Kinder Finds Time In Busy Schedule For Second FOX Interview About Prospective Lawsuit

A day after refusing to answer questions at his own press conference regarding his desire to join a lawsuit to block the federal health care reform law, Peter Kinder availed himself to local right-wing radio host and activist Dana Loesch today for a series of on-air questions. 

A few thoughts on today's Loesch interview and yesterday's conversation with Fox's Neil Cavuto:

• Kinder wanted to announce his desire to participate in the lawsuit on Dana Loesch's program. This was Kinder's very first statement in the interview, and is a pretty good indication of what his effort is all about: Tea party outreach, not constitutional law.
• Kinder acknowledges "the odds may be long," and opponents have "a tough sell" with their lawsuit. Yesterday, even cheerleader Cavuto had doubts about the argument behind the lawsuit. "I have talked to some legal scholars, sir, who say that, with the best of intentions, this is not going to go anywhere," Cavuto said. "Well, we know it`s a tough sell," Kinder replied.
• Kinder asked for prayers and "financial support" to keep up his official legal fight. After all, that's what state officers need to keep doing their official duties: campaign contributions.
• "Socialists." Loesch prefaced the interview by declaring that everyone who supports the federal health care law is a socialist. "I'm not calling them Democrats or liberals anymore," she said. Kinder did nothing to correct or distance himself from this claim.  According to the most Gallup data, 49% of Americans are now "socialists" under Loesch's definition.
• Kinder is still trying to scare seniors. "I am also, by statute, the chief advocate for our state's senior population. And seniors are among the people who are going to be hurt worst by this awful health care bill."  That's probably why AARP endorsed the compromise health care package.
• Time for FOX News personalities, but not Missouri journalists. Just minutes after yesterday's escape from legitimate journalists to attend a "meeting," he found himself on Fox News television.  Today he found the time in his very busy schedule to speak with Fox News radio. 

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Here's a transcript of yesterday's 3:42 p.m. interview on the Fox News Network:

NEIL CAVUTO, HOST: All right, we told you about Missouri adding its name, and a hefty name at that, to this protest against what Congress and the president have just essentially voted on and made into law today.

Missouri Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder joining me right now on the phone.

Governor, what are you doing?

LT. GOV. PETER KINDER (R), MISSOURI: What I`m doing, Neil -- thank you for having me -- is, I just went out on the capitol steps on a beautiful spring day in Missouri and announced that I`m joining with officials and attorneys general from 13 other states to say Missouri is in this game also to fight this -- this erosion and encroachment on Missouri`s sovereignty under the 10th Amendment and -- and this infringement of rights of all Missourians.

CAVUTO: So, what`s -- what I notice is a common theme here, Governor, is that the -- all of the state A.G.s with whom I have chatted have been saying, this pushes states` rights out and a way too unconstitutionally big federal government in, and that is what you`re resting this on, right?

KINDER: I have been traveling all over this state for the last six, eight months, and people are just up in arms about it. They`re not going to sit still for this. We`re going to fight it.

And I`m the only constitutional officer of state government of the six of us who apparently has the stomach for this. The attorney general would not even reply to my letters, nor would Governor Nixon. So, we`re going to take this fight to them. And I`m proud to be standing with Bill McCollum from Florida and the other attorneys general in this fight.

CAVUTO: Sir, I apologize in advance for my ignorance. Are you a Democrat, Republican?

KINDER: I`m the only Republican among Missouri`s six statewide elected officials.

CAVUTO: All right. And we should point out, though, that one of the state A.G.s going for this in Louisiana, I believe, is a Democrat. So, it`s not as if they`re all Republicans.

KINDER: All praise to him.

CAVUTO: So -- so, where do you see this going? I mean, I have talked to some legal scholars, sir, who say that, with the best of intentions, this is not going to go anywhere. It`s a real tough sell.

KINDER: Well, we know it`s a tough sell.

This is a battle that has to be fought on many fronts. If I had been talking to you on Thanksgiving, would you have thought Massachusetts would elect a Republican senator, or would you bet...

CAVUTO: That`s a very good point.

KINDER: Would you have bet on Northern Iowa to beat K.U.?

CAVUTO: Well, all right, that`s a very good point. I stand corrected.

Governor, we will -- we will be watching very, very closely.

KINDER: Thank you.

CAVUTO: Thanks very much. All right.