Kinder vs. Page on Tour De Missouri

The candidates for Lieutenant Governor squabble over Missouri's big bike race, the economic impact and what means the state should take to fund it.

Peter Kinder cites the races as an example of his bipartisan work . . . "What I'm being attacked on is a great unifying event for the state."

Sam Page said the race was "mismanaged," and criticized Kinder for "raiding" an economic development fund to help pay for it. "The Lieutenant Governor was responsible for the sponsorships, and he fell short . . . If he can get $350,000 in campaign contributions from one company, then he should be able to find the other $350,000 for sponsorships."

ALSO: Page questions the projected $30 million dollar economic impact

THE A.P. has more on the state-funded analysis

***WATCH IT ABOVE***

Page Links Himself to Nixon in New Ad

COATTAILS?

In his latest ad, Democratic candidate for Lieutenant Governor Sam Page answers Peter Kinder's charge on a Medicaid vote by tying Kinder to Gov. Matt Blunt and the 2005 cuts. Page also links himself to Jay Nixon, who is the frontrunner in the race for Governor.

"Sam Page will work with Jay Nixon to expand health care . . ."

***Watch Kinder's ad that Page is responding to BELOW***

"When Wealthy Dr. Page did show up, he pushed to increase what Medicaid pays him, but cut it for the needy . . ."

Nixon Rallies Democratic Ticket in Springfield

WATCH THE KY3 NEWS @ 10 REPORT HERE

"It is not accidental that 6 days before the election, this ticket is in Greene County."

Democratic candidate for Governor Jay Nixon rallied with the entire statewide ticket in Springfield Friday night. Dozens of supporters and workers attended the rally outside the Nixon field office. Team Nixon says 200 were in attendance. Watch a clip of the first part of Nixon's speech above.

***WATCH clips from other candidates BELOW***

"The Republicans have nominated a debt collector," said Democratic candidate for Attorney General Chris Koster, of his opponent Mike Gibbons, during Wednesday's rally.

Without much of a challenge in her own race, Democratic Secretary of State Robin Carnahan urged supporters to continue to work hard for the entire slate of candidates.

Democratic candidate for Lieutenant Governor Sam Page likened re-electing Peter Kinder to voting for Barack Obama while keeping Dick Cheney.

The Hottest Ticket in Town

TWO MORE REASONS WHY THE RACE FOR LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR IS BECOMING THE STATEWIDE RACE TO WATCH

The Ad: Sam Page for Lieutenant Governor

The Message: Some of Kinder's actions are so wrong, they're laughable.

In the slew of political ads hitting television screens right now, this one stands out. Why? It's superb use of humor. My co-workers notice it. "That's funny," said one producer heading out of the control room. A lady at the YMCA even stopped me to ask about it. "Who did they get to play the smokers,?" she asked with a chuckle. The workers in the office smoking. The bike race with workers shaking their heads on the sidelines. The Kinder pick-up truck with the overdone signs plastered all over the side. These are all effective ways of calling into question some of the Lieutenant Governor's decisions -- in a funny way. The music is perfect because it keeps the pace, in an upbeat yet slightly ominous way. For me, this ad sits up there with Sarah Steelman's "Orville & Ed," as far as being one of the best in the cycle. Lots of ads are doing the ominous, "my opponent is scary," right now. That's why this one is standing out to people. It's not harsh. It's not mean. It playfully gets the point across. You make 'em laugh, and then they start to wonder, "Maybe it was kind of silly to spend so much money on a bike race when our economy is tanking?."

The Ad: Peter Kinder for Lieutenant Governor

The Message: Kinder created jobs, while Page tried to kill them.

This ad is a simple textbook contrast ad, with a laser-like focus on the economy. While Page mocked Kinder's "Tour of Missouri," in his ad, this ad highlights $500 million in tourism dollars. Though it's worth noting that the bike race isn't referred to or shown in the ad. It then lists the Quality Jobs Act, that Kinder supported, which created "thousands of jobs." It doesn't take more than 12 seconds of the 30-second spot for the campaign to begin showing a shifting grainy shot of Sam Page. The visual of Page almost is more important than the message. The pictures they chose make Page look shifty and uncertain. These shots play under the female voice, noting that Page opposed "funding" the Quality Jobs Act while favoring "job-killing taxes." But notice how Page is looking down or away from the camera in all the shots. That's meant to convey a level of disconnect and discomfort with the viewer. Still, with lots of regular people this ad will get lost in the host of other "scary" ads being run out there right now.

Fmr. Prosecutor Graves Files Ethics Complaint Against Page

Former U.S. Prosecutor Todd Graves has filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) against Democratic candidate for Governor Sam Page for receiving a campaign contribution from a foreign national.

On October 4th, Page received a $10,000 contribution from Waverly Glen, a medical equipment company that's address was listed in Vaughan, Ontario Canada. Federal law bars candidates from accepting campaign contributions from non-citizens or other foreign groups.

In a letter to the FEC Friday, Graves, a Republican attorney, said that Page's acceptance of this contribution "presents a rare but serious violation of our country's long-standing ban on foreign contributions in U.S. elections."

"The subject donation appears to have been made with a check drawn on a foreign company's bank account (not any U.S. subsidiary)," wrote Graves. "Rep. Page's campaign apparently received it in an envelope bearing a Canadian address. Because Rep. Page nonetheless represents that the source of funds is not foreign, I believe this is a knowing and willful violation, and am sending a copy of this complaint to the United States Department of Justice for its concurrent investigation."

Thursday night, a person close to the Page campaign called it a clerical error and the campaign filed an amended report Friday. The report now lists the address as from St. Louis, not Canada.

Page is locked in an increasingly competitive race for Lieutenant Governor with incumbent Republican Peter Kinder.

Flip It, And Reverse It

PAGE CHALLENGES KINDER TO DEFEND FOSTER CARE BILL

Democratic Candidate Calls Bill "Dangerous"

Wants Kinder To Find Child Advocate Who Supported That Bill

Earlier, Kinder Called On Page To Defend His "No" Vote in 2003

TEAM KINDER RESPONDS (Updated Below)

The Democratic candidate for Lieutenant Governor Sam Page is asking Peter Kinder to defend his support of a 2003 foster care bill that many child advocates opposed.

"I challenge Lt. Gov. Kinder to find a reputable child care advocate who thought the 2003 foster care bill was good for children," Page said Wednesday.

The Kinder campaign chose not to directly to respond to Page's challenge. Spokesperson Paul Sloca offered this reply to the Notebook's request: "Before Sam Page issues childish challenges like this, he should first prove that the Tour of Missouri didn’t bring in nearly $50 million to the state the last two years and then should prove that he did not vote for the $100 million tax credit bill he is attacking Peter Kinder for supporting."

Over the past week, Kinder has been putting pressure on Page to explain his vote. Page responded with a web video and statements by child care advocates saying he did the right thing by voting "No" on House Bill 679 . Now, Page is attempting to turn the tables.

"I can't imagine why Lt. Gov. Kinder would favor legislation making it more difficult for the state to investigate cases of physical and sexual misconduct against a child," Page said. "Voters have a right to know why their lieutenant governor would support such dangerous legislation."

Wednesday, the Page campaign said their candidate voted the following year to correct the legislation in House Bill 1453. That bill required background checks, but did not include provisions "making it more difficult to investigate and prosecute child abusers," according to the campaign.

Tuesday Night T.V.

3 NEW ADS THAT ARE HITTING OZARKS T.V.

... WITH 3 WEEKS TO GO

The Ad: Mike Gibbons For Attorney General

The Theme: I'm Tough on Crime, He's A Political Opportunist.

Republican candidate for Attorney General Mike Gibbons goes 50-50 in his second T.V. ad in the Ozarks. The first portion of the ad, quickly rolls through his accomplishments, painting him as tough on crime. He cracked down on meth and sexual predators, who can be against that? The second half shines the light on Democratic opponent Chris Koster, claiming he "plea-bargained 90% of his cases." Notice how we go from color to shady black-and-white. Gibbons knows he's got to quickly shape a perception of Koster that didn't sell in the Democratic primary.

