Let's Have A Drink

10 MISSSOURI POLITICAL PAIRS . . .

THAT SHOULD GRAB A BEER

It's midsummer, and boy it's hot out there. The pols are especially testy -- mainly due to a summer news cycle has been busier and peskier than expected. So in honor of Thursday's White House beer between Harvard professor Henry Gates and Cambridge police officer Sgt. James Crowley, here are 10 toasts I'd like to facilitate. If any of the parties are interested, I'm ready and willing to play President Obama.

1. Governor Jay Nixon & Lieutenant Gov. Peter Kinder

2. Carl Bearden of AFP Missouri & Sen. Claire McCaskill

3. Fired Up's Sean Nicholson & Congressman Roy Blunt

4. Ed Martin & Scott Eckersley

5. 7th District chair Mavis Busiek & Radio antagonist Vincent David Jericho

6. Sarah Steelman & Kenny Hulshof

7. Political consultants Jeff Roe & Rod Jetton

8. Springfield Mayor Jim O'Neal & Ralph Manley

9. Sen. Kit Bond & Todd Graves

10. Associated Industries Ray McCarty & Mo. Chamber president Dan Mehan

Monday Fun

The latest cartoon from the Missouri Record has a little fun with us & Twitter.

Check out all of the Record's cartoons by clicking HERE.

It's 10 p.m. and Yes, Staff Knows Where Our Governor Is

"I remain in constant contact with my staff"

In response to a boffo question by KSMU's Jennifer Moore about protocol to maintain contact with staff, Gov. Jay Nixon said he hasn't even thought about "going off the radar."

WATCH THE GIVE & TAKE ---

INCLUDING Moore's keen observation that Nixon was nursing a cold ---

"I'm not nursing it very well," he responded.

ON KEEPING IN TOUCH:

"I remain in constant contact with my staff . . . They remain in constant contact with me I should say," Nixon said with a smile, gesturing at press aide Scott Holste. Nixon said staff knows where he is "24-7, 365"

"I have not had the occasion to even giving really much thought of going off the radar screen -- it's a pretty busy job," Nixon added.

Take It Where Ya Can Get It

Springfield's GO Magazine is out with its "20 Under 30" list, and apparently the Missouri Political News Service was shut out of the voting.

The Notebook humbly thanks the folks over at "GO." Their generous description will surely have music fans horrified (Lady GaGa!), some conservatives outraged (Chris Matthews!?) and many of my colleagues rolling their eyes.

You can read their "20 under 30" picks HERE.

Koster Wins MIZZOU B-Ball Grit Award Via Twitter

In a spontaneous vote via TWITTER, Attorney General Chris Koster was crowned winner of the first ever MIZZOU Basketball "Gritty politico" award.
***
The Notebook conducted the unscientific vote via Twitter Saturday afternoon during the final minutes of the Mizzouri-UConn game, when the Tigers came up short in their quest to win what would have been their first Final Four appearance.

The Notebook asked Twitterers: What Missouri politician most exemplifies the grit and tenacity of MIZZOU basketball this season?

The MIZZOU Basketball "Gritty Politico" award is meant to go to the pol who is "gritty, aggressive, beats expectations, surprises and may start slow, but closes strong."

While Koster came out on top in the voting, Sen. Claire McCaskill and Sen. Kurt Schaefer tied for runner-up. Sens. Jim Lembke and Matt Bartle also received votes, as did Rep. Chris Kelly.

Not in Twitter-land yet?

Who would you cast your "Gritty Politico" vote for?

***ALSO: Due to the Mizzou loss, Sen. Claire McCaskill and Gov. Jay Nixon will both be sending Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd and Governor Jodi Rell a hearty portion of Kansas City Barbeque.

Kit Rallies Mizzou with Tiger

Sen. Kit Bond posts a YOUTUBE video showcasing his good-luck charm before Mizzou games.

Click to watch must-see video HERE.

"We're looking for a good 40 minutes of hell against the folks from Ithaca," Bond says.

Missouri faces Cornell this afternoon in Round 1 of the NCAA Tournament.

(I'm hearing some politicos need 13 points to cover . . . Just sayin')

On The Wolf

Tune into Springfield's 100.5 The Wolf today around noon to hear me talk with Clint about a little blogging, a little politics and probably something a little unexpected.

Or listen HERE LIVE.

