Polinaut: July 3, 2007 Archive

The Daily Digest: 7-3-07

Posted at 8:29 AM on July 3, 2007 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)
Filed under: Daily Digest

The Minnesota Department of Health's annual abortion survey is released. The Star Tribune, MPR, AP and the Pi Press have stories.

DFL Rep. Jeremy Kalin is taking the food stamp challenge.

The Star Tribune has a fireworks story just in time for July 4th.

Congress
GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann meets troops in Germany before she heads to the Middle East.

DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar heads up north.

DFL Rep. Collin Peterson urges folks in Marshall and Lyon County to lobby Washington if they want transportation money.

Peterson also breaks down the farm bill, tells Ducks Unlimited that he wants to fund conservation in the bill and suggests a pipeline to ship ethanol to the coasts.

The Hill takes a look at a death penalty case in Georgia and writes about possible federal oversight. DFL Rep. Keith Ellison is mentioned.

DFL Rep. Jim Oberstar writes an op-ed saying cooperation is needed from the state on studying miner related cancer.

2007

The GOP endorsing convention to replace Steve Sviggum is scheduled for July 9th.

2008

Stu Rothenberg says Minnesota is one of eight battleground states to watch. Here's what he writes:

Minnesota: Ten electoral votes, Senate race, two House races_Richard Nixon was the last Republican to carry the state for president in 1972, but the White House races are consistently close. Kerry carried the state 51 percent to 48 percent in 2004 and in 2000, Gore won it by a narrower 48 percent to 46 percent.__Norm Coleman (R) is one of the most vulnerable Senators in the country, and has already drawn a crowd of challengers including comedian Al Franken and attorney Mike Ciresi. Democrats may not be through recruiting yet.__Republicans are targeting freshman Rep. Tim Walz (D) in the 1st district after he knocked off then-Rep. Gil Gutknecht (R) and two GOP state legislators already are running. Freshman Rep. Michele Bachmann (R) begins the first, of likely many, re-election races in the 6th district, in which she is targeted for her unabashed conservative views.

GOP Sen. Norm Coleman and DFL challenger Mike Ciresi disclose their fundraising totals. The world waits with baited breath for DFLer Al Franken's number.

MNBlue interviews Bob Olson.

Something to watch for

As John McCain's presidential campaign struggles, will Gov. Pawlenty kick up the fundraising and the public appearances for McCain or distance himself from the Arizona Senator?

2008 RNC
CQ says both political parties will receive money for the 2008 conventions.

Finally.

The Digest will take the day off on July 4th. Have a nice holiday.

Comment on this post

Special Session talk

Posted at 4:48 PM on July 3, 2007 by Tom Scheck

I was trying to write this for the past couple of days but was getting stretched in different directions. So for those of you who are interested in a special session -- there are a few (albeit minor) updates. First, Gov. Pawlenty met with DFL House Speaker Margaret Kelliher and DFL Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller in the middle of last month. I'm told it was nothing serious but more informal discussions on the prospects of a special session. Pogemiller called the talks "cordial" but didn't get the impression that Pawlenty was interested in a special session. Pogemiller said he'd be open to a special session that focused on jobs and the economy (tax bill, bonding bill and nursing home $).

DFL Senator Keith Langseth also said that he met with Finance Commissioner Tom Hansen to discuss a possible bonding bill in a possible special session. Langseth said part of the discussions focused on borrowing for transportation projects which Langseth said was out of the question. Langseth said he and Pawlenty are trying to find time to meet.

So that's the update (if you want to call it that).