroleum.

"That's something we can do, along with Treasury sanctions. But we need Russia and China -- real question whether they will actually go along," said Sen. Bond.

Democratic House Armed Services Committee Chairman Ike Skelton suggested similar sanctions in an interview Friday.

Bond said he agreed with Feinstein when she suggested that negotiations were a much preferable alternative to air strikes.

"That's why I think that strong economic sanctions, which have to be applied by the world community, not just us -- we can make an impact -- are the best way to go," said Bond. "Nobody wants to see us use military power but, as Senator Feinstein said, a nuclear-armed Iran would be a disaster for the world," Bond continued.

During his appearance, Bond also reinforced his support for sending additional troops into Afghanistan and criticized President Obama for "dithering and delaying" the decision.

Missouri's senior Senator also made a quick reference to Springfield as he outlined is opposition to the President's plan to close Guantanamo Bay.

"I wouldn't mind seeing them at Alcatraz, but my California friends have minimum amount of high enthusiasm for that," Bond said. "But if they're sick, they're transferred to the federal Springfield, Missouri medical facility in my state, and my constituents and I think that would be a very bad idea," Bond said.

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Skelton Calls For Sanctions

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Ike Skelton is calling for new international sanctions against Iran, in the wake of revelations that the country has been operating a secret nuclear facility.

"The news that we got, of course, is very troubling. France and Great Britain are alongside of us in trying to do something, and I think they should move ahead with the sanctions they've been talking about," Skelton told MSNBC. "It's really troubling that, being a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty, they choose to hide and withhold information from the [International Atomic Energy Association], and I think we need to push those sanctions as best we can," he added.

"I think we need -- regardless of what they try to do -- we need to push those sanctions," Skelton added. "If they were really trying to do this for peaceful purposes, they would [not hide] the fact they're enriching this uranium. They have to know it's a painful choice that they have made in hiding facilities that enrich uranium."

***
Legislation before Congress is aimed at cutting off Iran's gasoline and other petroleum imports. Skelton dismissed concerns that Iran might retaliate. "I don't know what they would do, but I think we need, regardless what they try to do, we need to push those sanctions," Skelton said.

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North Says Losing Afghanistan Will Increase Risk Of Attack

Fresh back from a trip to Afghanistan, former Marine and current military commentator Oliver North said President Obama should deliver the troops requested by generals to win the war there.

He also offered a stark warning to Washington.

"They had better pay up when it comes to the resources necessary to win this war, because if we don't win this war, you and I and my kids and grandkids are going to be vulnerable to another attack like we saw on 9-11," said North.

North was in Springfield to speak and raise money for The Vitae Foundation, an anti-abortion group.

Sen. Kid Bond is more directly ramping up pressure on the president. "Negative and indecisive comments by the President, broadcast worldwide have now given the enemy a big win in the public information battle," Bond said.

*WATCH Q & A CLIPS ABOVE*

WATCH THE KY3 NEWS @ 10 REPORT HERE

ABOVE: WATCH NORTH ADDRESS THE CURRENT STATE OF THE G.O.P.

Overestimates crowd size at 9-12 tea party in D.C. but says the movement "ought to be a message." (BTW: DC Authorities estimated between 60-75,000 unofficially -- A spokesperson later said they don't make official estimates.)

Also notes: Troops are rarely impacted by U.S. media and commentary on war policy.

"Troops are not at all focused on the politics," North said. "Very few of them . . . get to ever see television . . . Most of them don't see it."

Those comments seem to undercut the notion -- sometimes floated -- that critical media coverage of the war can hurt troop morale abroad.

Read more...

Bond on Fox News Sunday

Sen. Kit Bond will appear on FOX News Sunday with Sen. Dianne Feinstein this week.

Here's the full line-up, courtesy MediaBistro

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Reports: Nixon Aide New of E.Coli Sooner Than Revealed

. . . AND WHEN HE KNEW IT

An aide to Gov. Jay Nixon was told about high E. coli levels at the Lake of the Ozarks long before Nixon's office has said it became aware of the problem, a former state official told Senate investigators, according to dueling reports by The Kansas City Star & The Springfield News-Leader.

