"You're Responsible For A Lot of Things"

NIXON'S E.COLI-GATE LESSON

No single story damaged Gov. Jay Nixon's administration more in its first year than the revelations that officials withheld test results from the public that showed high levels of E.Coli at Lake of the Ozarks near the start of the summer tourist season.

In an interview with Ky3 News, Nixon brushed aside concerns that what's now known as "E.Coli-gate" undermined his administration in any way, but said the ordeal taught him a valuable lesson about the size of the state government he heads.

"From my perspective, it's a big government. Teaches you frankly, that you're responsible for a lot of things going out there," Nixon said, when asked whether he had regrets about how the situation was handled.

*WATCH E.COLI EXCHANGE ABOVE*

ALSO: Seemingly answering his critics who have called for more firings, Nixon said he hoped "we can take the energy for this to clean up the water."

"I hope that that same level of energy is used to clean up the Lake of the Ozarks, to clean up Bull Shoals, to clean up the waters of the state of Missouri," he added.