Chris McDaniel

In what will could be the final news conference of his first term, President Obama called on Congress to increase the debt ceiling.

Obama used harsh language to describe the tactics Republicans are using to bring about spending cuts, saying that they are "holding a gun to the head of the American people."

A report released Friday morning confirmed what many have already known: that Missouri's fund for disabled workers is broke.

Republican Auditor Tom Schweich found that Missouri's Second Injury Fund has $28 million in unpaid obligations, but only had $3 million at the end of 2012.

The fund covers workers' compensation claims for employees who have previous injuries or disabilities and then suffer a new job-related injury.

Schweich says the state is facing several lawsuits demanding immediate payment on claims that have been delayed.

As a new appointee on the Senate Armed Services Committee, Republican Roy Blunt of Missouri will have a say in the nomination of former Senator Chuck Hagel to Secretary of Defense.

Blunt will join Democrat Claire McCaskill on the committee that will oversee Hagel's hearing.

Hagel has solicited the ire of many conservatives for his prior statements on Israel. While he served in Congress, Hagel stated that he was a United States Senator, not “an Israeli Senator.”

Blunt and his fellow Republicans are concerned he won't be a close enough ally to Israel.

St. Louis Public Radio’s Chris McDaniel joins the St. Louis Beacon’s Jo Mannies and Jason Rosenbaum to talk about the week’s politics.

On today's episode: Ed Martin becomes the Missouri GOP's new chairman. How did it happen? Also, an update on the jockeying for Missouri's 8th Congressional seat. And then we close it out with a look toward the Missouri legislature.

Follow Chris McDaniel on Twitter: @csmcdaniel

In a narrow victory on Saturday, Ed Martin edged out incumbent David Cole to become the new Missouri GOP Chairman.

Many speculate David Cole was ousted because of the GOP's poor performance in statewide races, where the party lost five out of the six races, in spite of Republican Mitt Romney carrying the state by over 10 points. But it's worth noting that Martin chaired the Missouri GOP's Victory 2012 Campaign, which resulted in only one victory for the party.