You can not get a better endorsement then this one. A former U.S. Attorney; the chief judge of the Missouri Court of Appeals, a judge. These people clearly understand the qualities needed in a great Attorney General.

Harris and Donnelly can continue make music videos and run a negative campaign while Koster raises money and collects endorsements from the core of the Democratic Party, i.e. Police, Firefighters, Sheriffs, Organized Labor.

Koster is a welcome addition to the Democratic Party and will make an excellent Attorney General.

Let us not forget that Koster is a Republican RUNNING as a Democrat.

I sincerely hope that “Jack” isn’t going to try to tell us that Koster is somehow inevitble. The Dowd’s are a fine family, but they’re hardly the “core” of the Democratic Party. And neither are the cops, who as I recall endorsed Matt Blunt in 2004. And last I checked, Koster didn’t snag the two biggest and bestest labor unions in the state (SEIU and AFSCME).

And anyone who has actually walked in Democratic circles in recent months can tell that the party faithful may smile at Koster’s face, but they’re all talking about him behind his back … and what they’re saying isn’t terribly complimentary.

Conan O’Brien is running…I did not know that! …Wow!

First, I would like to complement Bill. That was really very funny.

Second, “Shecky”, it always seems that when Koster gets an endorsement (and endorsement and endorsement and another endorsement), the Harris/Donnelly backers talk about how endorsements don’t matter (I assume because they do not have as many), how the leadership of the organization has been fooled and how the members of the organizations will not support the endorsement.

Not until now have you actually taken shots at individual organizations - implying that they are not “real democrats”. Pretty funny.

I read a lot of these stories and have NEVER seen Koster or his supporters make the negative attacks that the Harris/Donnelly team make day in and day out. Attack, attack, attack, while Koster continues to get support from people like the Dowds’ and organized labor.

Question, why have all these democratic organizations choosen to support Koster over both Harris and Donnelly? Why have families like the Dowds’ chosen to support Koster over both members of the Harris/Donnelly team?

I will provide you the answer because I am nice that way.

1. Koster has more experiece then both H/D,

2. Koster has more statewide support then both H/D.

3. Koster has and will continue to raise more money then H/D.

1+2+3= KOSTER CAN WIN

Hmmmm.. Maybe you and your freinds should stop talking behind other peoples backs.

Jack, I didn’t take a shot at anyone but you. I was simply correcting your wrongful perception that the police officers are part of the Democratic “core.” You were wrong. There’s nothing wrong with cops. I like them and respect what they do. But their history of endorsements is anything but partisan for Democrats.

I said, the Dowds are a fine family, but they’re not representative of the core of the Democratic Party. That’s not a slam on them, but compare their profile to the average Democrat (never mind the average Missourian) and it doesn’t line up. They like to play “kingmaker” and they probably don’t like Donnelly for some reason, since she would seem to be their more natural candidate.

As for people talking behind Koster’s back, I was simply telling it like it is. You don’t have to like reality to accept it.

As for your arguments for Koster, they simply don’t hold water. Harris and Donnelly both have outstanding experience for Attorney General, and unlike Koster, Harris did work for a Democratic Attorney General. And unlike Koster, both Harris and Donnelly has been outstanding champions on Democratic issues in the House. Unless you’re foolish enough to believe that the Attorney General is a prosecutor would you suggest Koster has more experience.

In fact, Koster’s experience as a Republican leader (voting for voter ID, voting for Blunt’s health care cuts, etc.) undercuts the very argument you’re trying to make. You can’t have it both ways — claim Koster’s record and deny his record all at once. If you want to talk about Koster’s “experience”, then let’s talk about his experience — all of it.

Statewide support? I haven’t seen a poll, have you? I have seen some fundraising analysis on another blog and based on that it clearly looks like Harris has the broadest support, pulling more money from more parts of the state. Donnelly’s doing well in St. Louis and not much elsewhere, and Koster’s getting a lot of money from a handful of people in the city’s — funneled through committees. So the only indicator I’ve seen (other than from talking to real people) suggests Harris has the broadest support. But again, without a poll, who knows who’s got the most support.