Friday Levity From Nixon's Event

LIGHTS OUT!

***MUST-WATCH CLIP ABOVE***

The punch-line: "Some of those include jobs in the power industry."

A similar lighting problem occurred at a Kenny Hulshof event this summer.

VOTE: Who Was The Best Sarah Palin?

With 3 Days To Go, A Little Levity

***Vote For Your Favorite
Halloween Costume***

#1 THE HOME TEAM

#2 PALIN VS. PALIN

#3 PALIN VS. PALIN

#4 HILLARY VS. PALIN

#5 PALIN VS. PALIN

#6 MONSTER VS. PALIN

#7 PALIN VS. PALIN

Let's Laugh It Out . ..

QUICK COMIC RELIEF

(INSERT WITTY CAPTION HERE)

Then, there's THIS.

Rush & Me

The Talk Show King of the Conservative Movement Bashes My Questioning of Mike Huckabee Monday, regarding what's relevant in this presidential election.

***

And to think, taken to task by Rush on of all things, "drug use."

READ THE TRANSCRIPT & LISTEN TO THE AUDIO HERE

WATCH THE CLIP HERE

HERE'S THE KEY EXCERPT:

RUSH: So yesterday in Springfield, Missouri, Mike Huckabee was interviewed by a TV station, KY3 news, reporter said, "I know you mentioned Bill Ayers on the stage today. Is that an issue people ought to consider more important than even the economic issue? What's the message here? Is it his associations or is it the economic, the tax structure of the country?"

HUCKABEE: Can you tell me anybody that sorted out who it was that supplied Barack Obama the drugs that he claimed in his own book to have taken? No.

REPORTER: So that's relevant, his drug use is on the table.

HUCKABEE: Well, if Joe the Plumber's back taxes are relevant, a guy who's just playing football in his neighborhood, then everything is relevant.

RUSH: Hmm. That's Mike Huckabee. And the reporter, you know, "What do these associations have to do with economic things?" This is the where the reporter and most reporters are just ignorant and bullheaded. If your best friends are socialists, if your best friends are anti-capitalist, it has everything in the world to do with whether or not your economic policies are going to be capitalist or socialist. Ignorance, the most expensive commodity we have in this country, and a lot of it exists in the Drive-By Media.

10 Things We Won't Miss In 18 Days

1. Campaign conference calls, every other hour

2. The paranoia and control-freakishness of the staffers on the ground for Team Obama

3. Joe The Plumber

4. Anything involving the slogan "Change"

5. E-mails about Obama's citizenship

6. Voicemails that have no time to be returned

7. Campaign spokespeople kissing up (after they win, there's a noticeable "we don't need ya anymore" change in demeanor)

8. Debates

9. Parodies of debates, debates over debate rules

10. "Thanks, but no thanks."

Your nominees?

Say It Ain't So Joe

MUST SEE VIDEO OF THE DAY

AT A STOP IN FLORIDA TODAY, THE MAN INTRODUCING JOE BIDEN . . . HAD A SLIGHT SLIP OF THE TONGUE . . . (We think?!)

Campaign volunteer Jim Pacillo had just finished four and a half rousing minutes at the podium, firing up the crowd of 35-hundred in Tampa. A possible explanation... Pacillo is a former Republican who now supports the Democratic ticket.

Our Daily Show Appearance

It's just a few seconds but KY3 photojournalist Jim Van Dillen and I did make the cut on Friday's Daily Show. It's part of a longer piece on "The Best 'Bleeping' News Team."

The clip that ran on Saturday's KY3 News @ 6 is HERE.

You can watch the entire Daily Show sketch via Michelle Sherwood's blog HERE. You can see us about 3:25 in. Just don't blink!

Costner Promotes "Swingvote" in Springfield

SCREENING BENEFITS LOCAL CHARITY

Kevin Costner movie based on an election that comes down to 1 vote

Watch excerpts of the interview with KY3 News HERE

McCain Visit Gossip

10 THINGS YOU "DIDN'T HEAR FROM ME"

Gossip swirling around McCain's visit

Politicos don't like to talk on the record, but some of the things they'll say on background are "better than S*X"

(According to Hunter Thompson, of course)

1. No matter what the Democrats tell you, John McCain isn't the third term of George Bush. Republicans don't like him that much.

