Democrats say Mo. to be 'blue state again'

~ More than 400 gathered to hear party leaders give fiery speeches.

DEXTER, Mo. -- Former state senator Jerry Howard summed up the sentiment Saturday night: "We're mad as hell and we're not going to take it anymore."

More than 400 Bootheel Democrats gathered at the Dexter Elks Lodge to hear party leaders give fiery speeches, all sharing one common goal -- wresting power from the Republicans in Washington, D.C., and in Jefferson City.

"We're going to make Missouri a blue state again," Howard said. "Let this rally be the start of that."

The rally -- the first of its kind in Southeast Missouri since 1983 -- was attended by a who's who of Missouri Democrats, including former governor Roger Wilson and former secretary of state Bekki Cook of Cape Girardeau. Also there were those who are seeking office in upcoming elections, including state attorney general and gubernatorial candidate Jay Nixon, U.S. Senate candidate Claire McCaskill and Victoria Hambacker, who is running for U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson's seat in November.

There was one Republican presence, however: A tractor-trailer was parked outside with a banner that read "Support our troops, vote Republican" and "Claire McCaskill supports amnesty for illegals," a claim that McCaskill said was "a lie."

Prior to the rally, Republican Party spokesman Paul Sloca sent an e-mail to the Southeast Missourian alleging Hambacker had posted a blog on a Web site that she was in favor of allowing gays to marry and adopt children.

It was a charge that Hambacker didn't deny before the speeches started.

"Why should we be about depriving people of their rights?" she said. "I don't know that we should call it marriage, but if it's a legal union, that'd be perfect with me. And a lot of children need homes. Just because a child is raised in a homosexual home doesn't mean they're going to be gay.

"The Democrats are in a big tent. There's enough room for everybody."

State Rep. Jeff Harris, the House minority leader, said he likes the Democrats' chances at making headway in the midterm elections for the Missouri Legislature. He pointed out that 17 Republicans are running unopposed, but added that 39 Democrats are unopposed in their bids.

Republicans "have all the money, but nothing beats heart and nothing beats hustle," he said.

Wilson, who was master of ceremonies, took personal offense to the sign accusing McCaskill of supporting amnesty for illegal immigrants.

"That's a lie," he said. "It's like the lie they say about us taking away their guns. They subscribe to the theory that if you tell a lie often enough, people will believe it."

McCaskill, who spoke later, said she never has said she supported amnesty for illegals.

"But the reason we have a problem," she said, "is that President Bush wanted to create cheap labor for big business. ... This is all about election year photo ops. If we enforced the laws on the companies that cheat, it would dry up the cheating."

Nixon, who is running against Gov. Matt Blunt in 2008, took Blunt to task for cutting Medicaid and for his suggestion of selling MOHELA, which Nixon said keeps interest rates low on student loans. He also said polls, to be released in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch today, show that he's ahead with 50 percent to Blunt's 40 percent. McCaskill said that same poll shows that she is beating U.S. Sen. Jim Talent 49 percent to 43 percent.

"We're girded for battle," Nixon said.

smoyers@semissourian.com

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