The Ad: Chris Koster for Attorney General

The Theme: I Fight For The Little Guy

I didn't think Chris Koster could win the Democratic primary for Attorney General. Boy, was I mistaken. A smart Democrat told me, who didn't back Koster previously, put it this way: "He go to these forums, and he'd tower over Harris and Donnelly. His booming voice, his boyish good looks. He won them over with his authority and his charm." That's what I think is conveyed in this ad. Cool, calm, collected . . . almost cocky, but compassion, for "the victim," not in the courtroom. Koster might be slick, but his ads are even slicker. They are some of the best in this cycle. He picks up the same exact theme from the primary, and it seems to work. The touchy music, the still shots of the faces of real people. I'm too moved to know if the guy is pulling one over on me.

The Ad: Sam Page for Lieutenant Governor

The Theme: I'm a Doctor Who Thinks You Deserve Health Insurance

A couple different themes are wrapped into this 30-second ad for the Democratic candidate for Lieutenant Governor. First, it establishes Rep. Sam Page's credentials. He's a doctor. You never hear him mention he's a state lawmaker as well. It's not Rep. Page. It's Dr. Page. People love doctors. Can you imagine a politician running as an attorney. ("I'm a trial attorney, I sue companies for people who get injured on the job.") Of course not! The line that should get viewers' attention is when he calls Gov. Blunt and Lt. Gov. Kinder out on the health care cuts. He calls them "wrong," he links Kinder to Blunt, and notice he never says "Medicaid." It's a pretty basic ad when it comes down to it. Not to hard, not to soft. Just right? I dunno, maybe if you don't have health care?

Page Accuses Kinder of "Double-Talk" on Stem Cells

The Democratic candidate for Lieutenant Governor is accusing Peter Kinder of "double-talk" when it comes to conservative issues.

"Former presidential candidate Fred Thompson in Joplin yesterday praised Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder's conservatism. However, Lt. Gov. Kinder has not received the endorsement of Missouri Right to Life because of his intermittent support for stem cell research certain parts of the state," reads the release from the Page campaign.

"Lt. Gov. Kinder hasn't a conservative ideology, but he has a conservative geography," Page said. "He is a conservative in Joplin and then pops up a liberal in St. Louis. It is time he let Missourians in every county know his position on the important issue of stem cell research," he added.

Page supports embryonic stem cell research and said he "looks forward to advances that make umbilical cord blood easier to collect and use for experimentation to avoid the controversy surrounding stem cell research.

"My stand is a principled one," Page said. "I can't oppose research that gives hope to children with diabetes, young people who injure their spines, nor the families with parents and grandparents suffering from Parkinson's or Alzheimer's disease. I am not taking that hope away from them.

"And that's my position, wherever I am," he added.

Page Complains of Dirty Robo-Calls

Sam Page's campaign for Lieutenant Governor says someone has been calling Missouri residents in the middle of the night pretending to support his candidacy.


The Democratic candidate said voters should not be fooled and should warn their friends about these "dirty, counterfeit pro-Page robo-calls," because state law does not required taped messages be identified by the sender. He said some people have complained about being called as much as nine times, as late as 3 a.m.


"This allows cowards to hide and this is why voters are losing faith in our electoral system," Page said. "I apologize to all who are the victims of this hoax."

"Media reports have suggested that those calls are coming from Page's Republican opponent," reads the Page release.


"A dear Republican friend called to apologize," Page said. "He assured me that this isn't the real Republican Party; unfortunately the dirty-trick wing has taken control, but not for too much longer. "I hope that is true," he said. This kind of corruption could bring down a great civilization."

MoGOP Hearts Dem Mike Carter for "Courage"

Democratic candidate for Governor Mike Carter has answered the call.

To the Republican Party, that is.

The Missouri G.O.P. recently called on Democratic candidates to announce whether they support a recent Supreme Court ruling affirming the right to bear arms.

It's not like either side takes these calls seriously. It's not like Jay Nixon is going to call Tina Hervey and say, "Yeah, mark me down for supporting the 2nd Amendment."

Yet, Missouri G.O.P. spokesperson Hervey reports that Carter did actually respond.

Yesterday, at 2:41 p.m.

