Sen. Talent kicks off re-election campaign

~ Talent is on an eight-city tour of the sate.

U.S. Sen. Jim Talent stressed his bipartisan efforts in Washington even as he painted Democratic challenger and State Auditor Claire McCaskill as a tax-and-spend liberal during his re-election rally in Cape Girardeau on Saturday.

The noontime visit to Cape Girardeau was part of a two-day, eight-city tour of the state to kick off his re-election campaign. The tour was scheduled to end Saturday evening in Hannibal, Mo.

Talent accused his opponent of being soft on the war on terror and the battle against illegal methamphetamine labs.

He suggested McCaskill puts Democratic politics above serving the needs of Missourians.

"That is not the way to change Washington," he told a crowd of about 150 cheering Republican supporters at the Drury Lodge. "That is the attitude that produces bitterness and stalemate in the Congress every day."

Talent portrays himself as an agent of change in Washington. He's sponsored 28 bills that were enacted into law and has co-sponsored a number of measures with Democratic senators.

He touted his anti-meth measure, which makes it harder for people to buy the cold medicines containing the primary ingredient used in manufacturing the illegal drug.

The new law could lead to a 75 percent to 80 percent reduction in the number of meth labs in the nation, Talent said. "Folks, that's a good thing," he said.

Talent showed up at the rally with his wife, Brenda; daughter, Kate; and son, Michael. His 10-year-old daughter, Chrissy, stayed home in St. Louis.

Talent said his daughter had had enough of campaigning on Friday.

Saturday's rally kicked off with remarks from Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder, Cape Girardeau County Sheriff John Jordan, Cape Girardeau businesswoman Kathy Swan and New Madrid County farmer Gary Branum.

Branum praised Talent's support for increased production of ethanol and biodiesel fuel.

Talent's legislation will add 7.5 billion gallons of alternative fuels to the nation's fuel supply by 2012 and raise the prices paid to farmers for soybeans and corn, Branum said.

Talent said that will reduce America's dependence on foreign oil.

"Farmers have always fed this country, and soon they'll be fueling the country too," Talent said.

Talent's weekend campaign rallies were designed to highlight his accomplishments over the past four years. He was elected in 2002 and is running for his first, full six-year term.

McCaskill has argued that the only real change has been a growing public frustration with Washington.

With national polls showing sagging support for President Bush and the war in Iraq, Talent emphasized his legislative accomplishments on domestic issues.

He said little about the president in his speech Saturday.

After his speech, the Republican senator said he wasn't distancing himself from the president or counting on him to deliver a re-election victory either.

The election in Missouri isn't about the president. The election centers on the two Senate candidates, Talent said.

"This election is about which one of us will change Washington," the senator said.

The latest opinion polling by Rasmussen Reports shows Talent with a narrow lead over McCaskill, 43 percent to 40 percent.

mbliss@semissourian.com

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