FRIENDS SAY GOVERNOR-ELECT HAS INTEGRITY; CARNAHAN WILL FACE UP TO PROBLEMS, THEY SAY

Longtime associates of Mel Carnahan say Missouri's next governor is a man of high ideals and integrity one who will work methodically toward dealing with problems facing the state.

Don Dickerson, a Cape Girardeau attorney and law school classmate of Carnahan's, said: "I think he's going to be an outstanding governor. He has all the tools to do that. He is an extremely honest individual who means what he says. The positions he staked out in this race are not new; they are the general principles he has practiced throughout his public life.

"He will be an activist governor. He is the one guy in the race who told people where he stood and what he stood for. I think he will come out fighting for his programs."

Dickerson, one of Carnahan's key fund-raisers in Southeast Missouri, said the main reason he supported Carnahan this year "is because, in Mel, you get what you see and see what you get."

Another classmate of Carnahan's at the University of Missouri-Columbia, Appeals Court Judge Stan Grimm, said Carnahan has a genuine concern for people and is willing to work hard to improve the lives of Missouri citizens.

"I think he will be an outstanding governor," said Grimm. "He's not a showboat type of personality; he is just a hard worker who knows how to get things done. He is not a glory seeker. He is one of those persons who gets in there and works hard without seeking credit for himself.

"He really has a Christian, caring concern for people, and not just as a politician. He was that way 30 years ago and has been that way throughout his life. It is not just something he puts on for an election race; he's just a deep-down wonderful guy."

Jim Spain, a Poplar Bluff attorney and former state representative and Democratic state chairman, was a year behind Carnahan in law school. He said Carnahan is in a position to be a great governor.

"He'll be a methodical governor because he's a methodical person," said Spain. "He'll have a plan and will try to pursue that plan. He won't go off on a lot of detours. He's the kind of person who will work at being governor. His history is that he is a guy who knows where he wants to go."

Spain said Carnahan's ability to bounce back from his loss of the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in 1984 speaks highly for the governor-elect.

In the August primary, Spain backed St. Louis Mayor Vince Schoemehl because he felt Schoemehl would be the strongest candidate. But Spain admits Schoemehl was controversial and would have carried some baggage into the governor's office.

Said Spain: "I think (Carnahan) is all business. He has a plan and he will work at that plan. As near as I can determine there is no controversy about Mel Carnahan. There is no group of people out there to thwart his goals - most people want to work with Mel Carnahan.

"Just the opposite would be true with my man Vince Schoemehl. Mel will come in with everyone pulling for him."

Many Democratic members of the Missouri General Assembly, including House Speaker Bob Griffin, who was a law school classmate of Carnahan's, backed Schoemehl in the primary.

Two Democratic lawmakers who have backed Carnahan from the beginning are Larry Thomason of Kennett and Joe Driskill of Poplar Bluff.

"There are several qualities to define him, but the main one is integrity," said Thomason. "He has always impressed me as a man of high integrity and character."

Thomason, who first became associated with Carnahan in his 1984 bid for governor, said he looks forward to a good relationship between the governor's office and the Democratic-controlled General Assembly.

"In the legislature we finally have someone we can work with and someone that will work strongly for things he believes in," said Thomason. "That is something that has been lacking during the time I've been in the legislature. It will really be nice to run into a governor in the hallway; I don't think Mel is going to be invisible like previous governors."

Driskill said he also expects a good relationship between Carnahan and the legislature. "Judging from the specific plans he's put forward, especially in education, jobs and economic development, he knows exactly what he wants to do and how to go about it. He definitely has a direction and a plan and will accomplish good things because of it," said Driskill.

"If I had one criticism of the last eight years, it would be that we have been headed in no particular direction. We seem to have drifted with the social and economic winds, which, in my view, has not been effective government."

Driskill's ties go back to 1978 when he got to know Carnahan's sons, Rusty and Randy, at the University of Missouri. "I met Mel at a speech he gave in Columbia, thought he was a great person and candidate, offered my services in his campaign, and he took me up."

For almost a year, Driskill lived in the Carnahan home in Rolla and drove Carnahan around the state in his race for treasurer. After his election, Driskill worked in the treasurer's office as a government securities investments director.

"I think expectations from the legislature are high and most members think we will accomplish great things the next four years," Driskill said.

Driskill and Thomason agreed that the best thing Carnahan has going for him is his character and honesty.

"He's a straight arrow - 100 percent above board in the way he does things," said Driskill. "In my view that is a very refreshing trend in state government. Mel is a person who keeps his word and doesn't make political deals."

Said Thomason: "One of the things that is so important at the level of politics here is you have to be a man of your word. And you have to back up your word with action; that means everything in the level of politics we play up here. Mel Carnahan is somebody we can trust and believe in."

Thomason said people who have supported Carnahan simply to have influence with the governor "will be sadly disappointed." He said Carnahan will do whatever is right and best for the state.

Grimm and Dickerson said some people were skeptical about Carnahan's chances of winning the governor's race this year because he is perceived as too easy going and lacking the toughness to be the state's chief executive.

"Sometimes I think we confuse the fact a fella' can be a nice guy and also be tough when he needs to be. I think many people have underestimated him on that score," said Dickerson.

Dickerson recalled that when Carnahan first discussed a second governor's race with him over two years ago he realized 1992 did not look like a good year for Democrats. But Dickerson said Carnahan had his mind made up and was determined to run a good race focused on the issues.

One such issue was a tax increase for education, which Carnahan was criticized about by his opponents. "To truly upgrade education, we have to find money from somewhere," said Dickerson. "He realized it was a risky proposition and never sunk from it. The guy means what he says. I think people were ready to hear someone say it is time to stop talking about the state of edducation and start acting."

Dickerson also downplays efforts to portray Carnahan as a liberal. "Mel Carnahan is no reckless liberal," he said. "He is a solid, middle-of-the-road individual."

Grimm said: "People have commented that he is bland, and I have to say, he doesn't have an exciting personality. But neither do I. But Mel is a very conscientious, hard-working person that wants to work on problems, attack problems, think them through, and come up with the best possible solution."