The Daily Digest: 9-21-07

Posted at 9:08 AM on September 21, 2007 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Daily Digest

Two of the construction teams that lost their bid to rebuild the I-35W bridge have filed a protest with the state. MPR and the Star Tribune have stories.

The Pi Press adds that MnDOT is looking for highway money to spend on the bridge. Here's a question for Pi Press editors - How is this story NOT on the front page?

The designer of the bridge says public input is important.

Citizens air a range of concerns at a bridge hearing.

Pawlenty signs a loan for Mesabi nugget. MPR, the Star Tribune, the Duluth News Tribune and the Mesabi Daily News have stories. The Mesabi Daily News even has video - Cool!

There's one less person going on Gov. Pawlenty's trade mission to India. He may be going to jail instead.

Gov. Pawlenty crosses a picket line to talk to U of M students.

Drivers in a few states will test a new transportation funding plan. Gov. Pawlenty is mentioned.

Congress

GOP Sen. Norm Coleman and DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar urge action on the nation's bridges.

The rest of the committee rips the transportation secretary for denying that there's a safety crisis.

CQ says efforts by moderates to make changes to Iraq policy are falling by the wayside as the Senate Majority Leader takes a hard line.

AP says Democrats were unable to block a troop increase and are unable to stop it. Coleman is mentioned.

DFL Rep. Tim Walz is mentioned on this story that gives greater protections to members of the National Guard and Reserve.

GOP Rep. John Kline is appalled with how some army contractors have corrupted the procurement system. The comments come after the Pentagon said $6 billion in contracts are being reviewed.

DFL Rep. Betty McCollum and DFL Rep. Keith Ellison attend an iftar dinner.

DFL Rep. Keith Ellison asks for information on Tom Heffelfinger and Rachel Paulose again.

GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann tells WCCO radio (via Minnesota Monitor) that one kiss is enough.

DFL Rep. Collin Peterson is backing a bill that gives owners more choices on where to fix their cars.

Peterson doesn't think the departure of the Ag Secretary will make a difference in how Congress writes the Farm bill but Kent Conrad said for Johanns to leave "borders on the irresponsible."

DFL Rep. Jim Oberstar advocates for a FAA bill that may be vetoed because of an amendment.

2008

The Fix is dropping its ranking on the U.S. Senate race. Here are the details:

8. Minnesota (R): The first time we ranked the 2008 Senate races earlier this year, Minnesota came in at number two. So why has it dropped all the way to eighth over the intervening six months? A combination of factors including a number of other seats across the country that have grown more vulnerable during that time, the growing sense that Coleman is positioning himself as well as he can on the war in Iraq and the continued lack of faith in some quarters of the Democratic party that either 2000 candidate Mike Ciresi or comedian Al Franken can oust the incumbent. After a trip to Iraq earlier this month, Coleman jumped behind a proposal by Sen. John Warner (R-Va.) that calls for a modest troop withdrawal by the end of the year but enforces no hard timetable for the withdrawal of all American troops. Will that position be enough to satisfy Minnesota voters? (Previous ranking: 7)

Paul Simon plays a few songs at an Al Franken fundraiser.

CQ details the possible entries into the 3rd Congressional District.

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