"On behalf of the people of Missouri, I want to applaud Mr. Carter for displaying political courage, something that’s not been seen lately by many of his Democrat colleagues. He was the first to clarify his position on Missourians’ right to bear arms and his action should be commended,” said Hervey in a release. "In an email yesterday, Mr. Carter stated that he has been a proponent of Missourians’ right to carry concealed weapons since the mid-1990s and ‘was happy when Missouri's legislature gave Missourians conceal and carry rights.’"

"Although Mr. Carter’s were not made publicly prior to the Supreme Court ruling, we will give him the benefit of the doubt that his beliefs on this important issue are heartfelt. We also have not been able to find any public statements that would contradict what Mr. Carter stated privately to us," Hervey added.

"For many Democrat politicians it is easy to remain silent and mislead voters but showing political courage is sometimes costly and Mike Carter has chosen to take the path less travelled – we commend him and hope that other Missouri Democrats will have the courage to respond to our challenge. Unfortunately, we suspect most Democrats; particularly those like Sam Page will lie and mislead voters," Hervey said.

"A lot of politicians are trying to change their stripes on this issue and we are outraged by Sam Page’s statements because we have always found him to be staunchly anti-Second Amendment while Lt. Governor Kinder has always been a vocal supporter of our right to bear arms under the Constitution," she added.

See there, and we thought everybody was close to getting along for a second? (Sigh).

Kinder-Page Squabble Continues

K.C. STAR: "The hottest down-ballot race in years"

Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder's re-election campaign attributed a second quarter fundraising loss to bad weather.

Rep. Sam Page, Kinder's likely Democratic opponent in November, brought in more campaign contributions over the past three months than the sitting incumbent. Check my earlier post HERE. Page took in about $17,000 more than Kinder between April and the end of June.

Kinder spokesperson Paul Sloca said the Lieutenant Governor's attention to recent flooding problems in Missouri is part of the reason his money haul fell a bit short.

"Unlike some others, Lt. Governor Peter Kinder has not had the luxury of spending all his time raising campaign money," said Sloca Tuesday. "Instead, Lt. Governor Kinder led the state as Governor during a time of great crisis when flood waters threatened thousands of Missourians, while at the same time carrying out the day-to-day responsibilities of the state’s chief executive. Simply put, Peter Kinder is not one to put raising money before carrying out his sworn duties as a full-time Lieutenant Governor or when he is called to take on the responsibilities of Governor," he added.

Meanwhile, late Tuesday Page continued to push Kinder to take a position on the newly vetoed Medicare reimbursement bill.

"Lt. Gov. Kinder can still join me in calling for Congress to override President Bush's veto," Page said. "Missouri's seniors deserve to know where the state's designated senior advocate stands on this issue," said Page.

Numerous inquiries to spokesperson Sloca on the issue have been ignored.

Kinder Camp to Page: Your Not Worthy

A spokesperson for Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder said that Rep. Sam Page's challenge on a federal Medicare bill does not warrant a response.

Earlier Monday, Page, the Democratic candidate for Governor, asked Kinder to reveal his position on a Medicare bill that would cut physician pay rates. Congress overwhelmingly passed it; the President is promising a veto.

Kinder campaign spokesperson Paul Sloca responded by listing Kinder's efforts to help seniors.

"Among other things, the lieutenant governor has led the effort to direct more funding to help educate Missourians about the program and to provide additional outreach efforts to assist our seniors; he has led the effort to help Missourians compare the cost of their prescription drugs on the web; he was a leading voice in rewriting safety regulations and operating rules for Assisted Living homes in Missouri; and he worked with the Area Agencies on Aging to increase funding for the Home-Delivered Meals program," said Sloca.

"With that kind of record, the lieutenant governor does not feel it necessary to respond to Sam Page’s cheap political attacks which are nothing more than transparent attempts to mask his complete lack of leadership and experience on seniors’ issues," Sloca added.

An e-mail to Sloca with a specific question about whether Kinder supports the Medicare bill was not returned.

Page Challenges Kinder on Medicare

Democratic candidate for Lieutenant Governor Sam Page wants to know where Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder stands on a federal Medicare bill.

