Do you want the new casino in your city? The question may be premature. After all, Gov. Pawlenty just proposed it, and many at the Capitol think the governor's plan may merge with Canterbury Park's racino plan. But MPR's Mark Zdechlik has a story Monday looking at why there seems to be no rush to sign on as the host community to a new Mystic Lake-sized gambling operation:

Among a handful of locations mentioned as a possible site is the city of Burnsville. Burnsville City Manager Craig Ebeling says unlike other proposed developments, the casino comes with a lot of unknowns.

"Typically when we're working, trying to attract businesses we know a lot about those companies," Ebeling explains. "We're able to visit their existing sites and have them tell us about what their business is and get a good handle on what kind of facility they might be contemplating building in our community, and we have a lot of information on them. This is a little bit different situation. We're not sure what the implications would be."

University of Minnesota Extension Service economic development expert Michael Darger says he's not surprised by the reaction from Burnsville and other economic development officials.

"Casino economic development is something new for Minnesota communities other than, of course, the American Indian bands and tribes. So if there's a little caution on the part of economic developers it's not surprising to me, because this is not something that they're experienced with," Darger says. "It's not something that their analytical tools are designed to help them assess."

In the Fargo Forum, Janell Cole and Don Davis have a few anecdotes about the gambling debate including this one:

Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty took the highly unusual path of criticizing a former governor and fellow Republican who doesn't like his gambling proposal.

Arne Carlson, who left office four years before Pawlenty took office, had publicly criticized Pawlenty's proposal to build a Twin Cities casino for three northern American Indian tribes. The sitting governor did not take kindly to his words.

"I wonder who signed the compacts?" Pawlenty sarcastically asked about Carlson, who had signed an agreement with tribes that allowed them to establish casinos.

Actually, Rudy Perpich did it first.

While Pawlenty may be feeling frustrated about gambling opposition, the Star Tribune over the weekend was assessing his presidential prospects:

His national name recognition probably doesn't exceed 5 percent, but in recent conversations about possible 2008 presidential candidates, Gov. Tim Pawlenty was mentioned more favorably by top conservative Republican leaders meeting in Florida than such household names as Rudolph Giuliani and John McCain. Just Friday, the New York Times named him "a popular conservative considered a rising star."

Grover Norquist, another top GOP architect who heads the group Americans for Tax Reform, said Pawlenty has caught the eye of elite conservative decision makers. "A successful governor who doesn't raise taxes, passes concealed carry, reins in spending and who comes from a blue state that's trending Republican is an attractive candidate for president or vice president."

"Of the guys in the top 12 for '08, he's right up there," Norquist said.

Top 12? Is that exactly the kind of glowing endorsement Pawlenty was hoping for? Top 12? Top five would have been nice. Oh well, the story notes that Pawlenty has plenty to worry about in '06 before he starts thinking too hard about '08.

Finally, one of the oddest rumors circulating after Sen. Mark Dayton, D-Minn., announced he wouldn't run for re-election was that former South Dakota Sen. Tom Daschle might cross the border and seek the seat. Well, we can put that to rest. The Associated Press has an item about Daschle's new job. Guess what? He's going to stay in Washington:

Former Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle plans to put his 26 years of experience in Congress to work at a Washington, D.C., law firm as a public policy adviser.

Daschle, who lost a re-election bid in November to Republican John Thune, said he won't lobby for Alston & Bird LLP, but will advise its clients on topics with which he's familiar.

"I want to continue my involvement in the public policy issues that I care a great deal about. Those issues include energy, Native Americans, health care, international trade, agriculture and technology," he said Sunday in a telephone interview from his Washington home.

One of things he'll do is counsel clients on how to work through legal and regulatory hurdles in Washington and internationally, he said.

But that's not lobbying...apparently. Among the people Daschle will be working with is Bob Dole, the former Senate Republican leader. Who says Democrats and Republicans can't work together?