2. Asked a Republican what is wrong with Jay Nixon, she replies, "He's like a used car salesman." Asked why she's supporting Kenny Hulshof over Sarah Steelman, she says, "I won't vote for an airhead."

3. John McCain contemplated holding a Missouri fundraiser at Robert Plaster's "It Takes a Village" compound in Branson -- until locals talked him out of it.

4. The real reason John McCain's Springfield fundraiser was canceled had nothing to do with Tim Russert. The McCain-iac camp was just disappointed with the money it was going to be able to pull in here in Springfield.

5. John McCain will instead come back and go where the money is . . . in St. Louis, of course, on July 15th. He's thinking about coming back to Springpatch for a make-up fundraiser on July 31st.

6. Some Republicans are scared of Mavis Busiek --- and most who are, say if you aren't . . . you should be. Apparently, Mavis keeps score.

7. When my third full story on McCain hit the air at 10 p.m., folks at my favorite new watering hole, "Fedora," booed.

8. Why don't any people who participate in political protests have the J.Crew look--- ever? And another thing, if you're going to organize a protest that gets media attention, get more than a dozen people there.

9. McCain gains props with skeptical peeps for just showing up and answering unvetted questions. Too many people who aren't fans of Bush -- but heard McCain today in some fashion -- have said positive things about the man one way or another for me to believe otherwise.

10. Kenny Hulshof had kids handing out stickers to people in line at the McCain event. Why didn't Sarah Steelman have kids with stickers? "Yeah, well how many of them are wearing them?," replied one Steelman supporter, when I posed that question.

****11. BONUS: The F.B.I. was spotted in Jefferson City the other day, and yes, Republicans are talking (ok, whispering) about it.

Springfield Is The Worst

Or at least one of the worst . . . places to raise a family that is, according to a magazine most people haven't ever heard of called "Best Life."

Yes, Springfield is used to its step-daughter status in the state of Missouri. Like the middle child between St. Louis and Kansas City, we're a bit paranoid, sensitive and often aiming to prove our worthiness.

But even for an East Coast guy like me, this survey seems a bit out of line. It's easy to pick on the little guy, but just as the politicos have found out . . . we may be taken for granted or shunned aside, but we're tough, gritty and the chip on our shoulder helps us . . . FIGHT BACK.

Watch HERE.

Obama On Letterman Tonight

Barack Obama will appear on The Late Show with David Letterman tonight to read tonight's Top Ten list.

If you can't stay up, you can read the list HERE.

The category is "Top Ten Surprising Facts About Barack Obama."

Nixon Makes Promises

***85th ANNUAL JACKSON DAYS***
ONE MORE SERIOUS THAN THE OTHER

Attorney General Jay Nixon made two big promises to voters Saturday night, if he's elected Governor this November.

The presumptive Democratic nominee for Governor pledged to live in the Governor's mansion and provide access to healthcare for all children within his first budget.

On a serious note, Nixon promised that "every child born in the state of Missouri will have healthcare -- every single one."

On a lighter note, Nixon also poked fun at the current Governor's living preferences, and how "no body's been in the Governor's mansion." Nixon recalled a story of how workers recently found a raccoon in the Governor's mansion in Jefferson City. "If I was living in a house and a raccoon was living with me for three years, I might notice it," Nixon said. "If elected, we make the outlandish promise . . . we will live in your Governor's mansion," Nixon added to applause.

Nixon also suggested the politics of this election year might force him to take up a tradition followed by Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer. "He takes his dog to work. If we don't get the House and Senate back, I might have to do the same," Nixon said.

He then urged the crowd to remember two things: "Be kind to dogs, and always vote Democratic."

Pick The Caption

***85th ANNUAL JACKSON DAYS***
Secretary of State Robin Carnahan & Attorney General Jay Nixon
WHAT WERE THEY WHISPERING?

A) "You're just lucky I didn't Obama you."

B) "The vegetable medley here is delightful, don't you think?"

C) "You do realize my last name's Carnahan . . . right?"

D) "So really, who'd you rather run against, Steelman or Hulshof?"

E) "Did you hear about the new champagne bar opening in Springfield tonight? I mean, why not celebrate early? If we can't win this year, we might as well fold up our party tent and go home."

F) "So Jay, you're still totally sure you really want this Governor thing huh? I hear it's really not all that it's cracked up to be."