President Bush has signaled he'll veto the AARP-supported legislation, and Page said Kinder should urge him not to. The measure would replace a scheduled 10.6 percent cut to Medicare’s physician pay rates with 18 months of stable payments. The cost would be offset by cutting bonus payments to private Medicare plans known as Medicare Advantage, according to CQ Politics.

"Forty-four million seniors and nine million military personnel will be hurt if they lose access to medical care," Page said. "Too many of Missouri's seniors have already been denied the opportunity to visit a doctor by the Blunt-Kinder healthcare cuts of 2005. This is the worst time for the President to veto a bill that will protect our seniors and veterans," he added in a statement.

Page also used today's news of Kinder's endorsement of Congressman Kenny Hulshof for Governor to highlight the issue. Hulshof was one of only 59 Congressmen to vote against the Medicare bill when it passed the House on June 24.


"I ask my opponent, Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder, as the state's designated advocate for seniors, to disagree with his choice for governor and stand up for Missouri's seniors," Page said.

The bill passed overwhelmingly in the U.S. House of Representatives 355-59 and U.S. Senate 69-30. Bush is expected to veto the bill Tuesday.

Page in Springfield Tuesday

Democratic Lieutenant Governor candidate Sam Page will be in Springfield Tuesday speaking at the Senior Democrat's picnic.

He'll be speaking at Memorial Park in Springfield at 5 p.m. on the issue of veterans needs.

Page, a Creve Coeur state representative and medical doctor, will discuss the seriousness of Traumatic Brain Injury, a condition affecting more than 320,000 veterans returning from Afghanistan and Iraq. The condition is often misdiagnosed as PTSD and mistreated, according to the Page campaign.


Page is expected to face Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder this November.

Veterans of Foreign Wars Honor Page

The Missouri Veterans of Foreign Wars awarded its "Legislator of the Year" award to Democratic Lieutenant Governor candidate Sam Page today.

Page is a 3-term state representative.

"I am honored by this award," Page said. " I thank the veterans not only for this award, but for their service to our country as well," he added.

The Missouri VFW also awarded the honor to Rep. David Day.

"This year two state representatives were invaluable in helping us advance our cause of improving veterans care," said Dewey Riehn, Legislative Chairman of the MO VFW. "Rep. Page was our leader in Jefferson City."

Page Pushes Veterans Ballot Initiative

Democratic candidate for Lieutenant Governor Sam Page is urging the Missouri Senate to approve a joint resolution that would place a sales tax proposal on the November ballot aimed at helping veterans.

“Our veterans have served us well,” Rep. Page said. “We have nearly 1,000 veterans on a waiting list to receive care at our state’s veterans’ homes. Offering Missourians an opportunity to vote to improve the care of veterans is the least we can do," the Creve Coeur lawmaker added.

House Joint Resolution 71 reads as follows . . . "Upon voter approval, this proposed constitutional amendment authorizes a dedicated sales tax of one-eighth of 1% for funding veterans' homes, services, and programs. The tax becomes effective January 1, 2009, and terminates December 31, 2016,unless reauthorized by the voters."

Social Service Workers Back Page

Workers of Missouri's Department of Social Services have endorsed Rep. Sam Page for Lieutenant Governor.

The workers, members of the Communication Workers of America, Local 6355, said Tuesday that access to affordable healthcare was the driving issue in their decision.

"We in Social Services are witness to the daily sufferings of Missourians from the Blunt-Kinder Medicaid cuts three years ago. We have seen enough. We know it is time Missouri headed in a new direction," said Linda Martin, vice-president of the union.

"We are proud to endorse Sam Page for Lt. Governor. He has shown as a State Representative and as a doctor, that he understands the importance of affordable health care. We know that as Lt. Governor, he will fight to bring affordable healthcare to all Missourians."

CWA Local 6355 represents over 7,000 public sector workers in Missouri. Their public sector membership includes workers in the Department of Social Services and Department of Health and Senior Services.

Scenes & One-Liners

***85th ANNUAL JACKSON DAYS***

"I have no idea. I'll probably be the last to know."

