Clay: Joplin tornado helped Billy Long grow into his job

Today's Springfield News-Leader features a profile by former St. Louis Post-Dispatch Washington correspondent Deidre Shesgreen on Seventh District Congressman Billy Long's first year in office.

Despite its profile status, there is not much depth to the article, but it does offer the following nugget from Rep. Lacy Clay, D-MO, on Long:

Clay said the delegation all rallied around Long after the Joplin tornado hit, and he was impressed with how Long handled the disaster.

"It was a lot heaped onto a freshman," Clay said. "But you could see him right before our eyes grow into his job and grow into his responsibility."