Capitol View: February 6, 2006 Archive

Briefing - Monday February 6, 2006

Posted at 8:39 AM on February 6, 2006 by Bob Collins

I usually try to get Polinaut updated by 7:30 or 8 in the morning. You know the drill: let the dog out, pick up the paper, update the blog. For the next 10 days, though, the routine around the casa is going to be a bit different so it may be closer to 9 a.m. before it can get updated.

Now then, let's look around the political planet.

The Washington Post is out with a list of key races to accompany its story, Handful of key races may tip Congress. Bet you can't get which one in Minnesota is on the list.

Still wondering. When is Iran going to be appear on the political radar screen. Seems like it's become the Ndudi Ebi of issues. Maybe it's me, but the future of Social Security, the national debt, and most other things seem rather trivial compared to this. Is the fallout from the game of chicken little?

From the "it's quiet, too quiet" department, Minnesota Democrats Exposed posts:

Join the Business Democrats on Wednesday, Feb. 8 from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Santorini's in St. Louis Park (9920 Wayzata Blvd., -- around the corner from the Interchange Building, near the intersection of 169 and I-394).

This month the Business Dems are hosting a candidate forum for Governor candidates, moderated by Politics in Minnesota's Blois Olson, and all four announced candidates are expected to attend. Members $15, guests $20. RSVP to Robert Jacobs at 763 424-3036 or rjacobs@teamcreative.com. Source: Sixth Congressional District DFL

Given the heavy GOP presence at the Wetterling (or was it Tinklenberg?) event on Friday, I wonder if one-party events are going to have a heavily opposition-party flavored during this campaign season? I can see the future: portable fact-checking units show up at every event and crank out blogs and press releases at every answer. Cool. That's a step past dressing up as a pair of flip-flops. Not that they weren't fashionable, mind you.

Speaking of Iran, apparently we have a little in common.

Shoot, didn't get it done to 9:09. Now nobody will see this because they're at work, working. Furiously. Never taking a moment...to....browse the Web. No time-wasting. Darn.

2nd District blues

Posted at 11:14 AM on February 6, 2006 by Bob Collins

DFL support for Coleen Rowley seems to be coming apart at the seams, at least on Main Street. With Sharon Marko ready to jump in the race, some of the DFL-leaning blogs are jumping off the Rowley ship.

Minnesota Campaign Report makes it distinctly clear:

et's get one thing straight - I would much rather have a Democrat in the 2nd CD seat rather than John Kline. But Ms. Rowley is not a good candidate. She does not demonstrate effective control in public speech, she does not exert control over her message (or perhaps too much, either way, it's bad) or over her campaign staff. "I was a post-9/11 whistleblower" is simply not enough to get elected to Congress. This is one case where an insurgent, activist-based campaign is a very bad thing - when the candidate is running on name recognition alone, and once the campaign gets off the ground, the cracks start to show. Not good.

Backbone Minnesota leaves it at this:

“I’ve just noticed the occasional lack of professional ability” - St. Sen. Sharon Marko (DFL) 2/1/06, when asked to comment on Coleen Rowley’s campaign.

Debates by jetpack

Posted at 11:25 AM on February 6, 2006 by Bob Collins (1 Comments)

I see on Kennedy vs. the Machine that Rep. Mark Kennedy has accepted an invitation to appear at the North Chamber of Commerce meeting at noon on March 3.

“I was happy to accept this debate and I sincerely hope that both Amy and Ford will join me in speaking candidly to voters about the issues,” said Mark Kennedy. ”The voters of Minnesota deserve an open, honest and friendly discussion of the issues. This Senate seat is too important to allow candidates to hide behind poll tested sound bites and press releases.”

The news release is dated for today. One problem: Ford Bell and Amy Klobuchar already had accepted an invitation to debate on MPR's Midday on that same day, starting at 11, in St. Paul, a debate that was publicized and mentioned in at least one of the candidate's news releases.

Kennedy has been invited to appear on the same program on March 2 and/or March 8.

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Ritchie announces for SOS

Posted at 2:32 PM on February 6, 2006 by Bob Collins

Mark Ritchie today announce his candidacy for secretary of state in Minnesota. He took a few shots at incumbent Mary Kiffmeyer, who hasn't said yet if she'll run again this year. (Though she did respond to the "shots."). Jane Freeman was on the podium at the announcement, urging a vote for her son, Mike, who is a candidate for Hennepin County Attorney.

Here's the audio (RealPlayer required) of his speech.