Polinaut: April 26, 2007 Archive

The Daily Digest: 4-26-07

Posted at 10:15 AM on April 26, 2007 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Daily Digest

The Minnesota House takes up the statewide smoking ban today. It's going to be a long debate. Smoke 'em if you got 'em. Ha!

AP says the local smoking bans have created few complaints and fewer fines

The ban backers want to close the so-called loopholes.

The Minnesota Senate passes a bill that allows the U of M to do stem cell research. AP, MPR, the Star Tribune and the Pi Press have stories.

There appears to be a deal between the House and Senate on the bonding bill. The St. Cloud Times and the Strib have stories.

The Senate passes a restroom proposal and oks a bill to rebid those bus contracts.

A House committee clears the outdoors/arts amendment.

Arizona's governor visits Minnesota.

The Pi Press profiles House Tax Chair Ann Lenczewski and Senate Tax Chair Tom Bakk.

A study says the state's campaign finance laws are flawed.

Some lawmakers are worried about runways at MSP.

The governor's fishing opener will be on Leech Lake.

ECM Publishers says DFL Rep. Melissa Hortman is well respected on both sides.

KARE-11 has a nice story on Kathy Swanson.

Congress

The House passes a war funding package with a troop withdrawal deadline. Democrats support it. Republicans oppose. The Star Tribune and Forum Communications have stories.

DFL Rep. Jim Oberstar urges President Bush to sign the bill (Bush is threatening a veto).

Slate says GOP angst is growing over Alberto Gonzalez. They even have a nifty little graph. GOP Sen. Norm Coleman is mentioned.

Ok. Yesterday, the Star Tribune said the approval ratings for GOP Sen. Norm Coleman and DFL Senator Amy Klobuchar dropped. Now they're saying the ratings went up. My gosh! Those politicians can work wonders to get the public on their side. Here's a Big Question for you: "Wha Happen?"

The reversal in course probably had more to do with this MDE post.

The Hill says DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar isn't so sure the Bush Administration's product safety nominee will have smooth sailing if confirmed.

A Senate panel approves a terrorist hoax improvement bill that Coleman supports.

2008

Norm Coleman is part of the Politico's Fab Four. It's not a list he wants to be on. 30 joint fundraisers!

CQ tracks senate fundraising.

Stop the Presses! Al Franken and Mark Dayton lunch together.

Bill O'Reilly makes fun of Franken (how is this news?).

Other

The Twin Cities Pulse is going to shut down.

Blog Watch

The Big Question dissects GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann's claims on Iraq/Iran. Black broke the story on Bachmann's comments on Iran.

The Fix wonders if Democrats could get to 60 in the Senate and Powerline sighs.

Is this Swanson's Sister Souljah moment?

Posted at 8:10 PM on April 26, 2007 by Tom Scheck (3 Comments)

Attorney General Lori Swanson came out swinging today against the folks at AFSCME Local 5. She suggested that the union is trying to strong-arm her to allow the attorneys in her office to organize. Swanson says they threatened to leak stories to the media about the office politics in Swanson's office. AFSCME officials say they received media calls and alerted Swanson's office about it. They also say they should be able to organize Swanson's office.

Is this Swanson exerting control over her office? Did she forget what the L in DFL stands for? Is this her Sister Souljah moment? Is she now spinning it into a Sister Souljah moment?

Don't know what a Sister Souljah moment is? You can check it here and here. It's basically a politician taking on an interest group that strongly supports their party. What do you think?

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