...Question: ...Just as there are many different personalities and things here, uh, what type of personalities do you encounter, uh, in the House of Representatives and, uh, in the Senate?
Congressman Roy Blunt: Uh, the personalities, you know one of the great things about, I don't know about the Senate, though I do work with the Senate a lot, I have worked there like I work in the House. You know I, I actually have had a, again, jobs in the House where I, I really had a chance to get to know the members, both our side and the other side, always thinking what Democrats can help us. I used to say my job in the House was the, as the Republican whip, was to know the Republicans in the, in Wa..., in the House of Representatives better than anybody else in the world knew them. Uh, and to know the Democrats better than any other Republican knew the Democrats. And, you know, it's, it's a, it's, it's a diverse wonderful process, uh, sometimes the results aren't all that wonderful, but democracy's a wonderful thing. And in the House I, I, there, there, you're gonna find some people in any group of four hundred and thirty-five people that are not well motivated, that do bad things. And, and hopefully that should and will be punished for that. Uh, but virtually everybody there is there I, I'm convinced, for a good purpose. Uh, it's just, uh, that's what the great debate about the future of the country is, is, you know is, are we for big government or are we for trusting people? I, I'm gonna be on the trusting people side. You know, every, uh, every day in, in this job you, you're likely to cast one vote if not many votes that are about do you want more freedom and less government or more government and less freedom. And I try to always be on the side of more freedom and less government. But also on the side of what government should do, government needs to do very well, instead of just say we're gonna do this, get all the applause you can for that and then walk away and announce what you're gonna do next. Instead of really doing what you're committed to do. Okay?...
....Question: ...I was wondering how you feel about the huge shift, the political left in the two thousand eight election and what you think about how the Republican Party is gonna, uh, react to that in the two thousand ten election.
Congressman Roy Blunt: Well, I, I'm running for the Senate as a Republican in two thousand ten so I obviously must have some optimism about that. [laughter] I think in, uh, I think in two thousand and eight, you know, with the war, other things had, had led the, the, the, to the level of dissatisfaction. Uh, interestingly if you start in two thousand and eight you wouldn't have thought that Iraq would not be an issue by the end of that year. That the surge would have such results that really nobody was talking about Iraq in, in a way they were, uh, in January by the time you got to November. Uh, but I, I think people are now looking at change, this idea of change, you know, when, when a candidate runs for public office and promises change, who's not for that? You know, and if somebody at your school said we're gonna change the school , and that's all, the only information you have, and you're allowed to decide that it's gonna change exactly how you want it to change, you're, you're really inclined for that to happen. Almost nobody is totally satisfied by the way things are. That's, that's the way we were made, we were made to want to change things. But I think people are seeing that the specifics of that change, whether it's healthcare, or energy, or tax policy, or, or, or, or our, or our policy related to other countries in the world, I think there's gonna be a desire, as I told, as I answered the first question...asked, I think it's gonna be a desire to get more balance back into the system. I think this is an opportunity for my side, uh, to talk about, uh, the principles of, that are, that are foundational to the side of our debate and our country to believe that government should be the last resort rather than the first resort. I think people are gonna be pretty uncomfortable within a couple of years with the idea that the federal government now owns car companies and has somebody that decides how much money people make, the so called pay czar who was announced this week. So, I, I think that there's gonna be a, one of the wonderful things about our system is its ability to recalibrate. It's ability to get back to where the system itself begins to control itself. And every time the system, in the history of the country, has swung too far one way the American voters come right back in and usually pretty quickly and say, "Wait a minute. You know, I'm not, uh, I, I'm not totally unhappy with the way things are going in Washington, but I don't want just one side to be able to do whatever they want to do." And then there'll be another group that says, "I am totally unhappy, uh, with the way things are going in Washington." And, and of course, they're, they weigh in and, in a way that shifts things, shifts things back, uh, to the middle as well.
Over here...
Congressman Roy Blunt at Missouri Boys State in Warrensburg on the campus of the University of Central Missouri on June 13, 2009.
On Thursday evenings during Missouri Boys State the Missouri Secretary of State traditionally takes part in the ceremonial swearing in of Boys State citizens who were elected by their peers to the offices of Boys State governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, auditor, treasurer, and attorney general. After being escorted into Hendricks Hall by designated committees from the Boys State House and Senate for their joint session Robin Carnahan addressed brief remarks to the assembled participants before swearing in the officeholders.
Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan administers the oath of office to Boys State executive office holders.
State Representative Stephen Webber (D-23), a Missouri Boys State alumni and staffer spoke to Boys State participants Tuesday night in Hendricks Hall on the campus of the University of Central Missouri.
Missouri State Representative Stephen Webber (D-23)
Representative Stephen Webber: ...Boys State has been a part of my life the last nine years, not just in the weeks I've spent here on this campus, but really in the lessons that I've learned here. And I apply them each and every day.
I'm very, very honored and grateful to have an opportunity to address you today. It's meaningful to me and I appreciate all that you, and all the members of the Boys State staff, and the Legionnaires, my fellow Legionnaires have done. I appreciate it. I'm grateful.
You all have an opportunity to hear from a tremendous variety of speakers. You just heard the Governor of the State of Missouri. You're hearing other speakers this week who are of state and national prominence. And it can be difficult to try to figure out in this short period of time what I can say that would maybe leave some sort of mark. Or sort of inspire somebody in this room to something. So what I decided to do tonight is to tell you a story. It's one story, it's a hard story, but I think by the end of it you'll understand why the principles that Boys State stands for means so much to me and why I'm committed to public service...
Former Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage.
...Question: ...I was wondering, you talked about the situation in Asia and Obama's 'soft power'. I was wondering what you think is the best source for Obama in regards to foreign policy, especially tensions in Asia?
Richard Armitage: Well I think, uh, you'll see Mr. Obama go to Asia here shortly. First of all, let's see what he's done on Asia so far. He sent Hillary Clinton out there first [audience reaction], her first trip, which as normally for a Secretary of State, going to Europe. She went there and it was excellent signal to our Asian friends. Second, Mr. Obama, who lived in Indonesia for a time, is looking forward to going back, probably at the time of, of the APEC meeting which is held, I think, this year in Singapore. I can't remember where. But anyway, Mr. Obama will be, will be going. Uh, third, he has dramatically increased our interaction, uh, with Asian societies. In the last two years of Mr. Bush's administration the Assistant Secretary for East Asia focused almost entirely on North Korea - this is Ambassador Hill who's now in Iraq - to the exclusion of the others. And there were all kinds of stories in all the Asian press about America is passing over Asia etcetera, etcetera. Now this is one of the reasons that Secretary Gates was sent by Mr. Obama to Singapore to give this speech where he said we're a resident nation in Asia. So I think he's doing fantastically well for Asia now that we're back on track with Japan and South Korea and China on the six party talks. I think Mr. Obama ought to continue his personal interaction but not overlook the tenets of the Hippocratic Oath. You know what the Hippocratic Oath tells you to do? First, do no harm. It's what doctors are cautioned, first, do no harm. And this is what Mr. Obama should do first. Do no harm. And when he goes to Japan, when he goes to Korea, when he goes to China soon I think you'll see him do a hell of a lot of good for us. I'm pretty enthusiastic about his Asia team and his own views of Asia, not least of which because he used to live in Indonesia. [applause]...
Governor Jay Nixon addressed the participants at Missouri Boys last evening in Hendricks Hall on the campus of the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg. After his opening remarks he took questions for over fifty minutes in a session, much like those that he has participated in at Boys State over the past fifteen years, that was freewheeling and addressed a wide number of subjects.
Governor Jay Nixon (D) at Missouri Boys State.
One of the evening's remarkable exchanges was on the subject of compassion:
...Question: ...Down where I come from...we have a crisis center that's actually having a really rough time. I've witnessed the director actually give food out of her own pantry to make sure someone has food for a complete month. Or give money out of her own pocket to pay for someone's utility or rent bill. My question is, if anything, what are you planning to do to help out the local crises centers around the state?
Governor Jay Nixon: Yeah, I mean. First of all, [pause] it makes me feel good that you know.
Question: Okay.
Governor Jay Nixon: 'Cause there's a whole bunch of subjects, and you know, goofballs all across the state [audience reaction], that don't know. Okay? First of all, you should not under, underestimate how valuable it is to have that basic sense of compassion for your fellow human being. And that understanding that certain people get bad breaks, okay? Whether it's being born with less skills than some of you, or getting t-boned by some car at an intersection, or losing a job through no fault of their own. I mean, you shouldn't be in this, you shouldn't have come up here for this week and I shouldn't be doing what I, what I'm doing if you don't have a basic sense of compassion for those who have not been as lucky at this time in life as you have. [applause]
If basic human compassion ever goes out of this country or this state then I'll be as, as wild as the guy that I, I tried to inspire to, to revolution over here...