A former Department of Natural Resources official told Senate investigators she informed Nixon aide Jeff Mazur about the E. coli results on May 29-the day after the state agency got the test results, the newspapers reported Thursday afternoon.

Nixon's staff has said previously the governor's office was not aware of the E. coli problem until June 23. The results were not released to the public until June 26, when lower E. coli levels from later tests also were reported.

***

BOFFO reporting by The Star's Dillon & The News-Leader's Livengood:

Read Dillon's piece, posted at 3:42 p.m. HERE.

Read Livengood's story, posted 4:38 p.m. HERE.

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Stouffer Joins Anti-Earmark Express

"IT SKEWS THE SYSTEM"

4th District Congressional candidate Bill Stouffer has joined a growing group of Republican candidates who have sworn off accepting earmarks if elected to the U.S. House.

"We've got billions of dollars tied up in earmarks that can't be used because a Congressman will put, he'll mandate, earmark $100,000 for a project that costs $10 million. Well, there's no money to finish it, but that money can't be spent," Stouffer explained.

*WATCH INTERVIEW ABOVE*

Asked about Congressman Roy Blunt and Sen. Kit Bond's support for earmarks, Stouffer said he compared federal money received by Rep. Sam Graves and Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer.

"If you look at what goes into their districts, it's virtually the same," Stouffer said.

"He's Tied Himself To Nancy Pelosi"

Stouffer answers the golden question: Why would 4th District throw out a Congressman with such a prestigious slot as Chairman of the Armed Services Committee.

"There was a week in June, where there were 4 Congressmen who voted with Nancy Pelosi the whole week. One of them was Ike Skelton," said Stouffer.

*WATCH FULL CLIP ABOVE*

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Ollie Corrects The Interviewer

Former Col. Oliver North ribbed a reporter during The Vitae Foundation dinner Thursday night, after The Notebook asked him in an interview about his participation in the "anti-abortion" event.

"Let me correct what you just said . . . I'm here for a pro-life event," North said, correcting the interviewer. "There's a difference."

*WATCH EXCHANGE ABOVE*

While the terms "pro-life" and "pro-choice" are familiar terms, journalists are usually trained to stay away from the politically charged terms. Instead, they're taught to use words like "anti-abortion activists" or "abortion rights supporters." It doesn't always happen. In many stories, both types of phrases are used to avoid redundancy.

In the touchy tussle over language, both sides also like to define their opposition on their own terms. For instance, self-proclaimed "pro-lifers" often use the "pro-abortion" label to describe their opponents. They don't like the "pro-choice" categorization. On the other hand, abortion rights activists routinely scold media outlets for using the "pro-life" term to describe their own opponents.

For a second . . . Try not to think about the language you favor, but rather, ponder what language seems most fair to describe both sides.

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Biden Told Nixon: "If It Fails, I'm Dead"

Vice President Joe Biden reportedly told Governor Jay Nixon on a conference call Thursday that if the economic stimulus package fails, "I'm dead."

POLITICO picked up the pool report that details the back and forth between Biden and the Governors: "Nixon closed by telling VPOTUS 'I cannot tell you how much we appreciate your…interest.' "'Pure self interest, Jay,' VPOTUS responded. 'If it fails, I’m dead,'" reads the pool.

Biden only took 4 questions from Governors, one of them being Nixon:

"Nixon's question was a bit garbled to your pooler, but he seemed to be asking for time to fact-check data submitted before it’s posted publicly. Since it’s the first reporting period, "a little flexibility there…the chance to make sure we get those accurate would be appreciated."

VPOTUS told him that the ARRA board is independent, staffed with inspectors general, and "I cannot order it to do anything." He told Nixon that reporting requirements are similar to those required of corporations or other entities "you basically have until the 30th [of Sept.] to do what corporations and other[s]…do."

