Polinaut: February 15, 2007 Archive

The Daily Digest: 2-15-07

Posted at 8:49 AM on February 15, 2007 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Daily Digest

There's plenty of stuff in the digest today. So we're starting with the Legislature and going from there.

The Pi Press says an attempt to weaken the smoking ban proposal in a Minnesota Senate committee has failed. But the Star Tribune says it still hit some snags.

The Pi Press and MPR take a look at some of the immigration proposals at the Legislature.

Forum Communications and the Star Tribune have stories on the college student rally against rising debt.

The Mankato Free Press says Mankato schools will offer Chinese in the fall.

The state is expected to approve an oil deal pipeline says the Star Tribune.

AP has details on Pawlenty's proposal to shutdown DOER.

Pawlenty was in Brainerd on Tuesday touting his education initiatives.

AP says a bill calling for greater disclosure on campaign ads is moving through the House and Senate.

Pawlenty and DFL Senator Amy Klobuchar will attend Minnesota's prayer breakfast in April.

The New York Times focuses on a bill that would push parity between the sexes.

Congress

1st District DFL Congressman Tim Walz is mentioned in this The Hill story on PA Congressman Patrick Murphy.

The Christian Science Monitor has a story on the talking points and props that House members are using in their Iraq speeches. It mentions that Walz spoke about military experience.

You can listen to all of the Iraq speeches here.

The Washington Post says GOP Congressman Jim Ramstad was almost apologetic in his speech on Iraq.

NPR, AP, the Washington Times and the Hill say he's supporting the anti-surge resolution.

AP quotes him as saying the U.S. needs to get back to the original mission.

The Weekly Standard calls Ramstad a "MoveOn" Republican.

The Star Tribune has text of Ramstad's speech, Kline's speech and Oberstar's speech.

The Chicago Tribune has a story about Russian nuclear material and the possibility it could get into the wrong hands. GOP Senator Norm Coleman comments on the lack of radiation detectors on the borders.

Ramstad's mental health parity bill also advances says the Providence Journal.

Fox News has a story on Kline's opposition to the union card check bill.

The Star Tribune picks up on yesterday's story involving DFL Congressman Keith Ellison's complaint of cigar smoke.

2008

Al Franken is in. MPR, AP, the Pi Press, Politico, the NY Times, CQ, WCCO-TV and the Star Tribune have stories.

The Star Tribune has the text of his statement.

Smart Politics say Franken and fellow DFLer Mike Ciresi trail Coleman in a Survey USA poll.

Franken also had dinner with some supporters says Susan with Clotheslineblog.

2008 GOP Convention
MPR wonders if the 2008 GOP Convention will displace the homeless.

The first sign that the DCCC is worried about the 1st Congressional District

Posted at 2:33 PM on February 15, 2007 by Tom Scheck (3 Comments)

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee issued a news release asking where Republican state senator Dick Day stands on Iraq. The DCCC's main purpose is to protect incumbents like DFL Congressman Tim Walz. Day, of Owatonna, announced last week that he intends to take on Walz.

Here's the DCCC release:

Will Dick Day Stand Up for Change in Iraq or Stay the Course?

Washington, D.C. – The U.S. House of Representatives today continues its debate on a resolution supporting our troops and opposing President Bush’s decision to escalate troops in Iraq. State Senator Dick Day, a candidate for Congress, has not yet told the people of the 1st District of Minnesota whether they support the resolution or is a Rubber Stamp for the President’s misguided Iraq policy.

“In November, the American people sent Congress a clear message: change direction in Iraq,” said Jennifer Crider, Communications Director at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “Why hasn't Dick Day taken a stand on the President’s misguided escalation policy instead of sitting on the sidelines? The people of Minnesota’s 1st District deserve to know whether Dick Day will represent them or will he just be another Rubber Stamp for the President.”

The House resolution simply says:

Congress and the American People will continue to support and protect the members of the United States Armed Forces who are serving or who have served bravely and honorably in Iraq. Congress Disapproves of the decision of President George W. Bush announced on January 10, 2007, to deploy more than 20,000 additional United States combat troops to Iraq.

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UPDATE:

It appears that the DCCC added Walz to their "frontline." The Fix has the analysis.

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Pawlenty to address CPAC in March

Posted at 3:06 PM on February 15, 2007 by Tom Scheck

Governor Pawlenty will be speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference on March 3rd in Washington D.C. The governor will be speaking about A Bold Conservative Agenda for America's Suburbs. He will be introduced by former GOP Chair Ken Mehlman.

CPAC is organized by the American Conservative Union Foundation. The New York Times wrote in 1999 that the event has attracted "the most conservative wing of the Republican Party." Check Wikipedia for other facts.

Fiscal conservatives (like Americans for Tax Reform) and social conservatives (see the NRA) all attend this event.

Pawlenty is the only governor who will speak. Mike Huckabee (the former governor of Arkansas and presidential hopeful) and Mitt Romney (the former governor of Massachusetts and presidential hopeful) are also speaking.

Those who speculate about Pawlenty's national ambitions will look at this as another step in those efforts. Others will say he's preaching to the conservative choir.

Coleman declines to comment about Franken except to funders.

Posted at 4:25 PM on February 15, 2007 by Tom Scheck

GOP Senator Norm Coleman has been reluctant to share his thoughts on his possible DFL opponents with reporters. But it's clear that Coleman is focusing on Al Franken. He mentions him frequently in this fundraising letter. MPR has a story on the letter here.