On Thursday, while announcing painful cutbacks that could have been avoided though proper management of the budget, Gov. Nixon was asked whether cutbacks in state government would affect the Governor’s office. He refused to answer the question, saying he hadn’t looked closely enough at the budgets of various agencies.

Another reporter followed-up: “Are you planning on making reductions in the Governor’s office as well?”
Nixon shrugged and said, “I plan on losing 8 or 10 pounds this summer,” then stammered that he would balance the budget.

The video:

Even the Post-Dispatch took notice, writing that “Nixon dodged a question about whether he would cut his own office staff.”

“These cutbacks are no laughing matter,” said Lloyd Smith, Executive Director of the Missouri Republican Party. “Nixon was asked a legitimate question about whether he would make the same sacrifices he is asking of everyone else. It’s an answer that Missourians deserve to know. After all, this is the same governor who increased salaries of some of his staff by as much as 45%, hid salaries in other departments, and flew to sporting events around the state on a taxpayer-funded airplane while forcing Missourians to wait weeks or months for their tax refunds.”