Former Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage speaking at Missouri Boys State in Hendricks Hall on the campus of the University of Central Missouri.
....Question: ...I have two questions. My first one was, is that, as you know, a lot of what we sell, er, buy comes from China and Japan and the Asian countries. Uh, you can't really pick up anything without seeing 'made in China', Japan, Korea there. Do you think this affects anything at all, like our economy, or do you think this is a good thing or a bad thing? What are your thoughts?
Richard Armitage, former Deputy Secretary of State: That's the first one, what about the second question?
Question: And the second one was, what is Persepodas? You said that, uh, the Persians, when you cut them and bleed, they bleed Persepodas, or something like that, and we wanted to know what that was.
Richard Armitage: Okay. The question of, when we buy cheap goods from China, it's, used to be from Japan, not, not much anymore, theirs are kind of high tech goods. Uh, I don't think it bothers us much. We're not doing the manufacturing. Uh, we've benefited immensely of, uh, of the Chinese products that we were buying here before. Now exports are way down.
What does have a big effect on our economy is the number of treasury bills that China holds. China, Japan hold enormous amounts of our treasury. I think the image that you should have of the three of us is of three people in sort of a circle, each with a gun at the other's head. If China pulls out their t-bills our economy falters terribly, but their bills are not worth very much. The same is true of Japan. So, they kind of have to keep us rocking along to keep the value in the treasury bills. So, I think at this point in time, uh, we're still all, in the words of, uh, Ben Franklin, gonna have to hang together or else we'll hang separately on this...
Former Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage in Hendricks Hall at the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg.
Twitter posts on the speech by former Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage and the question and answer session which followed:
At Missouri Boys State covering speech by former Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage for Show Me Progress. Starts in half an hour. about 3 hours ago from web
On mistakes and the outing of Valerie Plame:
Richard Armitage at Missouri Boys State: mistakes - "I am inadvertently responsible for leaking the name of a covert agent's identity." about 2 hours ago from web
Richard Armitage at Missouri Boys State: "Why am I not in jail [for leak]? I told the truth [to Justice Department]." about 2 hours ago from web
Again this year the professional journalists who volunteer to run the Journalism School at the American Legion Boys State of Missouri asked me if I would talk to Boys States citizens in the school about blogging. This afternoon I spoke for about a half hour to the approximately 200 students. They asked a slew of very interesting and thoughtful questions.
I told them my list of lessons learned - similar to last year's, but modified somewhat due to experience:
Ryan Ripple, a Missouri Boys State alumni who serves the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in the organization's Global Development Program, spoke to Boys State participants at Hendricks Hall on the campus of the University of Central Missouri on Monday evening:
Ryan Ripple addressing Boys State citizens in Hendricks Hall on Monday evening.
[applause] Thank you. Thank you...that was extremely generous, far too generous for me. It's just an honor to be a part of Missouri Boys State. This is a place that's such a special part of my life and got the last ten years off to a good start. I'm exceedingly grateful to be part of a group and to see them all around in blue shirts [Boys State staff] who have done far more to serve this program, their communities and their country then, then I have or might ever do. And it's just a real privilege to be associated with them and, and with the Legion and all this place represents.
This is a great testing ground for service, and hopefully you'll come to see that throughout this week. I wanted to talk about two things tonight that I took away from my time at Boys State that have sort of gripped my mind since I was here. One of them is the idea that good citizenship and service begins with a sense of curiosity. I hope you'll find that to be true this week. It's about asking questions about hard problems.
And for me it became real with my mother's illness. My mom, unfortunately, didn't have health insurance. And she faced a disease without the security of knowing that her medical bills would be taken care of. And it led her to prevent or delay diagnosis for over a year, so that when she did get her first diagnosis it was far too late to change the course.