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Nixon Seeks Faith-Based Help in Disasters

The words spoken by Gov. Jay Nixon on Thursday aren't those commonly associated with executive orders.

But for the crowd at South Haven Baptist Church, they were natural fit for a faith-based disaster initiative response.

WATCH Abby Wuellner's KY3 News @ 6 REPORT HERE

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Tie Goes To The Runner

You've got to hand it to Roy Blunt.

After a summer of sustained attacks from the left on his record, verbal miscues on President Obama's citizenship and Medicare and nervous Republicans whispering about his potential vulnerabilities, the Ozarks Congressman looks to have weathered the storm with muster.

And if you trust Rasmussen Reports, he looks primely positioned in the 2010 U.S. Senate contest -- now 13 months away.

More importantly, he's shown he can take a punch early and often. And he's well aware the barrage has barely begun.

After Rasmussen showed that Blunt was deadlocked with probable Democrat Robin Carnahan, the Blunt team celebrated like it was a victory.

Blunt's team sent out an fundraising e-mail blast to supporters: "You made it happen! Rasmussen Reports today issued a poll showing the U.S. Senate race between Roy Blunt and Robin Carnahan tied 46-46, despite huge amounts spent for false television attack ads by very (very) liberal groups from outside Missouri."

"The end of a crucial fundraising quarter is coming on September 30. We're seeing from new polling and other information that this is a very winnable race," the e-mail went on.

The mere fact that the team is celebrating "a very winnable race," shows how far Blunt has come over the past year. Many Republicans mumbled that Blunt faced rough waters. Some would even mutter under their breath that Blunt was likely to lose.

Sure, the national environment has helped. Growing skepticism of the Democratic supermajority and fears about President Obama's vision for healthcare. But he fought back primary challengers, quietly massaged skeptics behind closed doors and toured the state aggressively. And now, the poll shows that Blunt has higher favorable numbers than Carnahan. "I'm pretty shocked by that," said one Springfield GOPer.

The question now for Carnahan is whether her team is seeing similar internal numbers, and if there's a slight strategy shift going forward. Does Carnahan need to come out earlier and offer clearer positions to boost her mojo? Does she come out more aggressively against Blunt?

Then again, this could all be a flash in the pan.

It would be silly to put too much weight into one poll. And it comes just as Blunt's odd and seemingly tone-deaf comments about playing the ball "where the monkey throws it" continues to get traction. (It remains a top story on KY3.com)

The numbers will shift and surprise again, quicker than the seasons.

Blunt can smile that on the dawn of autumn '09, he's fought himself all the way back . . . to a tie.

And you might suggest that the old baseball adage could easily apply to politics.

Ties usually go, to the runner.

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Nixon Vows To Clean Up Lake Of The Ozarks

Gov. Jay Nixon outlined a broad plan to improve what he calls "unacceptable" water quality at the Lake of the Ozarks Wednesday after sustaining a summer of criticism over his administration's delayed release of an E-Coli report.

The plan includes inspections of 400 facilities with wastewater permits near the sprawling mid Missouri lake or its tributaries.

"Present water quality at the Lake of the Ozarks is unacceptable," Nixon said.

WATCH Abby Wuellner's KY3 NEWS @ 6 REPORT HERE

*WATCH Q & A with GOV. NIXON ABOVE*

OTHER PORTIONS OF NIXON'S PLAN:

• Zero-tolerance policy for any violation of clean water laws
• DNR survey testing of all relevant contaminants in locations across the entire lake, presented to the Governor by year's end
• Rigorous application review for permits on the Lake of the Ozarks watershed

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In Campaign Against Skelton, Stouffer Focuses on Pelosi

State Sen. Bill Stouffer kicked off his campaign for the 4th District Congressional seat in Marshfield Wednesday with an attempted focus on Ike Skelton's ties to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

WATCH THE KY3 NEWS @ 10 REPORT HERE

*WATCH CLIPS FROM HIS KICK-OFF SPEECH ABOVE*

"We have a Speaker who's pushing a national energy policy that will hurt farmers . . . We have a Congressman that votes with her 95% of the time."

