Never at a loss for words: Kansas and Missouri politicians had a lot to say in 2017

Here they are, the best quotes of 2017 as uttered by our Missouri and Kansas pols.

▪  “This is a big place, with a powerful purpose, and it has too often been consumed by small goals and petty politics.” — Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens in his first State of the State address.

▪  “With thundering internal fuss.” — Missouri Congressman Emanuel Cleaver describing his mixed feelings about attending Donald Trump’s inauguration.

▪  “Everybody: Chin up. Shoulders back.” — Democrat Jason Kander in a tweet on the day of Trump’s inauguration.

▪  “I left office with my reputation more or less in tatters, and the pundits and political players in Kansas City politics regard me as a failure.” — former Kansas City Mayor Mark Funkhouser.

▪  “I can see by your pupils in your beady little eyes that you’re afraid of me.” — Greitens to a Republican state senator in a disagreement over a legislative pay raise.

▪  “Roy Blunt looks more like a politician than any politician that has ever politicianed.” — CNN political correspondent Chris Cillizza.

▪  “It’s breaking my heart.” — former Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius describing the condition of her home state under Gov. Sam Brownback.

▪  “There is a group of people that just don’t want health care and aren’t going to take care of themselves.” — Kansas Congressman Roger Marshall talking about health insurance.

▪  “I sure don’t want my mammogram benefits taken away.” — Kansas Sen. Pat Roberts on a plan to roll back the Affordable Care Act.

▪  “Tell him to kiss my ass.” — Missouri Senate President Pro Tem Ron Richard responding to criticism of his bill that would help a generous Republican donor.

▪  “Sometimes the legislature acted like third graders.” — Greitens at session’s end.

▪  “I’m pretty sure we’re in an abusive relationship with @EricGreitens. It’s not healthy, and we need the courage to leave it.” — Missouri Rep. Nick Marshall, a Parkville Republican.

▪  “He’s a tiny little bully that borders on being a tiny little criminal.” — Cleaver on Trump.

▪  “I’ve always backed up and mopped up my mess. That’s what I’m doing now.” — Kansas state Sen. Jim Denning, an Overland Park Republican, on reversing Brownback’s tax cuts.

▪  “He does this because he is narcissistic and likes to grandstand. The truth is, there is some truth to that.” — Kansas City transit activist Clay Chastain speaking about...himself.

▪  “To paraphrase Gerald Ford’s statement about Nixon’s resignation, our long state’s nightmare is over.” — Kansas state Sen. Anthony Hensley on news that Brownback accepted an ambassadorship.

▪  “I hope Trump is assassinated!” — Missouri state Sen. Maria Chapelle-Nadal, a Democrat.

▪  “I hope they are found & hung from a tall tree with a long rope.” — Missouri state Rep. Warren Love, a Republican, on vandals who damaged a Confederate memorial.

▪  “Lots of people do hate it.” — Kansas City Mayor Sly James on Twitter responding to a comment that “nobody can hate our airport.”

▪  “He is an incurable gossip.” — former White House press secretary Josh Earnest of Kansas City on former President Barack Obama.

▪  “We are here blindly rearranging the American economy in the middle of the night.” — Sen. Claire McCaskill of Missouri on voting on tax changes while not knowing details of the legislation.

▪  “It’s like jumping into a shark tank.” — Republican Jim Barnett on running for Kansas governor.

This story was originally published December 21, 2017 at 5:38 PM with the headline "Never at a loss for words: Kansas and Missouri politicians had a lot to say in 2017."