Will Sam Graves Attack Kinder's "San Francisco Style Values"?

After all the recent coverage it's received in blogs and national publications, few of us are probably unaware of the silly ad run by a wounded and desperate Sam Graves attacking Kay Barnes for what he calls her "San Francisco style values" because of a recent event she attended on the west coast.

But does Sam Graves reject the "San Francisco style" values of his fellow GOPers?  It's a relevant question after thumbing through the Personal Financial Disclosure of one of our statewide elected Republicans who'll be running again with Sam Graves this fall. 

The financial disclosure form filed by Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder with the Missouri Ethics Commission on April 2 of this year includes one compelling entry.  On the "Lodging and Travel" portion of the disclosure, on which officials are required to report any trips paid for by third parties, Kinder cops to accepting paid travel to --Gasp!!-- San Francisco. Â­ From his filing (not available online):

Expenses Paid By          Date         Amount         Location         Reason

Hawthorn/Tour of MO    2/16/07-   $1,612.02      San Fran.      Tour de CA

PO Box 93                     2/19/07                           CA

Jefferson City, MO 65102

To make matters worse for Kinder, he didn't just travel to San Francisco --the most awful place this side of Fallujah in Sam Graves' view-- he traveled there to watch a French-style bicycle race (a race called, and I kid you not, the Tour de California)!  Not only did he visit San Francisco for a taste of their values, he liked them so much that he imported them back here to Missouri, returning with ideas for our own Tour de Missouri bicycle race, of which he was the biggest booster.

Maybe Sam Graves and the MOGOP should comment on whether Peter Kinder should get slammed for his "San Francisco style" values or whether they support a San Francisco double-standard?