The Saline County Senator said he'll push for a balanced budget amendment, champion tax reform and oppose all earmarks. "Washington politicians are addicted to spending your money on their favorite projects . . . The government has got to stop picking winners and losers."

MADE 4 TV BYTE: "I know Ike Skelton and I respect Ike tremendously for his last 30 years. However, I can no longer sit idly by while the new Ike votes with Nancy Pelosi 95% of the time."

BELOW: Q & A

STOUFFER TAKES QUESTIONS FROM MARSHFIELD CHRISTIAN SCHOOL STUDENTS AND PRESS CONFERENCE ATTENDEES:

On Iraq: Hopes it will "settle down," but opposes premature pull-out

On Afghanistan: "I would hope that we could do similar to what we did in Iraq. Give people hope."

On Immigration: Predicts Congress will deal with it next year . . . "You fix the fence before you try to put the cows back in."

On Abortion: "We have got to make it unconscionable to have an abortion, but I think you have to do that by working on people's hearts."

On Ethanol: "The relationship with ethanol and the price of of grain has been way overblown."

FULL STORY TONIGHT on KY3 NEWS @ 10

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Rasmussen Has Blunt & Carnahan Tied

*2010 U.S. SENATE*
BLUNT 46%
CARNAHAN 46%

A brand new Rasmussen Reports survey shows Missouri's 2010 U.S. Senate race knotted at 46%.

Eleven months from the election, just 5% of Missouri voters are undecided.

Blunt takes men by 17 points; Carnahan holds a 13 point lead among women. Blunt takes independents by 8 points.

SURPRISE: Carnahan's negatives are HIGHER than Blunt's.
Blunt's favorable/unfavorable is 57%-33%
Carnahan's favorable/unfavorable is 52%-42%

"Nearly all the numbers in this early survey show an uncommonly close match between two members of well-known Missouri political families," Rasmussen writes.

ALSO:
Just 44% approve of President Obama but 58% approve of Gov. Jay Nixon

Read all the details HERE.

The right-leaning Missouri Record's Patrick Tuohey breaks it down: "If I was advising either campaign—and I am not—I would suggest that Carnahan’s stealth campaign is not in her best interest. The report shows that demographic groups important to her think health care will increase costs, add to the deficit, and will result in middle class tax increases. Moreover, as she fails to tell voters about her and her policy preferences, she allows opponents to do that for her. (Unfavorable ratings are very difficult to lower.)." Read the rest HERE.

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Workers Praise New Non-Profit Management of License Office

"It's Improved . . . It's Gotten Better"

ALTERNATIVE OPPORTUNITIES NOW RUNS 10 OFFICES

Despite criticism from the Missouri Republican Party, Alternative Opportunities is getting high praise from its workers on how it's managing the South Fremont license office in Springfield.

A new Missouri law has paved the way for more non-profits to run the state's license fee offices. But that doesn't mean the new reforms -- designed to end the patronage system -- isn't without critics.

WATCH THE KY3 NEWS @ 10 REPORT HERE

KEY BYTES:

"It's just an honor for me to be here and Alternative Opportunities helped me. Alternative Opportunities is basically the reason I'm here," said 17-year old worker Kristina Beller, who was hired on full-time through the group's employment program.

"We gave them raises, 401ks, paid time off. We offer health benefits that they've never been able to offer before. We had a lot more to offer these license offices, more than any individual or most groups could offer," said Gary McMurtrey of Alternative Opportunities, explaining why he thinks the group has won so many bids.

"It begs the question, what are they trying to get from the Nixon administration? More importantly, how much of an influence have their donations and high-powered lobbyists had on Nixon,?" said MOGOP executive director Lloyd Smith, questioning the $11,000 in campaign contributions Alternative executives donated to Gov. Jay Nixon's campaign.

"Everybody's happy. They're happy with it now. It's improved. It's gotten better, and we definitely enjoy that," said Kelsey Kruzel, a fee office employee who worked under the previous management. Asked whether any employee would want to go back to the old management, Kruzel replied, "No. They didn't get health insurance or raises."