For me that was the beginning of a time of asking some very hard questions. I realized that I couldn't even begin to take ownership of the situation that I faced unless I set aside my moments of disbelief and started to ask hard, tough questions about. From doctors and community members and people who had faced this disease before. What I found is by asking questions I opened myself up to a lot of relationships with people. I formed an alliance with doctors and nurses and community members. Who raised fifteen thousand dollars to help my mother pay for her, her care. It was an extraordinary experience, where I learned that by simply taking time to suspend disbelief, to ask questions, to wonder about the details, and to question my own thoughts, big and small about our health care system. And what, what good treatment options were available for my mom. Was it worth doing x or y for my mom? But I also learned that questioning may be necessary, it's not sufficient for making change in a situation. At some point you have to put questions aside and you have to believe in something. And for my mom it was belief in a positive outcome and a recovery...
Congressman Roy Blunt: ...By the way, one night, a couple weeks ago, at an event in, uh, St. Louis...uh, introduced me, and...are you here?
Question: Hey.
Congressman Blunt: There he is. There's..., well thank you. I, I, uh, I told...if he was here I was going to mention him. He gave me a great introduction at an event. And you get to ask the first quest - Let's see, are you second or first? ...Are you number one or two in the line there?
Question: I'm number one.
Congressman Blunt: Okay.
Question: Uh -
Congressman Blunt: We'll come over here next.
Question: ...I was wondering, Congressman Blunt, uh, how far do you feel that you holding the Republican seat, in 2010, in the Senate is to the checks and balances, uh, that are so important to the American democracy in government?
Congressman Blunt: Well, the, the, everybody heard the question, so I won't repeat 'em. That's what those mics are for. I, I do think in our system part of the, the, the best part of the way our system was designed was it was designed so that nobody could get overwhelmingly dominant in the system, in a way that allowed people just to do whatever they wanted to do. And, uh, in Washington today, uh, the Democrats are comfortably in control of the House. The President, of course, has just been elected and is in the first months of the new term that will, uh, will last for four years. Uh, the Senate, is the one place where the minority can still ensure some debate. At this moment there are fifty-nine Democrats in the Senate. Uh, one vacant seat in the Senate that will soon be decided from Minnesota. And forty Republicans. And in the Senate it takes sixty votes, sixty people to decide to have a vote. And, and so that number is really important. We're really close to where one side, even in the Senate could just do whatever they want to do. And I, I, I think a lot of Missourians are going to think about that as they look at the election next year. And they're going to think, well, even, even in our state, Independents, certainly Democrats. I, I can see this thought process with the thought, well I voted for Barack Obama, even though he didn't carry Missouri, I'm glad he's President, I don't have any particular strong feelings about either Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker of the House, or Harry Reid, the leader of the Senate, uh, but I just don't want 'em to be able to do, anything they want to do without ensuring that there's, there's the kind of debate for the American people to know what's going on. There's some really big issues right now, domestically, uh, a discussion about whether we, uh, have more government control of health care. A discussion about utility rates and energy, uh, that particularly impacts Missouri. Taxes, uh, a discussion about everything from taxes to labor organization. And so it's an important time, Missourians, you know one of the advantages that we have as Missourians is somehow, we always seem to be, right in the middle of every political fight. And frankly, I think this Senate seat is gonna be seen around the nation as one of the, one of the four or five races in the country that will really decide a lot about the next, uh, the next, uh, the rest of the Obama administration, what happens in the country. Uh, you know we've, we've got, uh, uh, a record that's almost unbroken in the presidential election, always voting for the winner. That's how much in the middle we are and the last time we broke that record and voted for Senator McCain, about thirty eight hundred votes out of three million cast, uh, but we were the only competitive state that, that voted for Senator McCain in the last election. All the other, uh, bellwether states, or competitive states, uh, voted for, uh, the guy who was going to win the presidency. It's the second time since nineteen and four that we didn't vote for the winner in the presidential election. So we still have the best record as a bellwether state, uh, we just don't have the most recent, uh, record as a bellwether state. Let's go over here...
Congressman Roy Blunt at Missouri Boys State on Saturday evening.
Judge Duane Benton of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit (and former Justice of the Missouri Supreme Court) at Missouri Boys State responding to a question from the audience and discussing the vetting process for judicial appointments:
...and so I would say, live your life all the time like right beside you is a critic, like right beside you is a reporter, like right beside you is a blogger. [audience reaction] Yeah, live your life that way [scattered laughter]...
Yes, a few people in the audience looked up toward me in the balcony.
Judge Duane Benton of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit speaking at Missouri Boys State.
