The Daily Digest: 7-10-07

Posted at 9:14 AM on July 10, 2007 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Daily Digest

Norm Coleman and conundrum lead the digest today. Why? Let's start with two rounds of ads targeting his vote on the war in Iraq. KARE-11, MPR and WCCO have day two stories on an anti-war group running ads against him.

Politico also says anti-war groups are robo-calling Minnesotans about Coleman and the war.

But that isn't the only group running ads against Coleman. The Fix says the DSCC will run ads against Coleman.

The Star Tribune apparently reads the Fix and rounds it all out in this morning's paper.

The Washington Post says Coleman is one of several Republicans being targeted by Democrats on Iraq. He tells the Post:

"The Iraqis need to take greater responsibility, clearly, and I'm not sure they are capable of taking the responsibility they need to take," said Sen. Norm Coleman (R-Minn.), who is up for reelection in 2008 and who has faced a blitzkrieg of Democratic advertising for his support of the war. "But the idea of simply leaving is something I don't think is going to make us safer."

So why is this a conundrum, you ask? Well, Coleman is trying to appease middle of the road voters who think the war in Iraq is failing and have further proof now that the AP says the Iraq government isn't meeting any of its benchmarks.

At the same time, Coleman can't upset his conservative base which doesn't want to see a troop withdrawal. They think a withdrawal will lead to a Civil War in Iraq and show Al Qaeda that the U.S. is weak. They prefer to hear what GOP Michele Bachmann said in a conference call after she returned from Iraq. She says more time is needed for the surge to succeed. She also uses the line "the media isn’t telling the whole story." The St. Cloud Times and the AP have stories. You can listen to Bachmann's entire conference call in an earlier post.

Oh, by the way, Coleman has another political conundrum brewing. Politico says immigrant groups are targeting Coleman because he failed to move the immigration bill for a final vote.

I'm getting the sense that the U.S. Senate race is starting.

Congress

DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar wants better inspection of Chinese import toys. AP, MPR and the Star Tribune have stories.

A senator pushes for tougher rules on future exchanges. Coleman is mentioned

GOP Rep. Jim Ramstad meets with officials from the Department of Homeland Security to discuss terrorism.

DFL Rep. Betty McCollum was in Egypt last week.

DFL Rep. Collin Peterson puts forward a bill that updates farm subsidies. He also says the U.S. is running out of land to grow corn for ethanol. Hmmm, what could replace corn? How about sugar?

Ag groups also want more research funding.

Hope also dims for permanent disaster aid for agriculture.

Legistorm details the privately paid trips for those in Congress.

Legislature and State Government

GOP Rep. Mark Olson is using the battered husband defense. The St. Cloud Times and the Star Tribune have stories.

The first wave of guard troops is expected home soon.

2008

The Fix, the Star Tribune, the Hill, AP and the Pi Press write about Al Franken's fundraising. News nugget alert - Vance Opperman is helping Ciresi raise money.

Chris Coleman for Senate?

Jim Cohen will announce that he's running for the U.S. Senate. That leads to this question - who is Jim Cohen?

It's alphabet soup in the race for House District 28B.

CBS News "the horse race" says the Pawlenty VP horse isn't surging as much.

More bad news for John McCain. Ron Paul has more cash on hand.

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