"I think you have to wait awhile to see if the reforms worked," said Rep. Shane Schoeller, who supported the reforms put into place. Schoeller declined to comment on Alternative specifically because his wife runs a fee office in Nixa. Alternative is competing for that office as well.

Smith was unavailable for a phone interview Tuesday night and Springfield Rep. Bob Dixon did not return a call for comment.

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Bond, Skelton Urging Action on Afghanistan

At a time when skepticism is growing about the country's longest war, Congressman Ike Skelton is the highest ranking Democrat in Congress to support sending more troops into Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, Missouri's top serving elected official fears President Obama is going wobbly on his pledge for a build-up.
***
"After asking for General Stanley McChrystal’s Afghanistan assessment, it now appears President Obama has buyer's remorse," said Sen. Kit Bond. "Congress needs to hear directly from General McChrystal to ensure political motivations here in Washington don't override the needs of our commanders on the ground."

In a letter to the president, Skelton is also urging him to "waste no time in providing a clear direction" on the Afghan front.

"I am convinced that there is no strategy short of a properly-resourced counter-insurgency campaign that is likely to provide lasting security. But, time is not on our side. Coming from Harry Truman country, I ask myself, ‘What would Harry Truman do?’ And this leads me to urge you to waste no time in providing a clear direction to our commanders and civilian leaders, along with the resources necessary to achieve their mission—and to do so with an understanding that the American and Afghan people, as well as our allies, must see progress in the next 12 months," wrote Skelton in a letter to the president.

Bond wants McChrystal to testify before Congress because he believes the Obama administration has delayed the general's request for more troops. Skelton wrote that he believes McChrystal has "the right plan."

In his letter, Skelton advocates a counter-insurgent strategy: "Carrying out a real population-protection counter-insurgency plan – is not without risks and costs, and victory is not guaranteed . . . Undertaking a counter-insurgency campaign is complex, and it will require additional resources, both civilian and military, and hopefully not all from the United States."

"But we should not conclude yet that all is hopeless – it is not, and I believe the team you recently sent to Kabul, General McChrystal and Ambassador Eikenberry, would agree. We must not refuse to give this stellar team the time and resources it needs to succeed," Skelton said.
***
THE PENTAGON has said General McChrystal likely won't be wading into the political debate over troops just yet -- and will instead be focusing on managing the war on the ground.

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7 Dems Help Try To Save The Tour

Seven Democratic lawmakers sent a letter to Gov. Jay Nixon Tuesday asking him to continue funding the Tour of Missouri in 2010.

The race, which lures bicyclists from all over the country in world, is in the last year of its 3-year contract. Nixon's administration flirted with withholding funds from this year's race, due to the dire budget situation.

"With a complete realization of the continued recession that our state is facing, we believe that a 14-to-1 return on the state’s $1.5 million commitment to the Tour of Missouri is a wise investment, especially during these difficult economic times," wrote the Democratic lawmakers, including the Senate and House minority leaders.

"The last two years, the Tour of Missouri brought in nearly $60 million in tourism dollars throughout the state. In 2007 and 2008 combined, an estimated 802,000 people saw the race. Another 22 million watched the event on television and viewers in 150 countries viewed live streaming coverage of the event via the Internet. We will continue to work closely with you and our legislative colleagues in ensuring that we are making smart financial decisions for the families of Missouri. We believe that continuing to fund the Tour of Missouri is a wise investment for communities and tourism across our state," the letter continues.

Sen. Victor Callahan, Rep. Paul LeVota, Rep. Jason Grill, Rep. Tom McDonald, Rep. Jamilah Nasheed, Rep. Chris Carter, Rep. Michele Kratky were the seven who signed the letter.

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Meet Me At The Lake

CLEANING UP THE MESS

Governor Jay Nixon will visit the Lake of the Ozarks Wednesday to detail a plan to enhance "cleanliness and water quality."

