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State Senator Purgason considers run for U.S. Senate

June 17, 2009 By

State Senator Chuck Purgason (R-Caulfield) is considering a run for the U.S. Senate seat being vacate by Senator Christopher "Kit" Bond (R-MO).

Purgason has announced he is starting an exploratory committee regarding that possible U.S. Senate bid, adding he is one of many Missourians who are unhappy that America is not keeping its fiscal house in order.

"Someone has to cut up the federal government credit card," said Purgason in an interview with the Missourinet. "In state government we have a balanced budget – the thirteen years that I’ve been in the Legislature we actually spend what we have coming in. We don’t put our grandchildren at risk of spending their inheritance."

Purgason acknowledges he has not spent a lot of time thinking about this possible run, but he realizes there is a lot of concern regarding the direction in which the country is headed and he believes he should at least consider stepping up.

"It’s a decision that I’ll make after I get out and talk to people and find out what kind of support – and I will be surprised if there’s not a lot of people that just cannot agree that we need to face some tough decisions in order for this country to survive."

Southwest Missouri Congressman Roy Blunt (R-MO) is the only announced Republican in the race, so far. Purgason won’t criticize Blunt, but believes a new approach might be just what the doctor ordered.

"I think that people need to look at candidates and find out what they stand on," said Purgason. "I have a thirteen year voting record … Congressman Blunt has a voting record. And, you know, sometimes you just get frustrated and think that, you know, we just need to go in a different direction."

Purgason served eight years in the Missouri House before being elected to the State Senate in 2002. He is term limited and has one year remaining in the General Assembly.

Download/Listen: Steve Walsh interviews Senator Chuck Purgason (7:00 MP3)

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Royals Win Fourth Straight

June 17, 2009 By

The Kansas City Royals won for the fourth straight time, shutting out the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-0 in the first of a three-game interleague series from Kauffman Stadium.

Gil Meche was the star fror KC, tossing a four hit shutout. Meche struck out six and walked only one for the victory, his second career shutout and second consecutive scoreless outing.

Mark Teahen led the Royals’ offensive attack with three hits and drove in a run. Mike Jacobs added a pair of hits, while David DeJesus, Billy Butler, Miguel Olivo and Alberto Callaspo each picked up an RBI.

Kansas City will look to extend its winning streak with Zack Greinke on the hill for game two of the set tonight.

 

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Cards Pound Tigers

June 17, 2009 By

The St. Louis Cardinals offense pounded the Detroit Tigers en route to an 11-2 victory in the opener of a three-game series at Busch Stadium.

Adam Wainwright tossed seven innings of one- run ball, scattering six hits and two walks with five strikeouts for the win improving to 7-4.

Albert Pujols smashed his 23rd homer of the year as Chris Duncan also went deep in the win. Yadier Molina added two hits, scorded twice, and drove in two and Skip Schumaker had three hits and an RBI.

The Cardinals are one game out in the NL Central and start Todd Wellemeyer in game two of the series Wednesday night.

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Chiefs End OTA’s Early

June 17, 2009 By

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Todd Haley gave his team a reprieve from the remainder of its OTA schedule on Tuesday, cutting short today’s session and cancelling the final two OTA sessions scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday. The club went through its regularly-scheduled walk-thru period before Haley called up his squad. He then put the club through a conditioning test similar to what the players will be asked to pass prior to their first practice in River Falls, WI.

"Now, we’ve got a long way to go, but from where we started to where we’re at right now I think the guys really worked hard every day and we had such a good attendance – so many guys here – that it was worth throwing them a bone," Haley said of the decision to wipe the final two OTAs from the club’s slate.

Haley indicated that today’s conditioning test was a challenge for even the top-end cardiovascular performers on his roster. But he again reiterated his desire to literally hit the ground running in River Falls.

"I don’t want to go into training camp to get into shape," he continued. "I want to go into training camp in shape. I think that gives us the best chance to succeed since that’s one less thing to be worrying about. We’ll have more focus on the football aspect of it; we’ll have less injury and all the things that have to go along with being a well-conditioned team."

While the Chiefs did work on Red Zone and two-minute drills during their final on-field workouts, Kansas City’s head coach indicated that situational football will be a primary focus once the pads go on at training camp. "In training camp we’ll have to see a lot more practice devoted to situations – all kinds of situations – anything you can think of to get this team to a point where it’s a smart football team and understands how to win," he related. "That will be the next progression along with getting into the full pads and having some physical practices."

The Chiefs will report to training camp on Thursday, July 30th and are scheduled to officially begin practice with a pair of workouts on Saturday, August 1st.

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Military threats extend beyond Iraq and Afghanistan

June 17, 2009 By

America’s military faces threats beyond Iraq and Afghanistan with attendees at the Current Strategy Forum in Newport, Rhode Island attempting to envision what might threaten national security in the future.

Attendees of the forum sponsored by the Naval War College have heard from a Sarah SECNAV2.jpg number of experts on the challenges the military faces. Secretary of the Navy, Raymond Mabus, says the odds are that over the next two decades America will face threats and challenges which we cannot see today. Mabus says this is a crucial time in which the country faces unprecedented challenges, just as it has in the past.

"No matter what time you drop down in history, you’re challenges are going to be unprecedented," Mabus tells the Missourinet. "Today, the complexities are there and it may be more complex because things move faster."

Iraq and Afghanistan occupy military thinking today. The Navy has 25,000 Marines in both Iraq and Afghanistan and even 14,000 Navy personnel on the ground in the Middle East. Ships are deployed around the globe. Even with those active military campaigns, threats loom as North Korea and Iran test nuclear weapons, pirates board and take over commercial vessels off the African coast and unstable regimes seem on the verge of toppling too many countries.

It’s tempting to think the forum convenes at a time unlike any other.

"You know, if you were at the (Naval) War College in January of 1942, you would have thought that was unprecedented, too." Mabus says, "And it was."

Nearly 900 people along with students of the Naval War College conclude the Current Strategy Forum today.

NEWPORT, R.I. – Secretary of the Navy, the Honorable Ray Mabus, addresses nearly 1,100 participants at the U.S. Naval War College’s Current Strategy Forum (CSF) in a kick-off address, on June 16. Hosted annually by the Secretary of the Navy, the two-day conference presents the perspective of the nation’s leading experts on how the Navy can both meet future challenges and identify opportunities to promote a more stable world with the theme, "Seizing Strategic Opportunities: Challenging the Paradigm."

Photo by MCC(AW/NAC) ROBERT INVERSO

Download/listen Brent Martin reports (1:15 MP3)

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