Polinaut: May 18, 2007 Archive

The Daily Digest: 5-18-07

Posted at 11:22 AM on May 18, 2007 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Daily Digest

There's a point in every session where every capitol reporter has to write a story with a lede that basically says this:

"The legislative process ground to a halt today as tempers flared and battles lines were drawn."

The lede is a basic "we're keeping you informed that nothing happened." Take for example this MPR lede:

"The optimism that lawmakers were feeling late Wednesday seemed to melt away as budget negotiations continued Thursday."

or this Pi Press lede:

"The glimmers of a budget deal at the Minnesota Capitol disappeared into the mist Thursday night as talks between legislative leaders and Gov. Tim Pawlenty slowed down and most lawmakers were at work on other issues. "

What the digest is basically telling you is yesterday seemed to blow up day or slow down day or whatever you want to call it. It's basically the day when the governor and lawmakers try to squeeze just a little bit more out of their political rival. We'll have a better understanding in the next ten hours if they're closer to a deal.

MPR, the Pi Press, the Star Tribune and the AP have stories.

GOP House Minority Leader Marty Seifert of Marshall says he thinks they'll get done by Monday.

Forum Communications says negotiators overshadow other work. Sacre Bleu! You mean there are more than just four lawmakers and a governor in this place!

The House oks a school insurance pool bill that took forever to debate. The Pi Press and the Mesabi Daily News have stories.

The Senate takes up a bill on insurance denials. The Star Tribune and the AP have stories.

The House sent the vehicle for a lights on transportation bill to the Senate. DFLers in the House say there is one vote on transpo funding remaining and it's the override of Governor Pawlenty's veto. GOP Representative Mark Olson just made a motion to override today because he wants lawmakers to have time to create and pass another transportation bill. The motion was tabled.

Sen. Satveer Chaudhary says changing the fishing opener to Mother's Day is a possibility among a range of possibilities. Anglers everywhere think "How in the world can I explain this one?"

Vikings make a pitch before the House Tax Committee. Crickets chirping. The Star Tribune and the Pi Press have stories.

Congress
GOP Sen. Norm Coleman says U.S. Attorney Alberto Gonzalez should resign. MPR, the Star Tribune and AP have stories.

His announcement comes as the Senate plans a no confidence vote on Gonzalez.

Coleman is also happy that an envoy has been named to Somalia.

GOP Rep John Kline says he supports the national defense authorization act. DFL Rep. Keith Ellison voted against it.

The House Ag Committee (chaired by DFL Rep. Collin Peterson) adopts a resolution that calls on the nation to get to 25 by 25.

The committee also cuts some of Sen. Tom Harkins initiatives.

2008

The Fix moves GOP Sen. Norm Coleman?s reelection chances down the list. They cite MPRs poll (but not MPR - grrrr) as a reason. In particular the head to heads and the negatives:

Far more troubling than the head-to-head numbers, however, were the favorable/unfavorable scores of the three candidates. Forty-three percent felt favorably toward Coleman while 25 felt unfavorably. Compare that to Franken's 29 percent/32 percent score and Ciresi's 18 percent/13 percent. When challengers start out with fav/unfav numbers like those, it doesn't bode well for the rest of the campaign. Coleman is a strong campaigner and will have all the money he needs at his disposal. This will still be a very tough race for the incumbent, but Franken and Ciresi appear to enter it with significant liabilities of their own. (Previous ranking: 3)

The sounds of the Legislature

Posted at 1:33 PM on May 18, 2007 by Tom Scheck

Governor Pawlenty started his radio show this morning with the song "We gotta get out of this place" by the Animals as a way to sum up his mood at the Capitol.

It wasn't the only music played this week. DFL Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller was playing U2's "With or without you" last night when he wasn't sure if there were going to be any other budget negotiations that evening.

The Rolling Stones "Under my thumb" was also playing in the Senate Majority Leader's office.

Republican House Minority Leader says his theme song from last week was "What part of no don't you understand?"

What do you think the music should be as we head into the final week? How about Johnny Cash's "All over again" since they keep meeting nightly or "Negotiate with Love" by Rachel Stevens? How about "More Money, More Problems."?

UPDATE: Seifert says his latest theme song is "I will survive" by Gloria Gaynor

Potluck!

Posted at 2:23 PM on May 18, 2007 by Tom Scheck

The Minnesota Senate had its annual potluck today. Governor Pawlenty stopped by and talked with reporters, a bipartisan group of senators and legislative staffers. He even brought some caramels which he says is meant to "sweeten the offer."

Pawlenty joked that "I didn't want to come empty handed because he would say that I was approaching this potluck just the same way I was approaching my negotiations."

DFL Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller was ecstatic that Pawlenty showed up. He said no governor has ever attended the annual potluck.

Maybe a little hotdish is all it took to get negotiations back on track.

Lawmakers are still negotiating their budget details and have another meeting scheduled for this afternoon.

UPDATE: I failed to mention that DFL Sen. Scott Dibble brought his famous bipartisan rhubarb and cherry pie. It's bipartisan since the rhubarb was grown in GOP Sen. Michael Jungbauer's garden.

Coleman and legislative leaders on Almanac tonight

Posted at 5:30 PM on May 18, 2007 by Tom Scheck

GOP Sen. Norm Coleman and the legislative leaders will be on TPT's Almanac tonight.