Connor: Odd That Nixon Didn't Tell Kinder About Trip

"ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF A RIFT"

The head of the Missouri State University Political Science Department says it's "odd" that Governor Jay Nixon did not notify Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder about his Mideast trip before leaving the country.

But says -- when the Governor should formally transfer power is certainly debatable.

"I think it comes down to a courtesy issue that the Governor's office should have contacted the Lieutenant Governor's office. I'm going to be in Iraq, it's a warzone, just to be on alert," MSU political science professor George Connor said. "I think this would be another example of a rift between the Governor and the Lieutenant Governor."

*WATCH HIS FULL ANALYSIS ABOVE*

"If he didn't transfer power when he went to Iraq, I can't think that the next time he goes to a meeting of the Governor's office in Tulsa -- that he's going to transfer power."

Nixon's staff informed Kinder he was overseas around 11 a.m. Sunday -- when all statewide officials were informed. Nixon communications director Jack Cardetti told The Notebook Monday that the Department of Defense "asked us not to disclose the Governor's whereabouts until after he was out of Iraq." Nixon was in Iraq Saturday and Kuwait on Sunday.