Missouri Boys State participants observed Flag Day with a brief noontime parade by the American Legion Warrensburg Post 131 "Legion Riders" along Missouri Highway 13 which bisects the University of Central Missouri Campus.
Each Boys State citizen was holding a small American flag.
Congressman (and announced republican U.S. Senate candidate) Roy Blunt addressed the participants attending Missouri Boys State in Hendricks Hall on the campus of the University of Central Missouri on Saturday evening.
Congressman Roy Blunt on the stage at Hendricks Hall on the campus of the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg.
Congressman Roy Blunt:....And we've had periods in our history when the legislative branch got too strong, particularly right after the Civil War. We've had periods where the executive branch got too strong. But somehow that unique document has managed to, to calibrate itself. In a way that not only made the government control itself, uh, but also, uh, allowed our government to meet new demands that weren't anticipated. Uh, that allowed our government to move forward in the world.
And there is, there is no country in the world like us. You know, we, we live on this, on, on this little planet that gets smaller and smaller all the time. Uh, but, uh, and I'm glad to live on the planet, but I don't consider myself a citizen of the world. I'm a citizen of the United States of America. And as a citizen of the United States of America I both have opportunities and obligations that are unique to me...
Boys State citizens applaud Congressman Blunt before the start of his adddress.
Today is the first day of the week long American Legion Boys State of Missouri program on the campus of the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg. Approximately 1000 boys from across Missouri will participate this week.
Missouri Boys State citizens arrive by bus and car for the noontime start of registration.
It's about government and politics. Missouri Boys State, one of the largest in the nation, always has an impressive list of keynote speakers who are prominent in national and statewide government. That's one big reason why we cover it - the speeches and those question and answer sessions. Boys State citizens can and do ask some tough ones.
Following Opening Night Ceremonies of the 70th session of Missouri Boys State, Missouri Congressman Roy Blunt will deliver the keynote address to the Boys State general assembly. Congressman Blunt came to the United States House of Representatives in 1997 with a background as a public servant, university president and administrator. He became the Majority Whip earlier in his career than any Member of Congress in the last eight decades and also served as Majority Leader. Following his prepared remarks, Congressman Blunt will hold a question and answer session.
CONGRESSMAN SCOTT MURPHY Sunday, June 14, 2009
Congressman Scott Murphy will speak to the general assembly on Sunday evening in Hendricks Hall. Congressman Murphy was recently elected to the U.S. House of Representatives after a long contested and very close election in New York. He is a Missouri native and former Boys State Governor. Following his prepared remarks Congressman Murphy will hold a question and answer session.
FEDERAL JUDGE DUANE BENTON Sunday, June 14, 2009
U.S. Court of Appeals (8th Circuit) Judge Duane Benton will address Boys State on Sunday evening at Hendricks Hall. Judge Benton, a great friend to the Boys State program and member of The American Legion, will offer his best advice to participants of Boys State drawn from his experiences as MO Director of Revenue, MO Supreme Court Justice, little league baseball coach and his years on the federal bench. Judge Benton will hold a question and answer session following his remarks.
DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE (2001-2005)
RICHARD ARMITAGE Monday, June 15, 2009
Richard Armitage will accept the 21st Annual George W. Lehr Memorial Speakers Chair on Monday night at Hendricks Hall. As deputy secretary of state during one of the most tumultuous times in modern U.S. history, Richard Armitage crafted foreign policy to handle unprecedented challenges. Mr. Armitage offers his truly unique insight to audiences around the globe. As someone who has shaped U.S. foreign policy, Mr. Armitage will share observations about his role at the center of the world stage in a turbulent time speaking on leadership in action, the art of diplomacy, the future of Asia, humanitarianism in action, and the Middle East. Following his prepared remarks Mr. Armitage will hold a question and answer session.
MISSOURI GOVERNOR JAY NIXON Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Missouri Governor Jay Nixon will deliver the keynote address at a special assembly on Tuesday evening in Hendricks Hall. Govenor Nixon has been an outstanding supporter of the Boys State program throughout his years as Missouri's Attorney General and we are very pleased to have him back to Boys State after winning the highest elected position in our state. The Governor will hold a question and answer session following his prepared remarks.
MISSOURI SECRETARY OF STATE ROBIN CARNAHAN Thursday, June 18, 2009
Missouri Secretary of State will deliver the keynote address and swear-in the newly elected state officials at the Joint Session of the Boys State House and Senate on Thursday evening at Hendricks Hall. Following her prepared remarks, Secretary of State Carnahan will swear-in the new MBS Governor and all new MBS constitutional officers and Supreme Court justices.