---Sen. Chris Koster, replying when asked how "things were going" in his campaign for Attorney General. In his speech, Koster acknowledged there were still many Democrats in the room he had not met. One politico observed that Koster was getting "a frosty reception." "You don't see a lot of people going up to him. Kind of feel bad," the Springfield Democrat commented.

"Five to eight points."

---Joe Carmichael, when asked what the spread was for Tuesday's Pennsylvania primary between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. The prominent Springfield Democrat who's supporting Obama predicted Clinton would probably prevail by that margin.

"She's got to win by at least 10."

---State Auditor and Obama supporter Susan Montee, chiming in to raise expectations for Clinton on Tuesday.

"I'm a House member and an anesthesiologist . . . not sure which qualifies to put you to sleep tonight, but . . ."

---Rep. Sam Page, candidate for Lieutenant Governor, opening his remarks to attendees during Saturday night's dinner.

"How about a Zweifel introducing a Temporiti?"

---State Democratic Party Chair John Temporiti, after receiving the Jackson Day microphone from Treasurer candidate Clint Zweifel. Temporiti then thanked Greene County Democrats for "fighting the good fight." He said the two to three point increase in turnout during the 2006 cycle in Greene County is now credited with sending Sen. Claire McCaskill to the U.S. Senate.

"I have spent a good portion of my first year hanging out in Springfield . . . We didn't make a bunch of mistakes in Springfield. We firmly stand behind our audit."

---State Auditor Susan Montee, defending her office's work on the Springfield audit that found large amounts of "wasteful spending" in several departments.

"You guys really didn't think you were getting rid of me, did you?"

---State Auditor Susan Montee, adding that she had audits planned in Christian County, Nixa, Clever and other areas of the Ozarks over the next year.

A Sleeper Issue?

AUDIT FINDS LOW INCOME HOUSING CREDIT "COSTLY AND INEFFICIENT"

BLUNT: REMOVE ELECTED OFFICIALS FROM COMMISSION

Rep. Page Critical of Oversight

A state audit released Thursday criticized the State Housing Commission's use of tax credit program designed to build more low-income housing. The audit could serve as a springboard to for the housing commission to become an issue in this election year.

Auditor Susan Montee called the tax credit program "costly and inefficient." Read the complete report HERE.

In response, Gov. Matt Blunt again renewed his call for the General Assembly to pass legislation removing all elected officials from the commission. The governor said a state audit released today reinforces a recommendation he received last year by a bipartisan panel he appointed to review the MHDC.

“Last year I formed a bipartisan panel to conduct the first ever full government review of the state’s housing agency. This Blue Ribbon Panel suggested a change to remove elected officials from the Commission to remove the perception that politics may play a role in its decisions," Blunt said.

“Lt. Gov. Kinder and I have called for legislation to remove elected officials from the Commission and the release of an audit today stating there is a perception that ‘political influence impacts project selection’ reinforces the need for this change," he added.

“Making this aggressive change will allow the Commission to focus on its core mission of providing affordable housing to Missourians and eliminate any perception that politics are at play in the Housing Commission’s actions.”

Currently, the governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and treasurer serve on the commission.

Montee's audit revealed that only 35 cents from every dollar spent on tax credits for the Low Interest Housing Tax Credit program goes toward constructing new housing. The remaining 65 cents goes toward administrative costs and other overhead that doesn't directly build more housing for Missouri's poorest citizens, according to Rep. Sam Page, who's running for Lieutenant Governor.

"With the next leadership the MHDC can be a wonderful program," Page said. "As lieutenant governor I'll be committed to using taxpayer dollars in a fiscally responsible manner to get the best value for our investment in affordable housing," he added.

"I want to encourage fair and open competition and accountability," he said. "Pay to play must end."

Kinder Posts $468,565 This Quarter

Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder reported raising $468,565 over the last three months, according to his campaign finance report filed with the Missouri Ethics Commission Tuesday morning.

The Republican incumbent is reporting $640,589 cash on hand to spend for his re-election race.

Kinder raised more than three times the amount that his leading rival for the Democratic nomination hauled in during the 1st quarter. Rep. Sam Page reported $152,113 from January through the end of March. Page has $413,035 on hand.