Blunt: McCain has an independent streak

During his speech Monday at the Republican National Convention, Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt took a few shots at Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Biden and promoted the candidacy of John McCain:

Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt gave the keynote speech, taking a shot at Biden's tenure in the Senate while making fun of his own youthfulness.

"You don't change Washington with somebody who's been in the U.S. Senate since I was two years old," the 37-year-old outgoing governor said. "You change Washington with somebody who's been a proven reformer. And that's why he selected Sarah Palin."

John McCain, the GOP nominee for president, has been in the Congress since 1983, when Blunt was 12. Obama went to Washington in 2004, the same year Blunt was elected governor.

Speaking with reporters afterwards, Blunt dismissed questions of how McCain could be a change agent for Washington after being there for nearly 26 years.

"He has really been a thorn in the system's side the entire time he's been in Washington," Blunt said, referring to McCain's landmark campaign finance legislation, ethics investigations and criticism of pork barrel spending.

Blunt said McCain has a "pronounced, independent strea

k."