What I do know from talking to a lot of Democrats pretty regularly is that they’re all skeptical as hell about Koster. Like I said, they’ll shake his hand, but they’re talking about him behind his back. Had he run for re-election to the state senate, they’d have adored him. But as their candidate for Attorney General? Sorry, Chris, you just haven’t earned it yet. Again, I’m not saying this to attack Koster, but rather to tell you the facts. Deny it, cover your ears, whatever. It’s the reality.

And the money issue is pretty silly. Of course Koster can raise more money. He doesn’t care about campaign finance law or pretty much any principle at all. Whatever’s good for Chris Koster is a-okay with him. But of course to voters, especially Democratic ones, it shows an utter disregard for our principles, our values and the virtues that we expect from our candidates. And just like Koster can’t wipe away his history of standing with Matt Blunt, every dollar he takes from a right winger like Rex Sinquefield hurts him more than it will help him as a Democratic candidate. If voters are skeptical that they can trust you, then taking money from someone who opposes their values isn’t a good idea.

But hey, nice try. Keep playing.

Jack,
I am not against Koster at all. But I just don’t think Democrats will vote for someone who voted for Blunt’s health care cuts. If they did it pretty much makes all the complaining they have been doing about the cuts sort of ridiculous.

Koster’s recent actions playing with the ballot pretty much confirm that he isn’t winning and that Margaret Donnelly is the front runner.

Endorsements either they matter or they don’t. I assume because Koster has the most endorsements, you will say they don’t matter. So please tell me, 1) how in the world is Koster getting so many endorsements? and 2) why are these groups NOT endorsing the Harris/Donnelly team?

The answer to both questions is (drum roll please) Experience.

Koster was elected to the Missouri Senate in 2004. Prior to being elected to the Senate Koster served as Prosecuting Attorney of Cass County for 10 years. By the way, Cass County is Ike Skelton’s district (yes Ike Skelton Democrat US Representative for about 1,000 years) so I must believe some Democrats have voted for Koster - MULTIPLE TIMES.

So to be clear, in addition to working in the AG’s office early in his career, Koster has served the citizens of Missouri for 14 YEARS as an elected official. In addition, Koster has been elected and re-elected multiple times in a Democratic District.

What experience does Jeff Harris have?

Well, Harris was one of a bunch of laywers working UNDER Jay Nixon. Lets all be honest, he was not the man, he was not elected and he was a follower not the leader. In 2002, Jeff FINNALLY stepped out from the shadows of Jay Nixon, and with the votes of his mom, dad, 3 cows and a pig became a state rep. from the middle of the state.

If Koster stops right now and sits on his front porch doing nothing for the next 8 years and Harris continues to run and serving the couple of dozen people in his district - he will, in 2016, have as much experience as Koster - if he is lucky. Jeff, come back in 8 years when you have a little more experience to talk about.

As for money, please, Koster is raising money because he has support. Just like endorsements and experience, because the Harris/Donnelly team is unable to raise money, you attack those that have. If Harris and Donnelly have all this support, then where is the money? I guess H/D have turned down all sorts of money because they don’t want to show an “utter disregard for our principles, our values and the virtues that we expect from our candidates”. I have a different take, they don’t have money because they don’t have support.

The new Harris/Donnelly campaign slogan “No experience, No endorsements, No money, No support…No problem”

Koster is a welcome addition to the Democratic Party and will make an excellent Attorney General.

Has anyone spent anytime lately with Jimmy Dowd. He has pickled his brain. Endorsements do matter that’s why one shouldnt want his

Jack,
It’s funny to hear you moan about people “attacking” and then to watch you turn around and spout nonsense about both Harris and Donnelly. I’ll make no bones here, I’m supporting Harris, but I’d be happy to vote for Donnelly. Koster on the other hand? Well, I’m not sure I can hold my nose hard enough to pull the lever for him.

