A war in Iraq hasn’t stopped politics in Missouri. As University of Missouri-St. Louis political science professor Terry Jones tells the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “It’s not politics as usual, but it’s close”. Jones says he doesn’t even know if there was a 24-hour break in politicking when the war started. And, while Republicans criticize Democrats and Democrats criticize Republicans, it seems all politicians are quick to add some phrase in support of the troops. Spokesmen for both the Missouri Democratic Party and the Missouri Republican Party say this war differs from the September 11th terrorist attacks in that it had been planned and debated for some time before it began, rather than being a surprise attack that shocked a nation needing time to heal.
