Missouri Gov. Parson promises ‘sunny days’ ahead amid D.C. violence and deadly pandemic
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson, promising “sunny days” ahead, took the oath of office Monday to begin a full term amid mob violence in Washington and a pandemic that has killed thousands of the state’s residents and continues to take lives.
The start of the four-year term marks a political high point for Parson, a 65-year-old former sheriff from Bolivar and lieutenant governor who won election in November two years after the resignation of Gov. Eric Greitens elevated him into the office.
The ceremony came at a tumultuous time for Missouri and the nation. But the Republican governor said the state “shines on” in an inaugural address that made no direct mention of either COVID-19 or the ransacking of the U.S. Capitol by a mob loyal to President Donald Trump, according to a copy of his prepared remarks.
“We have seen some challenging days together,” Parson said. “But when it is hard to find the light, sometimes all you need is a spark to get the fire going again.”
Throughout the speech, Parson sounded optimistic notes about the future, while acknowledging the crucible of the past year in vague, sweeping terms. “There were sad times, tough times and exciting times,” Parson said. “And through it all … Missourians prevailed.”
He said Missourians are strong, courageous and are family. “The spirit of our state is composed, positive, and uplifting,” Parson said, adding “it is alive, and it is well!”
“Sunny days are ahead!” Parson also said.
Parson stayed clear of the tumult in Washington, even as the nation continues to grapple with the aftermath of the attack. Democrats could impeach Trump for inciting an insurrection, though Parson, a long-time ally of the president, last week absolved him of any blame.
“In setting the tone for his coming term, Governor Parson could have used his inaugural speech to forcefully denounce the members of his political party who helped encourage and incite the insurrectionist mob that assaulted the U.S. Capitol last week,” House Minority Leader Crystal Quade, a Springfield Democrat, said in a statement. “He instead pretended the events that have shaken the very foundations of American democracy didn’t happen and ignored his party’s complicity in them.”
At a news conference at the speech, Parson condemned the destruction at the Capitol, but made no mention of Trump.
“We all know what happened up there, people took action they never should have happened,” Parson told reporters.
The inauguration ceremony, which kicks off a year of celebrating Missouri’s bicentennial, took place as COVID-19 continues to inflict a tremendous toll. Nearly 6,000 residents had died as of Sunday and more than 423,000 — or 7 percent of the population — had been infected. The number of virus hospitalizations remains at near-record highs.
At the event, held outdoors on the Missouri Capitol’s south steps, most attendees wore masks, but some didn’t. The customary inaugural ball was postponed.
Parson’s response to the crisis has come to define his governorship more than any other issue. His defiance of public health experts by refusing to issue a statewide mask mandate has drawn the condemnation of health leaders and Democrats. But it helped power him to a robust victory in the election, where he beat Democrat Nicole Galloway, the state auditor, with 57 percent of the vote.
His own bout with COVID-19 this fall could have placed him at great risk, given his age. But he appeared to weather the virus with few to no symptoms and the experience prompted no apparent change in his approach to the pandemic.
Missouri has begun administering vaccines but is still innoculating health care workers and long-term care residents. Shots aren’t expected to become available for the general public for months, meaning the state is likely to be saddled with the continuing effects of the virus well into 2021.
In the speech, Parson promised to continue “working hard to give doctors and nurses the tools they need to care for Missourians.”
Parson will deliver a State of the State address later this month, when he’ll formally outline his legislative agenda for the year. In his inaugural address, the governor stayed away from specific policies, instead sticking to broad themes.
He promised to give certain groups the “tools” they need to succeed. He said he will work hard to give law enforcement officers tools to keep residents safe, to give farmers tools “to succeed from sun up to sun down,” and to give teachers the tools to educate.
Parson also committed to caring “for the unborn to the elderly, the rich to the poor … regardless of the color of your skin.”
If this fall’s campaign is any indication, Parson will push a standard Republican agenda of job creation and economic development. In the age of COVID-19, that includes protecting corporations from virus-related lawsuits, a measure that he initially pushed for in a special session last year.
Some Republicans are also calling for limits on the power of local health officials to restrict businesses during the pandemic, citing local orders they contend are excessive. Whether Parson will support such legislation remains unclear; the governor has made clear he supports local control in the pandemic response.
For their part, Democrats plan to keep a close eye on whether Parson follows through on launching Medicaid expansion after voters approved it in August. The governor had warned that extending health coverage would prove expensive and some legislators have floated the possibility the General Assembly could hold up expansion by withholding the necessary funds to pay for it.
“It is with your strong compassion, courage, and heart that I will lead … and we will all succeed,” Parson said. “Hard working, God-fearing, decent folks. That’s who we are.”
This story was originally published January 11, 2021 at 11:00 AM.