Harris ran a division in the Attorney General’s office under Nixon. So he actually was a leader, just not the top dog. And unlike Koster, the AG Harris worked under didn’t go to prison. Guilt by association? Maybe, but Koster’s got plenty of associations to feel guilty about. Again, you attempt to gloss over the facts about Koster’s time in the Senate. His experience there is almost entirely bad. The guy championed and helped shepherd Matt Blunt’s agenda through the Senate. That’s right, the same Matt Blunt who couldn’t win statewide. Hmmm. Koster supported voter ID. Care to defend that one to us Democrats? Koster voted for Blunt’s Medicaid cuts. Care to defend that one?

And Koster’s experience as a prosecutor, while respectable, is hardly a deal maker. Sure he was a prosecutor. But the Attorney General ISN’T a prosecutor. It’s about a lot more than that, and considering WHO Koster is taking money from, it’s hard to imagine that we can trust him to represent OUR interests in office. Can we trust him to defend public schools when he’s taking so much money from a guy like Rex Sinquefield?

And if you subtract away Sinquefield’s money and Koster’s $200,000 in loans to his campaign, guess what? He hasn’t raised any more money than anyone else. So much for your argument there. Also, where do you get this nonsense that Koster’s gotten more all the endorsements. Two of the biggest, SEIU and AFSCME didn’t go to him, and Harris has got a number of big endorsements too from labor and elected officials and so on.

In the meantime, you might want to check your ignorance and distaste for out-state Missouri. You do realize that Harris represents Columbia, right? There’s a lot more to this state than two cities, and if you think the St. Louis alone will decide this election, than you’re truly as clueless as you come off.

I do think this endorsement is bad news for Donnelly, since it suggests she hasn’t locked up her homebase, and doesn’t appear to be making strong inroads across the state. And if rich, blueblood Democrats in West County aren’t in the bag for her, then she’s likely got a lot of trouble ahead. Most Kansas City-area voters inherently distrust anyone from St. Louis, as do out-state voters, and then if she can’t even lock up her homebase, well, you can read the writing on the wall.

Odds are this race is going to be tight and hard fought, which is why anyone would be a fool to think for a moment that Koster has anything locked up, especially considering the totality of his record, his Republican history, and who he’s taking money from now. Just think about it, Jack: Everytime you say “prosecutor,” I can say “Republican who voted to cut Medicaid and for voter ID.” Which one do you think is more likely to sway Democratic voters. Not general election voters, but actual, honest-to-goodness Democratic primary voters?

As I sad, you rip the endorsements you do not have. Class move “Bill”. It is what I have come to expect from the Harris/Donnelly campaign.

Does anyone know where I can get the bumper sticker with the new Harris/Donnelly campaign slogan: “Vote for Mr. and Mrs Harris-Donnelly - No experience, No endorsements, No money, No support…No problem”

Golly Jack, that’s just not as catchy as these Koster slogans:

Koster: Prosecuting Against Medicaid Since 2004
Koster: Prosecuting Against Elderly and Minority Voters Since 2004
Koster: Unreformed Republican
Koster: The Republican in a Donkey Suit
Koster: Experience Counts — Except My Republican Experience
Koster: Gibbon’s Former Right Hand Man
Koster: I Worked for Bill Webster
Koster: Voter ID Rules
Koster: Poor People Don’t Need Health Care
Koster: Elephants Never Forget, But Neither Do Donkeys
Koster: I Think Democrats Are Stupid
Koster: Don’t Forget, I Was a Prosecutor
Koster: I Supported Ashcroft
Koster I Luv Rex
Koster: Bring On the Vouchers
Koster: Did I Tell You I Was a Prosecutor?
Koster: Public Skools Suck
Koster: The RIGHT Experience for the WRONG Party
Koster: Friend of the Rich
Koster: No Really, Did You Know I Was a Prosecutor?

Do you really want to play this game, Jack? Cuz it’s soooo easy.

“Shecky”, did Koster kick your dog?

