Polinaut: January 23, 2008 Archive

The Daily Digest: 1-23-08

Posted at 10:05 AM on January 23, 2008 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Daily Digest

Lawmakers continue to debate how to properly compensate the victims of the I-35W bridge collapse. The latest proposal would give the victims up to $400 thousand. AP, the Star Tribune and the Pi Press have stories.

Oodles and oodles of folks attend a march and rally on the anniversary of the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision. It's an annual event for the MCCL, a group opposed to legalized abortion. KARE-11, AP, the Star Tribune and the Pi Press have stories.

Several legislators want the ability to call a special session.

The Star Tribune says more water testing leads to more evidence of water pollution.

The Pi Press says a DFL lawmaker wants to know whether MnDOT has recouped the cost overruns from the Wakota Bridge project.

Congress

Gov. Pawlenty is running ads urging Congress to take action on global warming.

A rail line from Minneapolis to Duluth could exceed cost projections. GOP Sen. Norm Coleman, DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar and DFL Rep. Jim Oberstar are mentioned.

The Star Tribune also says the rail line could spur billions in development.

Coleman and GOP Rep. Jim Ramstad are singled out for the support of an advanced digital hydraulic hybrid drive system technology for army vehicles.

DFL Rep. Tim Walz raised more than $1 million last year.

ECM Publishers picks up on GOP Rep. John Kline's decision to not take any more earmarks.

ECM also quotes Kline as saying he's upbeat about the prospects in Iraq.

DFL Rep. Betty McCollum wants an investigation into possible privacy and national security breaches when the federal government resells data tapes.

McCollum is also mentioned in this story that focuses on baseball's financial hot streak and the expectation that it will continue despite the steroid scandal.

DFL Rep. Keith Ellison will deliver the keynote address at a U of M law school event.

The Hill says ranchers are battling meat exports. DFL Rep. Collin Peterson is mentioned.

Peterson also discussed the Farm Bill options.

DFL Rep. Jim Oberstar is nominated as a "Porker of the Year."

2008

The Party Chairs are encouraging people to caucus on February 5th. MPR, the Star Tribune, Forum Communications and KSTP have stories.

2008 Senate

DFL candidate Al Franken will be on Midday at 11.

DFL Senate hopeful Jim Cohen continues to call himself a pragmatic progressive.

2008 Presidential
The Fix says Pawlenty as a possible VP pick.

Former GOP Rep. Vin Weber gives former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney advice on his economic stimulus package. (WSJ subscription required).

Romney also campaigns in Boca. GOP Norm Coleman is mentioned since he campaigned there over the weekend on former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani's behalf.

The AP has a list of who the nation's governors are backing.

2008 Congress

Congressional hopeful Ashwin Madia (a Democrat) hits the radio airwaves to promote his candidacy in the 3rd District. h/t MnPublius (a Democrat leaning blog).

Finally

Lock the doors! Fox9 gives Arne Carlson a blog!

Finally Finally

If you're going to make bold predictions about VP picks, make sure you get your facts right (h/t The Big Question).

Franken on Midday

Posted at 10:38 AM on January 23, 2008 by Tom Scheck

Democratic Senate hopeful Al Franken is on Midday at 11.

Obama first presidential candidate to buy media in Minnesota

Posted at 3:57 PM on January 23, 2008 by Tom Scheck (3 Comments)

Democratic Senator Barack Obama has bought advertising time for this week through the Minnesota Caucuses on February 5th. In all, Obama bought 200 spots on six Twin Cities TV stations at the cost of 93 thousand dollars. The ads will air on shows like American Idol, Late Night with David Letterman, Dance Wars and American Gladiator.

Here's the Obama buy by station:

KSTP - 4 spots at the cost of $5,600. The spots will air on Dance Wars, October Road, Lost Clip Show, Dance War Bruno v Carrie.

KSTC (Ch. 45) - 50 spots at a cost of $3635. The spots will air on King of Queens, Frasier, According to Jim, Friends, Scrubs and My Wife and Kids.

WCCO - 5 spots at a cost of $2000. The spots will air on Late Night with David Letterman.

KARE - 26 spots at a cost of $25,690. The spots will air on American Gladiator, Deal or No Deal, Biggest Loser, Office, Friday Night Lights, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Saturday Night Live, This Week and the Office.