Nixon plans a 1:30 p.m. stop with Department of Natural Resources director Mark Templeton at the Lake of the Ozarks State Park's Grand Glaize Beach/Pa He Tsi Boat Launch.

A Senate committee is looking into the DNR's handling of delayed E.coli test results earlier this summer.

Past coverage HERE.

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Oliver North in Springfield Thursday

Former Marine and FOX News contributor Col. Oliver North will be in Springfield Thursday to speak at the Vitae Foundation's annual anti-abortion dinner.

The dinner is designed to raise money to help "reach out to women facing unplanned pregnancies and connect them with local resources where they can make an informed decision," according to a release.

The 14th annual dinner begins at 6:30 p.m. at University Plaza.

North will also appear in St. Charles on November 16th.

For more information on the Vitae Foundation, click HERE.

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Dealerships Suffer From Clunker Hangover

Sales at auto dealerships are predictably down a month after the popular "Cash for Clunkers" program ended, and now some analysts are calling the incentives an economic wash.

WATCH THE KY3 NEWS @ 10 REPORT HERE

"We pulled people ahead that weren't in the market, so it got them to come out and buy those cars. Now we've taken, probably, some business from September and October, so we're probably going to see a softer September than we would normally see," explained Reliable Superstore General Manager Tony Stubblefield.

***

Missouri State University Economic Tom Wyrich takes apart the Clunker program from several different angles:

WYRICH'S WISDOM:

"It helps some people and hurts other people. Is that a good thing? It's not a good thing. It's just a thing."

• "It caused people to accelerate the purchases of cars. Buy a car today, don't buy one in 2010, 2011. So car sales are up this year, but they'll drop off in the future."
• "If affects the car sellers in a big way, in a noticeable way, in a way we can put in headlines, but it damages other other industries -- a lot of other industries in a small way that offsets that. People have to make all these car payments and when they start making car payments on these new cars they're buying -- they don't have the money to go out and go to Applebee's or buy something at the mall at Macy's."
• "These cars were capable of transporting people and what we did was destroy them. We've got this housing crisis, price of houses have been falling, contractors got some real problems out there, let's go out and blow up some homes. We destroyed cars thinking that will lead to prosperity. And if that does, let's burn down our homes. This has amounted to destroying wealth, capital goods. And that is not smart. It's stupid."

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Long Conducting Survey to Take To Pelosi

7th District Congressional candidate Billy Long is conducting a survey to learn more about the issues G.O.P. primary voters care about.

He plans to try to hand deliver the results to Speaker Nancy Pelosi on either Oct. 5th or 6th.

Long held a conference call Monday to detail why he's done a mass mailing of 7th District voters.

*LISTEN TO Q &A FROM THE CALL ABOVE*

Predicts "National Security" will top the list of voter concerns.

You can read Long's survey HERE.

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Stouffer To Kick-Off Congressional Campaign Wednesday

Two-term Republican State Senator Bill Stouffer will officially kick of his campaign for U.S. Congress in an announcement tour beginning Wednesday, The Notebook has learned.

Stouffer, who represents parts of nine mostly rural counties in central-western Missouri, will make stops in Blue Springs, Marshfield and Jefferson City to announce his 2010 bid to take on 17-term Democratic Congressman Ike Skelton.

Skelton, who chairs the House Armed Services Committee, has handily won re-election in the 4th Congressional District with more than 60 percent of the vote for years. But due to a souring national environment against Democrats and Skelton's recent votes with party leadership, Missouri Republicans believe the 22-year veteran is ripe for an upset.

Stouffer, who is considered the early favorite for the 4th Disrict GOP nomination, will begin his announcement tour at Zarda BBQ in Blue Springs at 10 a.m. Wednesday. He'll continue with a stop at the Marshfield Christian School in Webster County at 2:30 p.m.

On Thursday, Stouffer will cap off his announcement tour with a 10 a.m. stop in Jefferson City.

A formal media release is expected Monday.

