Polinaut: August 22, 2006 Archive

Busy day

Posted at 7:04 AM on August 22, 2006 by Mike Mulcahy

As you already know President Bush is due in the Twin Cities today. He plans to hold a panel discussion on health care in Minnetonka at around 2:30. As is MPR's practice whenever the president comes to town, we'll broadcast that this afternoon.

After that appearance, he'll head to Wayzata for a fundraiser for Michele Bachmann. As much as we'd like to broadcast that we can't. No press allowed.

Patty Wetterling holds a press conference before the president arrives to give her point of view. Her supporters are holding a fundraiser of their own tonight in Woodbury.

The big question today--does the visit help or hurt GOP candidates like Bachmann and Mark Kennedy?

Also the Minnesota Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments in two election cases--the challenge to Gil Gutknecht's petition signatures that has the potential to knock him off the ballot, and the case of an Independence Party candidate for Legislature who contends that bad advice from Mary Kiffmeyer kept him off the ballot.

Mike Hatch again

Posted at 10:49 AM on August 22, 2006 by Mike Mulcahy

He's on Midday at 11.

U.S. Senate majority whip in town for Kennedy

Posted at 1:00 PM on August 22, 2006 by Tom Scheck

Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky is in Minnesota today to raise money for Congressman Mark Kennedy's U.S. Senate campaign. McConnell currently serves as the Senate Majority Whip and is line to be majority leader if Republicans keep control of the U.S. Senate. He says Minnesota's open U.S. Senate seat is the best opportunity for a GOP pickup this election and could be key in determining which party controls the Senate.

I don't see any way that Democrats can gain control of the Senate if Mark Kennedy is successful.

Democrats have been quick to point out that Kennedy votes with President Bush more than 90 percent of the time. Kennedy says he doesn't understand the Democrats' obsession with the president.

If you're with him 100 percent of the time then you are a lap dog of the president. If you in any way shape or form distance yourself from him, you're running away from the president. I'm not running away from the president, but this race is not about President Bush. It's my name on the ballot. Call me old-fashioned, but I think we ought to be talking about the issues and the issue differences that there is and exists between myself and my opponent.

Minnesota's open U.S. Senate seat is receiving national attention from both parties. Hennepin County Attorney Amy Klobuchar has the DFL endorsement. Robert Fitzgerald is the endorsed Independence Party candidate. You can listen to the Kennedy/McConnell news conference here. The DFL Party and Amy Klobuchar's campaign have not issued any kind of statement on McConnell's visit. The DFL Party just released this statement on McConnell's visit:

Perhaps no Democrats, Independents or Republicans with a bi-partisan track record were available to testify on behalf of Congressman Mark Kennedy's "independence" from his party and President. So instead, Congressman Kennedy held a joint press conference with Senator Mitch McConnell, a likely contender to replace Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and one of the most loyal Bush Republicans, to discuss the importance of bi-partisanship in the Senate.

Only a Washington insider like Congressman Kennedy would think that having another loyal Bush Republican call him 'bi-partisan' could somehow make his loyal party voting record disappear," said DFL spokesperson Jess McIntosh.

Wetterling on health care

Posted at 2:21 PM on August 22, 2006 by Tom Scheck

DFLer Patty Wetterling, who is running for Congress in Minnesota's Sixth District, appeared at an event urging President Bush and Congress to pass real health care solutions to the health care crisis. MPR (courtesy of online editor Melanie Sommer) isolated Wetterling's comments on health care. You can listen to them here.

President Bush is holding a health care roundtable discussion in Minnetonka and will then appear at a fundraiser for Wetterling's GOP opponent, Michele Bachmann. The Bush visit will raise $500,000 for Bachmann.

MN Supreme Court: Gutknecht can stay on ballot

Posted at 2:41 PM on August 22, 2006 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)

The Minnesota Supreme Court ruled that GOP Congressman Gil Gutknecht can stay on the ballot. You can read the brief decision here. It was a quick decision since oral arguments were heard this morning.

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President Bush on health care

Posted at 2:51 PM on August 22, 2006 by Tom Scheck

President Bush just started speaking at his health care panel in Minnetonka. You can listen to his comments here.

The Daily Digest: 8-22-06

Posted at 4:02 PM on August 22, 2006 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)

We delayed the digest today because of President Bush's visit. You can listen to his comments in Minnetonka here. You can also read stories from the AP, Star Tribune and the Pioneer Press.

The New York Times has a story this morning on President Bush's election year push and the war in Iraq.

President Bush also honored a volunteer during his stop.

Brian Bakst, with the Associated Press, says the Mayo Clinic is trying to get President Bush's attention on the Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad .

President Bush will also raise $500,000 for Republican Michele Bachmann's campaign for Congress.

Bachmann's DFL opponent in MN's 6th Congressional District appeared at a news conference on health care. Patty Wetterling's comments on the issue can be heard here.

The Minnesota Supreme Court listens to a petition challenging GOP Congressman Gil Gutknecht's name on the ballot and quickly decide his name should stay there.

Pat Condon, with the Associated Press, has been busy scrutinizing the resumes of DFLer Amy Klobuchar and Republican Mark Kennedy.

He also just released a story saying Kennedy would NOT be the only accountant in the U.S. Senate if he's elected.

Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell held a fundraiser for Kennedy earlier today. You can listen to the news conference here.

Mike Hatch, the DFL endorsed candidate for governor, continues to beat the drum for more stem cell funding.

Hatch also appeard on MPR's Midday program. You can listen to that conversation here.

Governor Pawlenty traveled with President Bush today. He was busy opening the Hormel Institute yesterday.

The Bemidji Pioneer has a story on a fundraiser for state senate candidate Mary Olson, a DFLer. Apparently DFL Senate Majority Leader Dean Johnson thinks she can beat Republican Senator Carrie Ruud.

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