By Antonio D. French
Filed Tuesday, January 22, 2008 at 4:38 PM
BREAKING NEWS Labels: Breaking_News, Matt_Blunt
Saying his mission as governor has been accomplished, Gov. Matt Blunt made the surprise announcement of the decade today.
"What we set-out to achieve four years ago has been accomplished," said Blunt in a video address.
"Once when asked if he were running for re-election another governor responded, 'Yes, I like being governor.' When I read that I thought at the time that I never wanted to run for any office just to hold it. I did not run for governor to have a title, but to bring change to state government," said Blunt.
"The habit of politicians is to remain in office and the desire to prove oneself in the next election is strong. After a great deal of thought and prayer, and with the knowledge that we have achieved virtually everything I set out to accomplish, and more, I will not seek a second term in the upcoming election. Because I feel we have changed what I wanted to change in the first term there is not the same sense of mission for a second."
Statement by Missouri Republican Party Chairman Doug Russell on Governor Blunt's decision not to seek re-election:“Governor Blunt has been a remarkable leader that changed Missouri for the better. His conservative policies and values turned our state in a new, hopeful direction. Under his administration, budget deficits were replaced with surpluses, education was restored to its place atop our priority list, children are safer, more Missourians are working and healthcare for low-income Missourians has been transformed so that we are preventing sickness rather than treating illness once it has reached a chronic stage. I wish Governor Blunt, the First Lady and Branch all the happiness in the world as they embark on a new journey when the governor’s term expires. I also appreciate Governor Blunt’s commitment to ensuring the next governor of our state is a Republican who will continue to employ the principles of personal responsibility, fiscal conservatism and limited government so that we can be assured Missouri’s brightest days are ahead.”
Will State Treasurer Sarah Steelman be the new Republican candidate for governor?
She released this video today. Notice the lack of specificity when it comes the office she's running for.
And let's not forget about Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder.
Democrat Jay Nixon's response:“My campaign for Governor has always been about moving Missouri forward. I will continue to focus on changing the direction of our state so that more Missourians have access to health care, more Missourians can find good-paying jobs and more Missouri children can get the quality education they deserve.
THIS JUST IN... Kinder is in.
“I wish Gov. Blunt and his family all the best in the future.”"As Lt. Governor and President Pro Tem I have brought fundamental change to state government. I have served as a change agent my entire career and look forward to continuing my positive leadership. Missourians deserve a strong economy to create new higher paying jobs, a world class education, and affordable and accessible health care. I am the right person to deliver the positive change Missourians deserve.
I am heartened by the outpouring of support and I will be formally announce my plans for Governor in the coming weeks."
29 Comments:
Antonio, That's the best blog entry title ever. Humor, good news, everything.
1/22/2008 4:45 PM
Can't wait to see Slay's video.
1/22/2008 5:04 PM
Too bad Blunt forgot to mention his negative approval rating might of been a BIG reason he is choosing not to run again!
1/22/2008 5:07 PM
Here's another question: What are the ramifications for Rick Sullivan, Blunt's appointment to lead St. Louis Public Schools?
His chances of senate confirmation were greatly reduced today.
1/22/2008 5:07 PM
Obviously he's taking one for the party. Another Repub might have a chance, Blunt had none, at the next gubernatorial election.
Interesting take on the Sullivan thing. Is that speculation or have you heard that from Bray?
1/22/2008 5:13 PM
Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank You Antonio just for being the best journalist ever!
1/22/2008 5:16 PM
Brave Sir Matthew ran away.
Bravely ran away, away!
When danger reared its ugly head,
He bravely turned his tail and fled.
Yes, brave Sir Matthew turned about
And gallantly he chickened out.
Bravely taking to his feet
He beat a very brave retreat,
Bravest of the brave, Sir Matthew!
He is packing it in and packing it up
And sneaking away and buggering up
And chickening out and pissing off home,
Yes, bravely he is throwing in the sponge...
Thanks to Monty Python
1/22/2008 5:24 PM
Who are the possible replacements?
Nixon could be in trouble, he's been lazy as hell because this was going to be a cake walk for him. Now that he has to put up a fight, does he have a chance?
1/22/2008 5:26 PM
What he said: "What we set-out to achieve four years ago has been accomplished."
What he means: "Does anyone in Callaway County know what to do when the reactor goes 'Critical Mass'?"
While we can only hope his resignation is not based on any oncoming nuclear accident, we can clearly state that Blunt's announcement probably has something to do with his amazing computer skills.
More than likely, this will be a political timebomb that Attorney General Jay Nixion (or whoever this guy is that is running for Governor) fixes it. Hopefully it is Nixion. This hippie guy reminds me of Charles Manson.
