The Daily Digest 3-25-08

Mr. Scheck is out of town the next few days so Digest duties have passed to me. Let's get to it.

Legislature

With the Legislature still on break Monday things are a little quiet on the local political scene. But one lawmaker made news. Rep. Kathy Tingelstad, R-Andover, was one of six House Republicans who voted to override the governor's transportation veto. She has decided not to seek re-election. The Star Tribune and the Pioneer Press have the story.

The local political lens also turned toward the University of Minnesota and talk of an office one occupant once described as not being worth a bucket of warm spit. Yes, we here in Minnesota now have our eyes set not on the presidency but on the vice presidency. The Pioneer Press covered the U of M conference on the number two job and MPR's Midday will have highlights today.

A number of metro county boards are voting today on whether to increase the sales tax for transit projects under the terms of the recently passed transportation bill. The Pi Press gives it front page treatment in the dead tree version.

And do you need more proof the Legislature is going to the dogs? The aforementioned Mr. Scheck provides some evidence.

Senate Race

With Sen. Norm Coleman set to formally announce his re-election campaign tomorrow, Al Franken has scheduled what he calls a "major speech" on campaign issues for today. We'll have more here tomorrow.

Meanwhile Republicans are trying to make an issue out of Franken's failure to pay disability insurance for some of his employees in New York.

Presidential campaign

Hillary Clinton says she "misspoke" about sniper fire on a trip to Bosnia. Ouch.

Home prices continue to slide.

And a day after U.S. deaths hit 4,000 Iraq doesn't seem so secure anymore.

Finally

It's a good news/bad news story to match our on again/off again spring. Baseball season is underway. But it's in Japan!

Liar Liar Pants on Fire!!

It turns out that Clinton didn't "MISSPEAK"

She was READING her speech when she said:

"I remember landing under sniper fire. There was supposed to be some kind of a greeting ceremony at the airport, but instead we just ran with our heads down to get into the vehicles to get to our base"

Look at the speech on her website and you'll see that that LIE was in her prepared remarks!!!

How can you say you "MISSPOKE" if you are READING the lines?

If Hillary is MISS POKE, does that make Bill MR POKE?