Capitol Calling

McCaskill comments on Kennedy

Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Missouri, offered some comments on the death of Ted Kennedy. The longtime senator from Massachusetts passed away from brain cancer this morning.

Here's a clip:

I'll post more from McCaskill's town hall meeting tomorrow.

McCaskill talks Medicaid minimum

One of the lingering controversies in the federal health care debate is whether the minimum Medicaid eligibility rate will go up to 133 percent of the federal poverty level.

That would affect Missouri, which has one of the lowest eligibility rates in the nation. But while Gov. Jay Nixon has been somewhat mum on the subject, other governors - including Democratic ones - are raising alarm. Some worry the increase would amount to an unfunded mandate that would hurt state budgets.

I asked Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Missouri, about the issue after she finished a town hall forum in Jefferson City:

KBIA Commentary: Waking the Demon

My KBIA commentary this week takes a look at controversial town hall meetings popping up across the country.

You can listen to it here:

Bond open to extending "Cash for Clunkers"

Unlike U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer, R-St. Elizabeth, and -to some extent - U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Missouri, Sen. Kit Bond seems far more open to refueling the "Cash for Clunkers" program.

The U.S. House passed legislation moving $2 billion from the federal stimulus package to the program that provides government rebates for people who trade in old vehicles. Luetkemeyer was one of 109 lawmakers to vote against the bill.

While McCaskill said she would consider legislation that would not use new funds for the program, Bond expressed fairly positive sentiments about the proposal in a statement.

“An extension paid for with unused stimulus dollars makes sense since this program seems to have worked better then the misnamed recovery act," Bond said in an e-mailed statement.

The Senate is expected to take up the issue next week.

Luetkemeyer votes against extending "Cash for Clunkers"

Following up on a blog post I wrote for the Columbia Business Times, the U.S. House voted today to infuse $2 billion into the so-called “Cash for Clunkers” program.

The program – which offers government rebates to consumers who trade in old cars or trucks – quickly ran out of money after just a few days of existence. That spurred Congress into pumping in more money to keep the program afloat.

The legislation passed today would shift money already allocated in the federal stimulus package to the rebate program. It still needs the approval of the U.S. Senate.

U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer, R-St. Elizabeth, voted today against extending the program. Luetkemeyer spokesman Paul Sloca said that the first-term congressman voted against authorizing the program in the first place.

“Like many folks, Blaine was disturbed that this program blew through $1 billion in hard-earned taxpayer dollars in just one week and that the problem was revealed only 24 hours ago,” Sloca said in an e-mail. “If this is how the government handles taxpayer dollars on a program like this, you have to wonder how government is going to deal with something like health care.”

The bill passed 316-109.

CBT Blog: McCaskill opposes extending "Cash for Clunkers"

The big news out of Washington, D.C. today is the sudden insolvency of the so-called "Cash for Clunkers" program.

While Congress is currently deliberating whether to add more money into the program meant to spur the purchases of fuel efficient cars, Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Missouri, has expressed opposition at the idea.

Read more at the Columbia Business Times Blog.

Kinder and Talent to endorse Blunt

For those holding out hope for a U.S. Senate bid this year by either former Sen. Jim Talent or Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder, prepare to have your bubble burst.

Both men will be in St. Louis tomorrow to endorse U.S. Rep. Roy Blunt's U.S. Senate bid. Both Republican officials had been considered possible contenders for the race.

While Talent ducked out of the contest a few months ago, Kinder has kept mum on the subject since Sen. Kit Bond, R-Missouri, announced his retirement.

Blunt, R-Springfield, is the only announced Republican candidate. Secretary of State Robin Carnahan is running for the position as a Democrat.

Two other Republicans - former state Treasurer Sarah Steelman and state Sen. Chuck Purgason, R-Caulfield - are considering running as well.

McCaskill speaks to the Missouri Chamber

Just found this interesting video of Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Missouri, speaking to the Missouri Chamber of Commerce.

The video - which was shot by the Chamber - features McCaskill opining on a number of hot-button issues. Included in the video is McCaskill's take on bills to implement "Card Check," "Cap and Trade" and the disappearance of "moderate Republicans" in the U.S. Senate.

Take a look:

Part two of the video can be found here.

McCaskill: Sotomayor will be a "terrific Supreme Court justice"

Jo Mannies over at the St. Louis Beacon snagged a statement from Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Missouri, on Sonia Sotomayor's nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court.

According to Mannies, McCaskill released a statement noting that Sotomayor "accomplished great things in her life through the all-American values of discipline, hard work, and integrity."

"I'm especially glad she has experience as a courtroom prosecutor and a trial judge," McCaskill said. "There hasn't been a person with more experience nominated in decades. She will be a terrific Supreme Court justice."

Sotomayor will need Senate approval to replace Supreme Court Justice David Souter.

KBIA Commentary: Fail Whale?

Is Twitter the next big thing or one giant fail whale?

That's the question I exmained for my KBIA commentary this week. Although local elections bumped it to a Web only trinket to the station exemplary Talking Politics show, you can listen my spiel by clicking here: