Polinaut: July 16, 2007 Archive

How much did they raise here?

Posted at 8:02 AM on July 16, 2007 by Mike Mulcahy

So, how much did the presidential candidates raise in the gopher state?

Starting with the Democrats from December to June Hillary Clinton raised $364,450. Barack Obama raised $215,716, and John Edwards raised $108,032.

On the Republican side Rudy Giuliani raised $220,425. John McCain raised $207,760, and Mitt Romney raised $60,605.

You might think I spent all weekend compiling these numbers, but really it was only a few minutes using this handy New York Times gizmo. Check my math and check your candidate there.

The Daily Digest: 7-16-07

Posted at 10:20 AM on July 16, 2007 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Daily Digest

GOP Rep. Mark Olson, of Big Lake, is found guilty on one count and acquitted on another count. Olson says he will not resign. The Star Tribune, the St. Cloud Times and KARE-11 have stories.

The next question is whether an ethics complaint is filed against Olson and if there's a move to remove him from office.

One person who has been mentioned as a possible GOP replacement to Olson is former Secretary of State Mary Kiffmeyer. The State Auditor said Secretary of State Mary Kiffmeyer overpaid 17 of her staffers when she was Secretary of State. Kiffmeyer blames her staff for the mishap. AP and the Pi Press have stories.

Gov. Pawlenty says good-bye to MN National Guard troops who are headed to Kosovo. He's also welcoming guard troops home after their time in Iraq.

The Star Tribune says Soldiers turned recruiters are also helping fill the military ranks.

There's a rally to support a Bloomington bridge.

Congress

Forum Communications says there is more going on in Congress than the Iraq war debate.

Efforts to block the fairness doctrine have failed. GOP Sen. Norm Coleman leads the effort.

The Hill also credits Coleman on his nuclear sting.

DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar is mentioned in this story on dangerous toys.

The Star Tribune writes about efforts to make more protective combat vehicles. GOP Rep. John Kline is mentioned.

Fox News does a story on DFL Rep. Keith Ellison's statement that compares the Bush Administration to Nazi Germany.

DFL Rep. Collin Peterson continues to work on his Farm Bill. CQ says Democrats are eying the politics of the Farm Bill. Peterson and Walz are mentioned.

An effort for food labeling is also gaining momentum.

A house panel passes funding for the Hormel Institute.

2008

CQ writes about Minnesota's Senate race in light of Al Franken's fundraising.

The New York Times says Senate Democrats are outraising their Republican counterparts.

The Star Tribune details fundraising efforts by GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann and DFL Rep. Tim Walz.

Pawlenty, co-chair of John McCains presidential campaign, says he hopes they can "restart" the campaign.

Bob Olson has scheduled a news conference for tomorrow to announce whether he'll stop his bid for Senate and run for Congress against GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann. The Pi Press has details on the possible switch. Check an earlier post on Polinaut as well.

RNC Convention

The Star Tribune says the GOP Convention's host committee says money is flowing as anticipated but don't talk numbers.

What if -- special presidential version

Posted at 3:33 PM on July 16, 2007 by Bob Collins (9 Comments)

Charlie Cook of the Cook Report said in the New York Times last week of John McCain's campaign:

“It’s effectively over,” said Charlie Cook, the editor of The Cook Political Report, a nonpartisan newsletter. “The physicians have left the hospital room and it’s the executors of the estate that are taking over.”

The media's portrayal of this, of course, is a campaign in decline. A frontrunner -- sort of -- who fell from grace.

But what if he never was? What if the only reason he seemed like a viable candidate is because he became the favorite Republican of John Stewart of the Daily Show, would appear on any Sunday morning network news talk show for the asking? What if he seemed like a bigger deal in Minnesota because our guy was clearly vying to be his running mate?

What if the story here isn't the failure of John McCain to sustain a candidacy, but the inability of political experts to adequately assess a candidate's electability?

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