Lt. Gov. Brad Little, at the close of his budget hearing before JFAC today, was asked by Rep. George Eskridge, R-Dover, "Do you and Gov. Otter plan on rodeoing at the same time?" Little responded with a chuckle, "He keeps telling me it was the bit on the horse, so I might have to get him a new bridle. ... It was pretty good surgery, but he's back in business. I don't know how much he trusts me to be governor." Little was acting governor from 2 p.m. yesterday to 8 p.m., while Otter underwent shoulder surgery, which took a bit longer than expected. Still, he got a call, right on schedule at 8, telling him that Otter was back in charge. "Everything's fine and he's all scheduled for rehab," Little said.

Little told JFAC, "The surgery was a success. He's going to be winged up for a while ... He's a pretty tough guy, and I think he'll rehab well."

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