FOX9 - 42 spots at a cost of $35,125. The spots will air on Seinfeld, Prison Break, American Idol, House, Cops, Americas Most Wanted, the Simpsons, Family Guy, the War at Home and TMZ.

WFTC (ch. 29) - 73 spots at a cost of $21,100. The spots will air on reruns of Everybody Love Raymond, The Simpsons, 2 and a half Men, Family Guy, King of the Hill, Still Standing, That 70s Show and The Academy.

Do you notice anything about these buys? No local news.

One other thing: A colleague pointed me to this Washington Post story that says Obama is focusing on Minnesota because it's a caucus state:

The Obama campaign's heavy emphasis on grass-roots organizing, which served it so well in Iowa, has led it to target the six states that will hold caucuses rather than primaries on Feb. 5. These are typically lightly attended affairs, but they could deliver big returns if Obama can follow his Iowa model of identifying a pool of supporters, including nontraditional participants such as college students and independents, and methodically turning them out.

The big three in that category are Colorado, Kansas and Minnesota. But the campaign also is active in North Dakota, where Obama has three offices; Alaska, where he has two; and Idaho, where he has one. To help balance out Clinton's edge with Democratic Party faithful, Obama is seeking endorsements in all six of the caucus states and may be close to securing the nod of Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, sources close to the campaign said. (The Clinton team counters that the Feb. 5 caucus states are relatively unimportant, accounting for just 12 percent of the delegates who will be awarded that day.)

The campaigns for the other leading Democrats -- New York Senator Hillary Clinton and former North Carolina Senator John Edwards asked the stations about ad rates but have not bought time. Records show that no Republican candidate expressed interest in buying TV time.

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Ciresi and Franken approaching $500 thousand in TV advertising

Posted at 5:12 PM on January 23, 2008 by Tom Scheck

Senate hopefuls Al Franken and Mike Ciresi have bought $448,610 worth of ad time on Twin Cities TV stations. As you already know, the two Democrats started running ads earlier this month. Here are the details:

Franken buy KSTP - 57 spots at a cost of $38,975 WCCO - 111 spots at a cost of 109,800 KARE - 79 spots at a cost of $82,100 FOX9 - 20 spots at a cost of $16,900 Total buy: 267 spots at a cost of $247,775

Ciresi buy
WCCO - 238 spots at a cost of $122,700
KARE - 195 spots at a cost of $75,135
Fox9 - 4 spots at a cost of $3,000

Total buy: 437 spots at a cost of $200,835

The spots are scheduled to run through 2/5. GOP Sen. Norm Coleman has not inquired about buying ad time.

Survey USA: McCain only GOP candidate polling ahead of Obama and Clinton in Minnesota.

Posted at 5:38 PM on January 23, 2008 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)

The latest Survey USA poll is out and shows the presidential head to heads for Minnesota. It doesn't show preferences for GOP or Democratic candidates. It focuses instead on how the top two Democratic candidates fare against the GOP field.

Both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are polling well ahead of Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee, and Rudy Giuliani. John McCain is ahead of Clinton and Obama in those head to head match-ups.

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Protesters cashing in too?

Posted at 5:54 PM on January 23, 2008 by Tim Pugmire (2 Comments)

Several groups planning protests during the Republican National Convention held an unusual news conference today in Minneapolis to promote an organizing meeting planned for Saturday.

Representatives of the Protest RNC 2008 Coalition, Anti-War Committee, Communities United Against Police Brutality and Welfare Rights Committee made brief, earnest statements about their issues.

But then came the puzzling remarks of Sue, speaking for the RNC Welcoming Committee, which she explained will now be known as "An RNC Welcoming Committee." The name change, according to her statement, was an expression of solidarity with the striking Writers Guild of America. Sue also cited the strike as the reason her group hadn't been heard from in a while.

Another reason must be the group's attempt to negotiate a convention buyout. Sue said An RNC Welcoming Committee made an offer to convention organizers to call off its planned protests for about $6 million. Seriously? Well, I still don't know. Unlike the other news conference participants, Sue would not answer any reporter questions.

Another line from the group's statement helped me put this head scratcher in perspective: "An RNC Welcoming Committee's tactics represent one stripe in the resistance rainbow."

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