McCaskill Turns The Tables

CLAIRE CAM
***DEMOCRAT DAYS '09***
After finishing a serious interview with a trio of reporters on various topics, Sen. Claire McCaskill suddenly whipped out her own mini-cam to turn the tables.

WATCH THE CLIP TO SEE WHAT FOLLOWS

McCaskill apparently wanted to put Tony Messenger, Jo Mannies and I in the uncommon role of answering questions. Then, I begin filming McCaskill's experiment shooting us. The Senator asked for quick soundbites and hit me with a tough criticism about my own blog -- that it's video heavy.

"Has anyone ever told you your blog kind of cheats . . .?"

ALSO: Messenger cleverly gets in a Twitter plug.

So we'll cap this long Democrat Day in Hannibal with a fun . . . video clip, of course.

McCaskill says she may use clips for her own Senate YouTube channel.

(We'll show you the serious interview with the Senator soon)

Carnahan Stays Clear of Specific Votes on Key Issues

***DEMOCRAT DAYS '09***
Likely Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate Robin Carnahan wouldn't say whether she would have voted for or against specific economic packages in an interview with The Notebook Saturday.

The current Secretary of State steered clear of specifics and instead spoke of general principals that would guide her philosophy in tackling some of the thorniest economic issues of our time.

NO PLEDGE ON EARMARKS, BUT SIGNALS REFORM
"I'm not over there to take a look at what all these things are right now," said Carnahan, who also noted "the process has got to be reformed."

***WATCH FULL VIDEO CLIPS ***

ON FALL BANK BAILOUT: "There didn't seem to be the accountability and transparency in there . . ."

STILL, When asked how she would have voted, replies: "I wasn't there to vote on that."

Which raises the question . . . Is it important to you that Carnahan take clear, specific positions on past votes in the Senate or is that not fair/less relevant because she wasn't there at the time?

The Associated Press' David Lieb is reporting that Carnahan indicated her support for the federal economic stimulus package during an interview Saturday. In her interview with The Notebook, Carnahan also said there was a strong argument for action, but declined to specifically say she would have been a "Yes" vote.

"I didn't read the 18-hundred page bill and wasn't asked to vote on that," Carnahan said. "There's no reason for me to kind of talk about something I didn't have any input on."

WATCH STIMULUS Q & A BELOW

CARNAHAN REBUFFS FORUMS FOR NOW, TALKS BLUNT-STEELMAN BELOW:

LeVota Calls Obama Resolution "Shameful"

***DEMOCRAT DAYS '09***
House Minority Leader Paul LeVota calls the first half of the 2009 legislative session a tale of the "good, the bad and the ugly."
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Cites "scary resolutions" on Gitmo detainees coming to Missouri and President Obama's citizenship.

Also renews criticism on Republican decision to strip healthcare expansion for children from the budget.

"Despite the talk of bipartisanship, they want to continue the same failed policies that they've had for years and years," LeVota said. "We are dealing with people that just don't seem to get it," he added.

VIDEO: With Force, Nixon Pressures Senate on Jobs Bill

***DEMOCRAT DAYS '09***

"Get to work this week on that bill"

Governor Jay Nixon strongly urges the State Senate to pass expansion of the Quality Jobs Act by spring break, which is next Friday.

"150 House members can't be wrong," Nixon said during his remarks Saturday morning.

The House easily passed his major economic initiative, but Republican Senators have held the legislation up because of questions about the tax credits included.

***WATCH HIS FORCEFUL PUSH ABOVE***

Afterword, in a media gaggle with reporters, I asked Nixon why it was so important to have that jobs bill on his desk by March 12th.

"They haven't shown any will . . ."

Governor Nixon said quicker action on Quality Jobs legislation that's currently languishing in the State Senate would put him in a stronger negotiating position to lure companies to the state sooner.

"If we do those in the deal we've got on the table right now, it'll give me a stronger negotiating position when I'm negotiating against Louisiana, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin and other states," Nixon said in an interview after the Democrat Days brunch in Hannibal.

Nixon said over the past two and a half weeks, the Senate hasn't shown "any will." "They haven't put the bill on the floor at all," Nixon charged.

VIDEO: Nixon Pokes Fun At Steelman-Blunt Sniping

***DEMOCRAT DAYS '09***
"It's like their karma's running over their dogma."

Governor Jay Nixon officially, but not surprisingly, announced his backing of Secretary of State Robin Carnahan for U.S. Senate in 2010.

He then went on to chide the two top Republican contenders -- Roy Blunt and Sarah Steelman -- for their disunity.

"They are sending letters and press releases out attacking each other -- at our event," Nixon said to laughs.

Nixon spoke at the morning brunch in Hannibal during Saturday's Democrat Days.

***WATCH FULL CLIP ABOVE***

Democrats Convene in Hannibal

FLIP JOPLIN, AND REVERSE IT

The 38th Annual Missouri Democrat Days Continues Saturday
in Hannibal, Mo.

The Notebook will have live up-to-the-minute coverage
GET TWITTER UPDATES HERE

Banquet begins @ 7 p.m.
Sen. Claire McCaskill will deliver the keynote address

Asked what Hannibal is like, one Springfield Democrat tells me: "It's like taking Joplin and reversing it into a Democratic town. Small-town, rural . . . even conservative on some things, but Democratic. It's a different brand of Democratic politics up there."