Nixon takes office five minutes early

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Jay Nixon's tenure as governor started about five minutes early Monday.

A Missouri law states that "the governor and lieutenant governor shall hold their offices for a term of four years beginning at 12:00 noon on the second Monday in January." The noon hour generally has been marked by the ringing bells across of St. Peter Catholic Church, just across the street from the Capitol.

The bells started ringing, even though the clock atop the church tower read 11:55, and Nixon completed the oath of office several minutes before noon.

It's not the first time a newly elected Democratic governor got a jump start on governing.

In 2001, Gov. Bob Holden, took office about 15 minutes early on a bitterly cold day. Holden, who also attended Monday's outdoor ceremony, said governors need to keep the event moving.

"You don't want people sitting out here freezing their tale off," Holden said.

Senate Pro Tem Charlie Shields, who presided over the inauguration, said it was cold and that it didn't make much sense to keep waiting amid the occasional rain drop. Shields said he began the swearing in of Nixon after being told to start by the Missouri National Guard.

Guard spokeswoman Capt. Tammy Spicer said that watches were set to the federal government's official clock, displayed on the Internet.

Although many of the thousands who watched the inauguration came to see Nixon take the oath of office, the day's events also include the swearing in of the other four statewide elected officials. That process started around 11:45 a.m. and finished within about five minutes.

With the ceremony running ahead of schedule, Shields attempted to stretch to fill the additional time and urged the marching band to play another song.

"I think it's a really good sign that this inauguration is ahead of schedule and under budget," joked Shields, R-St. Joseph, at the end of the ceremony.

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NIECES AND BIBLES: The statewide officials sworn in Monday each took the same oath of office with their right hand in the air and left hand on a Bible, generally held by a spouse.

But Missouri's two unmarried officials each turned to their nieces to hold the Bible.

Democratic Attorney General Chris Koster was accompanied by 9-year-old Claire Koster and sworn in by state appeals Judge Joseph Dandurand, who is coming to work for Koster.

Republican Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder was joined by Paige Kinder, 17. Federal trial Judge Stephen Limbaugh, a former member of the state Supreme Court, gave Kinder the oath of office.

Chief Justice Laura Denvir Stith swore in Nixon, Treasurer Clint Zweifel and Secretary of State Robin Carnahan.

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PARADE: Fourteen marching bands, including one from Nixon's alma mater of De Soto High School, joined Jay and Georgeanne Nixon in a parade through downtown Jefferson City to the Capitol.

The Nixons rode in the back of a red Ford Mustang convertible.

The parade route took them past the Governor's Mansion before looping around to the Missouri River side of the state Capitol. Both Nixons turned to look at the gubernatorial residence, with Georgeanne Nixon putting her arm around the incoming governor and patting him on the back.

Nixon had planned to walk but rode in the car instead because it threatened to rain.

All Missouri's statewide elected officials and the top two legislative leaders were in the parade. Nixon, Carnahan, State Auditor Susan Montee and House Speaker Ron Richard rode in convertibles. Kinder, Zweifel, Koster and Shields walked.

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FIRST MEETING: About an hour after he took office, Nixon finished his first gubernatorial meeting.

Nixon and Linda Martinez, the nominee to head the Department of Economic Development, met with small business owners in the governor's second floor office. The meeting was opened halfway through to allow reporters to observe. Nixon capped the meeting by reiterating his intent to focus on economic development and did not take any questions.

Dave Chronister, co-owner of a St. Peters computer security firm, said that he was asked by Nixon's office to attend. Chronister said the meeting focused on ways the state can help existing Missouri businesses.

"When you have the ear of the governor, you show up," he said.

Chronister's business — co-owned by his wife, Renee Chronister, and called Parameter Security — checks the security of business' computer networks by imitating malevolent hackers.

Chronister said his company's primary concern is finding a highly skilled work force. He said the best thing Nixon could do to ensure that is to keep taxes low and make Missouri a more desirable place to live.