Parents, a few accompanying siblings, and Boys Staters queue up for registration.
Gary Grigsby (left) at the American Legion Boys State of Missouri on June 20th.
Sometimes it's not just statewide office holders who make those memorable speeches.
Gary Grigsby was recognized by Missouri Boys State on Friday evening for his thirty years of volunteer work on behalf of the organization. Gary is a Warrensburg businessman and musician (ask him about his favorite musical). He is active in his church and in the community. He serves as President of the Johnson County Democratic Club. He has volunteered for and worked in numerous roles for an uncountable number of Democratic political campaigns over the years.
From 1997 to 2002 we ran a mom and pop legislative district polling operation. Gary Grigsby is an expert in voter file and database management. In the almost twenty years I have known Gary Grigsby I continue to learn some new things about his life story.
Gary grew up in Slater, Missouri in Saline County about which he's fond of saying about politics when he was growing up: "It wasn't until I was twenty one years old and could vote that I realized there was a general election, because my county was so Democratic that when the Democrat won the primary that was it, they took office."
Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan (D) speaking at the American Legion Boys State of Missouri on Thursday, June 19th.
Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan (D) addressed the assembled participants at Boys State. Her remarks:
Robin Carnahan is escorted by a delegation into Hendricks Hall and the Boys State General Assembly.
Thank you very much for that kind introduction. You know, I was thinking as I walked in here in the torrential rain tonight from the parking lot, if I can run a marathon in the rain, I can get to this speech. So, I am happy to be inside and dry.
Congratulations to all of you for your election. Congratulations to all of you who ran for office, but didn't win. I will tell you that you might take a bit of solace in the fact that thirty years ago when I attended Girls State I ran for state treasurer and did not win. So, take solace in that - maybe you'll be standing here one day after all....
The second half of the question and answer session:
...Question: ...Are you familiar with real ID? What's going on for the real ID that the federal government's gonna apply?
Sarah Steelman: Somewhat.
Question: Are you for or are you against that?
Sarah Steelman: I, I'm inclined to be against it because one, it's a federal mandate and two, I don't think the federal government should be tracking every movement. [applause] [crosstalk] I think they should focus on shutting the borders down and arr..., and imposing sanctions on emplyers who knowingly hire illegal workers. [applause] [crosstalk]...
Sarah Steelman at the American Legion Boys State of Missouri on June 17th.
Missouri State Treasurer (and republican gubernatorial candidate) Sarah Steelman addressed the participants attending Missouri Boys State in Hendricks Hall on the campus of the University of Central Missouri on Tuesday evening. Her prepared remarks took a little over twelve minutes. She then took questions from the audience for approximately a half hour.
The question and answer session:
Question: ...What are your plans involving green alternative energies?
Sarah Steelman: That's a good question. We've got, there's a lot of, of a, things we need to do. I'm working on a comprehensive energy strategy. I actually was talking to somebody today who produces, out of the, corn stalks and other fibrous plants. They make 'em into little pellets, cellulose pellets, that they can burn with coal and actually reduce the carbon footprint of coal, if you combine that in like a coal fired plant for electricity. So, I'm putting some things together on what I think our state should do, things like that, offering maybe tax credits for, for people, for companies who use that kind of, of a energy to reduce the carbon footprint. I think we need to encourage alternative fuels. I think we need to do that in a way that makes it competitive among alternative fuels so that we can try to get the right one, the one that's the most effective, going in the right direction as far as the market goes. [applause]...
The good folks running the Journalism School at the American Legion Boys State of Missouri, on learning that I was a blogger covering the speakers invited to address their participants, asked me if I would talk about blogging for those in the Journalism School. I was happy to do so and spoke at length yesterday with a group of about 60 students and again today in a shorter session of about twenty minutes for approximately 200 students.
This afternoon we had a laptop which was connected to the projection system, so I was able to show the students our site. I gave them a brief overview of who we are and what we do. Then I gave them some advice:
Ryan Ripple addressing Boys State citizens in Hendricks Hall on Monday evening.
Robin Carnahan is escorted by a delegation into Hendricks Hall and the Boys State General Assembly.
Sarah Steelman at the American Legion Boys State of Missouri on June 17th.
