MURPHY LIKES WORK IN GOVERNOR'S OFFICE; EX-CAPE RESIDENT SERVES AS AIDE TO GOV. ASHCROFT

JEFFERSON CITY - Eight years ago, then-attorney general John Ashcroft was stumping the state in a quest to become governor. Ashcroft amassed an army of volunteers and a solid fund-raising apparatus that enabled him to win the Republican nomination in August and the general election in November by comfortable margins.

Yolanda Murphy hardly noticed the governor's campaign. She had never met John Ashcroft.

Now, as Ashcroft winds down the last seven months of an eight-year stint as governor, Murphy is very much aware of Ashcroft. He's been her boss since Jan. 15, 1985, and Murphy dreads the time she must bid her boss farewell.

"I'm going to be very sad to leave here," said Murphy, a Stoddard County native who has worked in the governor's press office since the first day he took office.

Although she met Ashcroft for the first time on Jan. 16, 1985 - her first day on the job - Murphy has gained immense respect for the governor. She portrays him as a caring person who respects the views of others and is always complimenting staff members for a job well done.

"I met him for the first time my first day on the job," recalled Murphy. "Now I have almost daily contact with him."

As one of about 30 members of the governor's staff, all located on the second floor of the Capitol, Murphy and Ashcroft cross paths frequently.

Murphy finds it hard to believe she ever got the job in the first place.

She was born and raised in Bernie and then came to Cape Girardeau in 1967 to attend Southeast Missouri State University. She then moved to California, but moved back to Cape Girardeau six years later.

In 1974 she took a job as executive secretary to the director of St. Francis Mental Health Center and held that post until December 1983. She left Cape Girardeau to take a position with the Missouri Hospital Association in Jefferson City. After a year, Murphy began looking for another job. A friend suggested that she send a resume to the governor's transition office.

Because she had not been active in Ashcroft's campaign, Murphy had no illusions about landing a job. But she sent a resume anyway.

She was interviewed for a position with a mental health center in Springfield and offered a job. Murphy requested a week to make up her mind.

As she contemplated the Springfield offer, Randy Sissel, Ashcroft's press secretary in his first term, called her for an interview. Two days later she was called for a second interview with Sissel and Edward D. "Chip" Robertson, now chief justice of the Missouri Supreme Court who at the time was the governor's chief of staff, and was offered a job on the spot.

"I was really shocked when they asked me to come in to interview," recalled Murphy. "I thought, this is the governor ... this is politics."

Murphy said her perceptions were wrong. "With this governor it was clear to me that people were hired on qualifications, not connections."

During her time on Ashcroft's staff, Murphy said she has noticed on all personnel decisions that "hiring judgments are based on who can do the best job ... loyalty, integrity and qualifications, not connections."

Murphy was first hired as a secretary for Sissel. Her role soon expanded and she now holds the title of press assistant.

She writes all press releases for Ashcroft, issues press releases on gubernatorial appointments, and advises media around the state when the governor will be visiting their areas. Murphy also writes and produces radio actualities and edits all proclamations that are signed by Ashcroft to commemorate special events.

Murphy has written an occasional speech for Ashcroft and for a while coordinated all proclamation signings in the office.

She operates a McIntosh computer in the press office and is a key part of the effort to crank out copies of the governor's annual State of the State address, legislative package, and summary of each legislative session.

The job keeps Murphy in frequent touch with editors of newspapers and news directors of radio and television stations across Missouri, most of whom she has never met and knows only as "a voice on the phone."

"I love working with the media and working with the press around the state," said Murphy. "And the capital press corps is a fine bunch of men and women. I'm really going to miss the constant contact with the media."

Overall, Murphy believes Ashcroft has been treated fairly by the media. She said he respects the feelings of others and does not hold grudges.

"He recognizes anybody in his position will be criticized from time to time," said Murphy. "If he thinks someone is not treating him fairly he will tell you right then, and then it's over; we move on."

Murphy said she enjoys Ashcroft because "he's just a fun guy to work for. He is always quick to say, `You are doing a good job.' We work hard here and have a really good time working here."

Ashcroft enjoys playing practical jokes on staff members. Murphy recalled that the governor was once given a clock that gobbled like a turkey when the alarm went off at a proclamation signing.

Knowing that Murphy is terrified of all birds, he came in early one morning, set the alarm, and slipped it into her desk drawer. When the alarm went off, it had the desired terrorizing effect on Murphy. Ashcroft had a good laugh.

Murphy has seen the caring side of her boss, who will take time from his busy schedule to comfort staff in times of need.

In October 1988, Murphy's daughter was involved in a near fatal accident that left her in a coma for several days. Ashcroft, who was wrapping up a re-election campaign, took time to go by the hospital to visit. "That meant a lot to me," said Murphy.

Another example cited by Murphy was a staff member who developed cancer and died recently. As her condition was deteriorating rapidly, Murphy said Ashcroft personally baked her cookies and delivered them to the hospital.

The day before she died, the governor invited office staff to accompany him to the garden of the governor's mansion where they picked flowers and took them to the hospital.

"I'm going to miss him," said Murphy. "We're like a family."

She said staff members are getting a bit nostalgic in the final year of Ashcroft's term because so many things are being done for the last time.

With time running out on Ashcroft's final year, Murphy has no idea what she will do when his administration ends. Whoever the new governor is will likely bring in his own staff, so Murphy does not expect to be around beyond Ashcroft's term.

For now, Murphy wants to keep the focus on her present job.

"This is the best job I've ever had. I like what I do. What this administration has done and will continue the next seven months is important. I want to be here as long as the governor needs me," said Murphy.

"When you are able to work at something you believe in, with people you respect, that's the ultimate."