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The Daily Digest: 9-26-07

Posted at 10:19 AM on September 26, 2007 by Tom Scheck (4 Comments)
Filed under: Daily Digest

There's a kerfuflle, a disagreement, a spat, a conflict, a tiff over the I-35W bridge funding. Letters were exchanged, harsh words were said and our heads are dizzy from all of the spinning.

The disgruntled construction firms add more reasons to their protest letter regarding MnDOT's decision to award the I-35W bridge rebuild to Flatiron Construction.

A Minneapolis committee approved the preliminary design of the I-3W bridge. Full action is expected on October 5th.

Meanwhile, MnDOT is inspecting bridges.

Gov. Pawlenty announced plans for a business creation plan. Democrats say they don't know how they'll pay for it. AP, the Star Tribune, the St. Cloud Times and Forum Communications have stories.

The governor is also close to naming a new health commissioner.

Bemidji makes its pitch to the Senate Capital Investment Committee to bond for the city's event center.

Minnesota's 8th graders are doing well on tests.

Congress

GOP Sen. Norm Coleman and DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar are among those seeking better conditions for 150 Hmong living in a camp in Thailand.

Coleman also supports a bill that invests more for pediatric cancer research.

Coleman is also mentioned in this story on the Farm Bill.

The House vote on SCHIP sets a veto showdown with President Bush. Minnesota's Congressional delegation voted this way - Walz, Ramstad, McCollum, Ellion, Peterson and Oberstar vote yes. Kline and Bachmann vote no. Walz gives his reaction to KEYC (h/t Blue Stem Prairie).

GOP Rep. John Kline sees "amazing progress" in Iraq. A lawmaker who went with him has a different perspective. Here's a question - Has a lawmaker ever changed his/her position on the war after visiting the country?

Kline also thinks the folks at the NRCC have done a good job. The comments come as John Boehner retreats from his push to remove some folks from the group.

Missed this one yesterday. Minnesota Monitor has a story on DFL Rep. Keith Ellison's field hearing on single payer health care.

DFL Rep. Collin Peterson announces the first ever Congressional Sportsmen week.

A judge will hold a hearing today on Idaho Senator Larry Craig's appeal to reverse his guilty plea. MPR and the Star Tribune have stories. Craig will not attend.

2008

GOP Sen. Norm Coleman takes out an ad ripping Democrat Al Franken. Franken responds. MPR and CNN have stories.

Franken writes an op-ed on the ad flap here.

GOP State Rep. Erik Paulsen says he's actively considering a run for Congress. Is DFL State Senator Terri Bonoff in as well? MDE says there's a Bonoff for Congress website.

2008 RNC

The Pi Press says convention organizers are going green.

Finally

Congratulations Boyd Huppert and the others at KARE-11. .

Comments (4)

"Here's a question - Has a lawmaker ever changed his/her position on the war after visiting the country?"

If I'm not mistaken, Sen John Warner (R-VA) did exactly that after a visit within the last year.

Posted by bsimon | September 26, 2007 11:43 AM

You're right. Here's a link to a story stating it.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/05/AR2006100501645.html

Nice catch!

Posted by tom scheck | September 26, 2007 11:46 AM

Brian Baird, a Democrat Congressman from Washington, changed his position on withdrawing troops from Iraq after visiting the Middle East. Al Franken's MoveOn.org is hammering him for it.

Check out these links for more info:

http://www.tdn.com/articles/2007/08/29/top_story/news01.txt

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/329596_baird30.html

Posted by Jeff | September 26, 2007 2:17 PM

This is good stuff. I didn't ask that question to be a wise guy but really wanted to know. I learned something new today and hopefully our readers did as well.

Posted by tom scheck | September 26, 2007 2:19 PM

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