Two Key Moments That Define Mike Parson’s Six Years as Missouri Governor
Mike Parson’s governorship in Missouri is marked by two significant moments that reveal his leadership style and challenges faced.
Mike Parson, Missouri, COVID-19, Education, Social Security
Jefferson City: So, Mike Parson’s time as Missouri’s governor just wrapped up, and honestly, two moments really stand out. The first was right at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Parson decided not to impose strict statewide health orders. Instead, he let local officials handle it, which didn’t sit well with some folks, including his fellow Republicans and health experts.
One Saturday in March 2020, he was clearly frustrated and held a live press briefing. He told critics to stop tuning in if they were just going to complain. He even quoted Theodore Roosevelt, which became a bit of a thing for him whenever he felt under fire.
Eventually, he caved to pressure and issued a stay-at-home order, but it was pretty weak and didn’t really force anyone to stay home. Fast forward nearly two years, and another moment hit the headlines. A reporter from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch pointed out that Social Security numbers of teachers were at risk due to a flaw on a state education website.
Interestingly, some in Parson’s team wanted to thank the reporter for holding off on the story until the issue was fixed. But instead, Parson stormed out and called the reporter a “hacker,” demanding criminal charges. Even after it was proven that the reporter did nothing wrong, Parson kept insisting he was trying to embarrass him.
These moments really show a lot about Parson. He seemed to enjoy the spotlight of being governor but shied away from the tough stuff. He didn’t dive deep into legislative matters, leaving that to lawmakers while he took a backseat on major policies. But when questioned, he would lash out and veto things without much explanation.
As a lifelong Chiefs fan, he loved the chance to attend Super Bowls but got defensive when people scrutinized his use of donor-funded private planes. He preached about social distancing during the pandemic, but when the Missouri House canceled his State of the State address due to COVID, he claimed it was out of spite, not health concerns.
Parson came into office promising a fresh start after his predecessor’s scandals. And while he did bring some stability, his time was mostly about maintaining the status quo, with a few moments of drama. When faced with tough issues, he often chose to confront the messenger instead of the problem, showing his reluctance to deal with the hard parts of the job.
This commentary originally appeared in The Daily Independent, a free morning newsletter that delivers exclusive content and the biggest stories in Missouri every day at 6 a.m. Sign up today!