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Ike Skelton (and just about everyone else) in Johnson County

Jay Nixon’s remarks:

[applause] That standing ovation for Ike Skelton’s singing was a little late. [laughter] I, I’m moved by his, his musical talent. [laughter]

It is great to be here and I will be very quick. I’m, I’m here for one single reason. And that’s because we all greatly, greatly appreciate the chairman of the Armed Services Committee, somebody who’s been our leader for a lot of years, somebody who represents the mainstream values right down to the core.

Ike Skelton has been a dear friend. Ike Skelton is a great congressman. It’s gonna be a pleasure to be governor of the State of Missouri and, and be able to pick up the phone and talk to the chairman of the Armed Services Committee. [appluase][cheers]

So he and I share a lot, a lot of political history. He’s a lttle, couple years ahead of me, but being a prosecutor, being a state senator, serving in office the way he has, I just am honored to, to be inspired by the, by the straight talk that he gives you and gives the people of this country. I think especially the time we sit right now, with the dangers this world faces. I go to bed at night very very confident that we have a serious person in charge of the House Armed Services Committee. A friend of ours that will take our values to Washington and make the difficult decisions.

We’re gonna have a new administration in in D.C. I gotta, I kinda gotta sense we’re gonna have a new administration in Jeff City, too. It’s just my, my… [applause][cheers]

People across this state are united for change. It’s not, it doesn’t just mean a simple word. It means they’re united to move this state, this country forward again. Democrats, Republicans, as we travel this state going to all corners, we hear people talking about the same things. They’re concerned about the price of gas, they’re concerned about the health care that seems so far away from us that used to be so close, they’re concerned that their kids can’t afford college, and they’re very concerned that these folks that have been in office are taking us in the wrong di-rection.

So folks, I, you’re not here to hear me tonight. You’ve got a couple of congressmen that will be much smoother and eloquent than me, but I just want to say to each and every one of you, I may not… We got eleven trips planned between now and the election, we’re gonna be in every corner of the state again. I told somebody here tonight if you want to see Jay Nixon in the next 89 days just stand still. [laughter] And I guarantee it, I’ll pass yah. We said at the very beginning of this thing we were gonna take it to them in all 114 counties and that’s what we’ve done. We said in the very beginning that we weren’t afraid of any, any hill country and flat country, any city country, any place. We were gonna take this message, and quite frankly [garbled] today.

After an overwhelming victory and a big fight on the other side we stand united, and with our great friend and great leader Ike Skelton, that’s gonna be united not only for victories, not only for victories in elections. More important than that folks, after we do win, and we will win, united to move this country forward again. Because my greatest criticism of the folks we’re dealing with is that they don’t respect the fundamental difference between politics and public service. They think it’s all politics all the time. And there is no better example in America of somebody who understands politics and how to get elected, and when those elections are over, understands that our job is to serve everybody. And that person is our great friend and the reason we’re here tonight, Ike Skelton…[applause]