Stouffer is one of three Republicans seeking the party's nomination to challenge Skelton. Former state representative Vicky Hartzler held healthcare town hall meetings in Marshfield and Lebanon last month and already has a campaign website up.

Army retiree and businessman James Scholz has also indicated he'll mount a campaign.

The 4th Congressional district covers most of central-western Missouri, sprawling from Webster County in the Ozarks to the state capitol to the suburbs of Kansas City in Cass County. Other Ozarks counties included in the 4th are Dallas, Laclede, Pulaski, Camden, Hickory, Benton Cedar, Dade and Barton. They all fall in the Ky3 viewing area.

Missouri Democrats have signaled that Skelton's re-election will be a top priority. The district is solidly Republican in presidential contests. George W. Bush and John McCain both won with margins comparable to Skelton.

But Stouffer has said he believes the race will come down to a referendum on the Democratic majority in Congress.

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Week 36: Nixon's Grade

NIXON'S WEEK 36 GRADE: B +

The removal of Linda Martinez as Economic Development director gave Governor Nixon a fresh start last week at crafting an economic agenda for the state. Sure, the loss of his top cabinet official is marked as a setback, but you didn't exactly hear a chorus of business leaders protesting her resignation/dismissal. During his business roundtable in Springfield with interim director Katie Steele Danner where Nixon seemed loose and at ease, the message to the Governor was clear: lend a hand to the existing businesses that already produce revenue. And if that means scaling back incentives for historic buildings or other revitalization projects, so be it. Listening is half the job in governing, and Nixon did so dutifully, albeit without making any firm commitments. Nixon's team also felt vindicated on Wednesday when they emerged from the GOP-controlled veto session with a perfect 23-0 record. That's 23 vetoes, no overrides. Despite some huffing and puffing from Republican leaders about forcing through an accountability measure and considerable squawking about the veto of the helmet law repeal and new public defender requirements, Nixon's actions held. Instead, all the talk quickly refocused on what will be a bleak budget picture for the 2010 session. Nixon has touted Missouri's unique AAA-bond rating, which should provide easier access to capital. But some business leaders aren't convinced a big capital bond initiative is the way to spur growth. The Governor has said he wants to talk out the bond proposal with legislative leaders before indicating his support. But if he decides it should be part of his agenda, a multi-hundred-million dollar bond initiative could be the sleeper issue of the '10 session and election year.

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In The Ayres

Nita Jane Ayres was selected as the Republican nominee for the 62nd State House district at a meeting in Kimberling City Saturday.

Ayres received a majority of the 19 votes available on the 62nd District legislative committee, which represents most of Stone and a slice of Taney County. The vote was necessary to fill the vacancy left by Rep. Dennis Wood, who was appointed Stone County Commissioner.

Ayres, who is vice-chair of the 62nd District committee, defeated six other candidates on the first ballot. She was the only female competing for the committee's support. Her nomination almost surely means she'll be the next State House representative for the 62nd District. While a special election is set for February 2nd, a Democrat has never held a State House seat in Stone County, according to the committee Chair Layne Morrill.

Ayres won after an hour and a half of statements and answers to questions by the candidates. Morrill would not disclose how many votes she received, only repeating that "it was a majority."

BELOW: THE VID

62nd District Chairman Layne Morrill announces Ayres as the winner. And later, Ayres and former State Rep. Dennis Wood embrace. Wood whispers something to Ayres.

CAPTION CONTEST? "C'mon . . . Say yes . . .," Wood says.

Ayres was the committee's choice to be Stone County Commissioner, but Gov. Jay Nixon ignored the recommendation and chose Wood over Ayres.

"I FELT REAL GOOD ABOUT IT"

Ayres says she doesn't view getting passed over for the Commission appointment as a setback and notes "it opened up another opportunity."

Also, she sounds off on how she'll manage being a member at the bottom of the seniority poll.

"I think that what sets me apart doesn't have anything to do with the fact that I'm female."

Ayres explains what helped her stand out before the committee and said that a potential GOP primary in August 2010 will keep her sharp.

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