By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist

(UPDATED at noon Wednesday: California Supreme Court upholds ruling on gay marriage.)

It's not surprising to see Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt mouthing the arch-conservative position while railing against gay marriages in California. But why is Democratic AG Jay Nixon going along for the ride, too?

On Tuesday, the leading contender this fall to replace Blunt decided to weigh in against gay marriage.

Yup, that will show those out-state Missouri voters that Nixon is one of them.

Nixon pandered to conservative voters after Blunt publicly wondered why the AG hadn't joined other attorneys general in asking the California Supreme Court to stay its recent ruling that allows gay marriage.

California voters later this year will decide whether to join Missouri and other states that outlaw gay marriages.

Of course, the California issue is of no importance to who's going to be the next governor of Missouri.

But now Nixon has joined with other AGs in asking for the court stay in California, as he takes the politically expedient course of trying to innoculate himself against attack this November from GOP challengers.