While you have some great ideas, I think I will stay with this one -

Koster: Experience to do the job

On the other hand, while I like “Vote for Mr. and Mrs Harris-Donnelly - No experience, No endorsements, No money, No support…No problem” , if Jeff decides to go out on his own, he might also think about using

Harris - NO experience ALL the time
Harris - REALLY good at working for sombody else
Harris - Experience is being re-elected one time in a row
Harris - I can count my years of experience on one hand
Harris - Nobody is more negative then me
Harris - If cows could vote I might actually win
Harris - Did I tell you I am a real democrat
Harris - I am glad Koster is in the race so I don’t have to talk about my own accomplishments
Harris - If you don’t support me, your not a real democrat or
Harris - Experience is like your score in golf - the less the better

Sorry, Jack, but you’re not going to score any points by attacking Harris for being a “real Democrat.” When the truth is a good thing, it doesn’t hurt. The rest of your points are not only lame, they simply aren’t true. Unlike the truth that Koster was a Republican who voted to cut Medicaid and to require voter IDs.

It’s painfully obvious you’re here on Koster’s dime. There’s no other reason why anyone would waste so much energy trying to defend him. Oh wait, that’s right, you don’t want to talk about his GOP experience, just his other experience. Surely you don’t have the guts to answer questions like this one:

Why should Democrats trust a guy who helped pass Blunt’s Medicaid cuts and who supported requiring voter ID?

Go ahead, answer that one, and I’ll even give you double points if you can manage an answer without using the word “experience.”

Why does it not surprise me that you do not want anyone to mention “experience”. Oh yeah, just like money, endorsements, support - it is something Harris and Donnelly don’t have.

As for me being on Koster’s dime…..wrong again. I am a guy that is sick of the negative attacks that are the basis of the Harris/Donnelly campaign. Stop attacking Koster and start talking about your own guy’s accomplishments and I will stop pointing out these facts.

The answer to your question can be found when you answer my two earlier questions

Why have so many democratic organizations lined up and chosen to support Koster over both Harris and Donnelly? and Why have families like the Dowds’ chosen to support Koster over both members of the Harris/Donnelly team?

Tell you what, I will give you double points if you are able to us Harris’ name in the same sentence with the word “experience”. That’s going to be hard, lets make it triple points.

Well, Jack, the answer to your questions is “because people do stupid things all the time,” or to quote the Breakfast Club, “The world is an imperfect place, sir, screws fall out all the time.”

Not sure how that explains why Democrats should vote for a Republican who voted to cut 100,000 people off Medicaid and who voted to make voter ID mandatory. Since you’re so smart, can you please fill us in on that?

As for Harris’ experience, as I’ve already said, he’s got far better experience than Koster: Harris ran a division in Jay Nixon’s office, he served in private practice, and he stood out so clearly as a leader in the House that his peers elected him to be their leader. That experience all trumps Koster’s. Plus, Harris was leading the fight against Blunt’s agenda, instead of carrying water for Blunt.

Seriously, Jack, if you think you’re scoring any points for Koster, you may as well give it up. John Ashcroft has a ton more experience to be Attorney General than Koster, Harris or Donnelly, but do you think Democrats would choose him to be their nominee?

Shecky - I am tired of going back and forth with you. You are wrong.

Calling the people that support Koster stupid, is stupid. It is exactly the type of retoric which makes people hate politics and not endorse Harris. Maybe Jeff should work the concept that he thinks Organized Labor, Police, Firefighters, Prosecutors etc are stupid. The negative attacks out of Mr. and Mrs. Harris-Donnelly’s campaigns, and thier supporters, are rediculous.

People are supporting Koster because they have an open mind about what candidate represents the qualities they want in the AG’s office. Koster has over 14 years serving the people of Missouri as an elected official, plus time in private practice plus time in the AG’s office. I think that trumps Jeff and Margaret - easily.

I just believe he is a man without conviction who will do anyting to win.

Well some of us remember a few years ago one night while snowing and freezing rain Judge Davis Dowd killed a pregnant woman at Grand and Gravois in December… No Blood Alcohol test done regarding the incident. Mayor Slay went on Tv next day to say in future we will test if manslaughter occurs. But no one cared for this poor black pregant woman who was never given a name in the paper but Koster really thinks he’s got the Vote and not a true Democrat how arrogant can he get? I’ll stick with Margaret Donnelly she’s a True Blue Democrat with experience and respected as a Democrat.. Volunteer for the best Democrat and never flip flopper like Chris Koster.