1/22/2008 5:31 PM
Bushido Hacks --- I like your style!
1/22/2008 5:49 PM
Blunt brings us Dead-Beat Dad Rick Sullivan from Chesterfied and bows out....What a mess
1/22/2008 6:52 PM
slay for mayor
1/22/2008 7:03 PM
Wow! He accomplished everything he wanted in ONLY FOUR YEARS!
Nothing like keeping your sights LOW!
Antonio, I just got home and missed this on the news. Thanks, you made my day (week)!
1/22/2008 7:26 PM
I wish President Bush did the same thing after "Mission Accomplished." Wow. What did Baby Blunt accomplish again?
1/22/2008 7:29 PM
What about Blunt's recent appointment to the Police Commission? And also would Nixon support local control of the police?
1/22/2008 7:29 PM
Now that Kinder is in the mix, he can start by installing e-mail and hard disk recovery tools on all the state's computers.
Undo the damage that Governor Strongbad--er, I mean Governor Blunt has done.
1/22/2008 7:36 PM
Ineffective politicians like Blunt,Slay and George Bush should all step down!
1/22/2008 11:25 PM
According to Jefferson City insiders, calls were made before this resignation to his close friends that happen to be St. Louis City Democratic elected officials.
These Democrats were playing double agent for the upcoming Governor's election, but too bad the cover is blown now.
Now these traitors to the Democratic Party have nowhere to go in Jefferson City. Unfortunately, the people don't want these traitors representing their community either. You know who you are traitors!
1/23/2008 12:13 AM
Can Slay run in republican primary for Governor? And who would Hillary support if he did?
1/23/2008 12:23 AM
With Blunt out of the mix, Democrats should think seriously about who to nominate for governor. Even if Nixon made sense when challenging an incumbent governor, thought should be given to whether someone with such poor rapport in the African American community is really the best candidate to put forward, especially in an election whose atmosphere is likely to be polluted by fallout from the toxic racial fight in the Democratic presidential contest, the current sour relationship with the city's Democratic mayor, and perhaps further intensified by the loss in the August Democratic primary of the city's last black-held senate seat. There are better choices than Nixon. Robin Carnahan, Joe Maxwell, Charlie Dooley, Joan Bray, Jeff Smith, even Bob Holden, SOMEBODY needs to step forward.
1/23/2008 12:36 AM
I am also intrigued by the rumor that, if Sarah Steelman runs for Governor, Margaret Donnelly would change her quest from AG to State Treasurer.
What about Andria Simckes? She is a qualified African American candidate whose possible candidacy for Treasurer surfaced just before Christmas.
Was it somehow OK to let an African American get on the statewide ballot as a sacrifice against the popular incumbent Steelman, but the moment it becomes an open seat push her aside for Margaret Donnelly?
1/23/2008 12:47 AM
I totally agree with your second post, Oracle. Since Claire and the Dem leadership officially anointed Simckes this past weekend during some King day festivities, it would be an atrocious move for Donnelly to get in her way now.
1/23/2008 7:43 AM
As someone who has worked on a few of these campaigns, I feel obliged to step in and correct something that is often repeated. The previous poster refers to “Dem Leadership” as if all of the statewide elected officials and donors get together in some smoke filled room and agree on what the ticket should look like. It is better to think of them as a loosely connected set of independent operators who are all basically looking to maintain or improve their own political situation.
I have a great deal of respect for Oracle and his writing, but I must take issue with his recent posts, here and elsewhere on this subject. Nobody “lets an African American get on a statewide ballot”. If Andria Simckes, or any other qualified candidate of any race, wants to be the State Treasurer, he or she should hold a press conference, open a committee and start raising money. Jay Nixon became the presumptive nominee, not because of any great consensus, but because he staked out his position before anyone else, and has worked hard to raise the money to hold on to it.
1/23/2008 10:22 AM
Simckes did start a committee to raise funds in mid-December, and she had raised nearly $20K by the end of the year.
1/23/2008 10:56 AM
Bill Haas for governor!
1/23/2008 1:00 PM
Bill Haus for mayor, instead!
1/23/2008 1:20 PM
Nice try, Bill. But why don't you step up to the plate and use your Blogger ID instead of being an anonymous coward.
1/23/2008 5:05 PM
www.draftsarah.4t.com
Call or fax her and tell her she is wanted!---for Governor!
Phone:
Main Phone: (573) 751-2411
Main Fax: (573) 751-0343
www.draftsarah.4t.com
1/23/2008 7:05 PM
Bill never seemed afraid to sign his name before. I doubt that was him.
1/23/2008 8:01 PM
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