Polinaut: August 28, 2007 Archive

The Daily Digest: 8-28-07

Posted at 10:02 AM on August 28, 2007 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Daily Digest

Gov. Pawlenty's office estimates the flood damage in southeastern Minnesota is at $67 million. A special session is expected.

But wait Digest readers! Lt. Gov. Carol Molnau says she's not so sure a special session is needed until more assessment is done. So it appears that Molnau and Pawlenty don't have the same choir book let alone the same choir sheet.

A contractor (KTM) drops out of the I-35W bridge rebuild. They were the biggest of the bigs.

KARE-11 says removing the debris from the bridge collapse could take months.

Some are pushing for heavier truck limits. Here's the deal -- If it was difficult to get it through in the past legislative session, how will it get through after a bridge collapse?

Congress

Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez quits. He didn't have many friends left in Minnesota. The Star Tribune and AP have stories.

Former U.S. Attorney Tom Heffelfinger has mixed emotions on the resignation. MPR also interviews Heffelfinger. Listen here.

DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar says she's working with retailers to improve toy safety.

Idaho Senator Larry Craig pleads guilty for his actions in a bathroom at Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport. Craig is now trying to talk his way out of it. But the Idaho Statesman seems to have him on a lot more.

2008

Former Sen. Fred Thompson (R-TN) comes to Minnesota to raise some cash and visits the MN State Fair. He tells supporters that he will officially announce his campaign for president in a few weeks. MPR, the Star Tribune, the Pi Press, AP and KARE-11 have stories.

Thompson also talks with Powerline and Captain's Quarters.

GOP House Minority Leader Marty Seifert tells Thompson that he's working to get Gov. Pawlenty on the Thompson bandwagon. Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney is also lobbying Pawlenty.

Speaking of Romney. He releases his statewide steering committee. What a coincidence! He releases it on the same day that a potential rival is at the MN State Fair.

2008 RNC

The anarchists hold a news conference to discuss protest planning and then walks out. You can't make this up. The Star Tribune, the Pi Press and AP have stories.

Finally

Miss Teen South Carolina gives us the reason why some Americans can find the U.S. on a map.

Finally, finally

I am taking a much needed vacation for the next week. But fear not Digest readers! Mr. Mike Mulcahy will do the Daily Digest in the meantime. Why do I hear all of that cheering?

Somebody's lying

Posted at 3:38 PM on August 28, 2007 by Bob Collins (1 Comments)

Well, shoot, I guess I could use that headline for virtually any story about politicians.

Sen. Larry Craig just came out swinging in his battle, I guess, with the Idaho Statesman, denying that he is gay, or ever has been. All of this, of course, comes about after his arrest in June at the MSP airport.

Craig says he made a mistake pleading guilty in the hope of making it go away. But the reporter for the Statesman (who apparently has been working on a story suggesting Craig is gay) says Craig went back to the airport later saying he needed contact information "for his attorney." Apparently, such an entry exists in the police log out at MSP. (Note: Tom Scheck says The Smoking Gun has the, ummm, smoking gun.)

But here's what's odd. In a "sting" operation, isn't the idea to get the stingee to actually commit some unmistakable crime or proposal? Tapping toes, moving feet, and putting your suitcase in the stall with you -- while odd -- isn't exactly unmistakable. I'm no cop, but if this was leading up to what the cop says it was leading up to, waiting another minute or two would've sealed it. Still, there's no situation that I can think of where a guy's foot should be touching the guy's foot in the next stall. Creepy, man. It's all creepy.

But let this be a lesson to you if you go to the bathroom at MSP: unplug your iPod first.

So, the statement is he pleaded guilty by mistake, which makes one wonder how smart a politician can a guy be who thinks that one makes scandal in Washington go away by admitting to it in court? And over the course of 6 weeks (from arrest to plea), the notion of maybe, kinda, possibly having a lawyer get involved (they can sometimes make things go away) never crossed his mind?

By the way, Craig has quit the Romney campaign as Senate co-chair.

There is some good news for Craig, however. The Daily Show is in reruns this week.

Nonetheless, Craig has now delivered a juicy story to the Washington press corps on what may be one of the slowest weeks of the year.

Well played, sir.

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