Not for Koster who voted to cut Healthcare to poor children in Missouri and did flip flop parties for self gain . Also takes $$$from a cetain educational concerned multi–millionaire who wants School vouchers…No No Not Koster for this family and Democrat.

Why did Koster vote to kick 100,000 people off health care? If only he hadn’t.

Who called anyone “stupid”, Jack? I just said people do stupid things. Big difference. Even Albert Einstein and Jonas Salk made mistakes.

And Jack, why can’t you answer my question? Why will Democrats ever support a guy who voted for Blunt’s Medicaid cuts and who supported Voter ID? Those votes and many more are part of Koster’s “experience.” You can’t have it both ways. Great, he was a prosecutor, but he also voted to take health care away from 100,000 kids. He also campaigned for Ashcroft and attacked Mel Carnahan. Maybe you don’t have an answer to this question, but Koster had better or there’s no chance he will prevail in August.

I am a moderate Democrat and I can’t support Koster because of all of his bad votes. Just too many of them. Four or five would be okay but the only thing he seems to be good on is stem cell and even Blunt was good on that.

If he stays with the party I could support him in future elections.

I haven’t focused heard much about Mr. Koster’s proposals but I think the other candidates have had a number of good proposals. Jeff Harris has said he will be a watchdog for the ethics commission, try to stop money laundering, crackdown on subprime mortgages, and advocate for open government. Margaret Donnelly has proposals on child toy safety and defrauding the elderly. If readers of this blog want to check out the candidates proposals please go to their website, compare the proposals and decide for yourself. I haven’t included Mike Gibbons because I don’ believe he has a primary opponent.

http://donnelly08.com/news
http://www.electjeffharris.com/news/newsclips.php
http://www.chriskoster.com/news/

I am supporting Jeff Harrris because I worked with him in the attorney general’s office. I feel like he understands how the office works and will continue the good work that Jay has done the last 15 years.

He has been talking about a number of proposals that fit nicely in with what the office does. Some of these I am aware include expanding the no call list and enforcing and expanding the sunshine law, He has also talked about toughening the rules against CAFO’s, serving as a watchdog for the ethics commission and cracking down on predatory lending.

this is a great video that sums up Chris Koster:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=RfaGPzyaKOk

Why would staunch Democrat activists (hard to believe they are Catholics), support a Republican. I don’t get it?

Jack -

I finally found you again!! I don’t know if anybody here ever checks out the Columbia Tribune blog, but Jack and I both do from time to time. A couple weeks ago, I asked Jack a very simple question and he has yet to answer. I guess because he’s been spending time throwing baseless accusations at real Democratic candidates on this blog. Probably because he supports a candidate with no legislative experience and a piss poor record as a legislator. Anyway, I’m just glad to have caught up with you, Jack.

Jack, you often talk about “experience” and how Senator Koster’s experience is more important than the other’s in the race because he was a prosecuting attorney. I and others have told you that the Attorney General does not prosecute, and that Rep. Harris’ experience fighting for hardworking Missourians in the house and as the leader of a Division of the Attorney General’s office is more relevant for a candidate for AG. So I want to give you a chance to prove me wrong. So, here’s the question, in the form of a little thought experiment to help us all understand the importance (or lack thereof) that should be attached to Sen. Koster’s prosecutorial experience:

It is the first day of the new Missouri Attorney General’s term. Suddenly, something happens that absolutely requires the AG, themselves, to call upon his or her years of prosecutorial experience. Now, Jack, tell me: what was that something that happened?

Answer me that satisfactorily, Jack (or anyone else) and it will either persuade me that you are correct that his prosecutorial experience is crucial, or it will point out the misperceptions I expect that you have about the nature of the Attorney General’s duties.

Please don’t run away again Jack - it is hard working chasing you and your lies across cyberspace.