K. C. Star columnist profiles Richard

Kansas City Star political columnist Steve Kraske profiles Speaker of the House Ron Richard in his latest effort:

Enter Richard, who pledges a more bipartisan approach to governing, just as the nation struggles with its dire economy.

“The times demand that we work together,” Richard said. “I won’t be calling you names behind your back. I don’t operate that way.”

He’s unusually accessible to lawmakers and reporters alike, and he’s planning breakfast sessions to keep correspondents up to speed. He shut down “The Vault,” the second-floor hideaway office that Jetton set up for closed-door meetings and turned it back into a storage room.

Instead, he thinks the speaker’s spacious office will do the trick just fine.