The Daily Digest: 4-8-08

Posted at 9:01 AM on April 8, 2008 by Tom Scheck (3 Comments)
Filed under: Daily Digest

Democrats (on both the federal and state level) will rip Gov. Pawlenty this morning for vetoing several transit components from the bonding bill.

The governor signed the bill but line-item vetoed more than $200 million from the bill. The Central Corridor topped the list of vetoed projects. MPR, the Pi Press, the Star Tribune, ECM, Forum Communications, MinnPost, AP and Finance and Commerce have stories.

The Chair of the House Bonding Committee tells MPR that she's not so sure Central Corridor can be revived this session.

Some wonder why. Others are stunned but say they won't give up.

Events centers in Bemidji, St. Cloud, Crookston and Duluth are spared but the governor vetoed an events center in Mankato.

MinnPost says former Attorney General Mike Hatch is still meddling with the AG's office. A DFL lawmaker also rips her DFL colleague for calling for an investigation into current Attorney General Lori Swanson.

Rural cities say they're concerned about the budget plan because it doesn't include LGA.

DFL offers a plan for future school funding. MPR, Forum Communications, the Star Tribune, the St. Cloud Times and AP have stories.

Gov. Pawlenty rips the proposal.

3M releases its plan to cleanup the east metro.

The Senate votes to ban ticket grabbing software. MPR and the Pi Press have stories.

DFL Sen. Ellen Anderson and DFL Rep. Jim Davnie write an op-ed regarding home foreclosures.

KTTC says Pawlenty will be heading to Winona tonight.

Lawmakers consider California's "clean car" standards.

Communities wrestle with what to do with plastic bags.

Congress

General David Petraeus testifies on Capitol Hill. GOP Sen. Norm Coleman is mentioned.

DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar says another economic stimulus package may help a sputtering economy.

Some also want some additions to a second package. DFL Rep. Keith Ellison and DFL Rep. Collin Peterson are both pushing different pieces of legislation that would include a new federal bank to pay for major transportation projects.

Critics blast the Senate Housing bill. Coleman is mentioned.

DFL Rep. Jim Oberstar and DFL Rep. Tim Walz talk transportation at the U of M.

Walz is urging action on Highway 14.

DFL Rep. Jim Oberstar says he will hold a public hearing on the I-35W bridge collapse.

The FAA reassigns its inspection chief in light of his testimony. Oberstar is mentioned.

Oberstar will also speak in Crookston today.

CEOs tell President Bush that the stimulus plan will work.

Ramsey County Attorney Susan Gaertner says in an op-ed that GOP Rep. John Kline and GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann are misguided in their opposition to earmarks. Gaertner, who is a DFL candidate for governor, said the problem isn't earmarking but abuse of power.

2008 Race for Senate

GOP Sen. Norm Coleman brings in $2 million in the 1st quarter. He has nearly $7 million on hand. The Pi Press, the Star Tribune, AP and MPR have stories.

MSNBC's First Note discusses the 527 that's helping Coleman.

Jesse for Senate?

The former governor also said U.S. ballots should offer a "None of the Above" category.

2008 Race for Congress

Republicans are urging contributions to the GOP candidates in Minnesota's 3rd and 6th Congressional Districts.

Funny timing since Stu Rothenberg says Minnesota's 3rd is a part of his dangerous dozen house seats.

2008 Race for President

The New York Times says Barack Obama's young backers get a chance to twist their parent's arms. Klobuchar is mentioned.

The paper also says the superdelegate math makes it tough for Hillary Clinton.

The Star Tribune picks up on Ron Paul backers nabbing delegate slots.

Pawlenty for VP Watch

The Washington Times says former RNC Chair Ken Mehlman will hold an April fundraiser for Pawlenty. The paper says it spurs more VP talk.

Condi Rice plays down John McCain running mate rumors.

The Sleuth (via the Washington Post) said the Draft Condi rumors could harm Pawlenty's chances.

2008 RNC

The RNC announces hotel assignments. AP, MPR and the Star Tribune have stories.

Comments (3)

"Ramsey County Attorney Susan Gaertner says in an op-ed that GOP Rep. John Kline and GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann are misguided in their opposition to earmarks. Gaertner, who is a DFL candidate for governor, said the problem isn't earmarking but abuse of power."

Actually, Bachmann says that too (now that she needs earmarks for bridge safety in her district.) When she first made the pledge, she said earmarks spending is so out of control she'd swear off 'em. But then she flipped and now she's saying that some earmarks *could* in theory be good. But then she's flopped after she flipped, and says she's sticking to her "no earmark pledge" whether the earmark her district needs for bridge safety is good or not.

With me so far? No? Too bad, but I can't keep up with this hypocritical, dangerous idiocy either. But as MPR's Tom Scheck reports in another context:

"Some wonder why. Others are stunned but say they won't give up."

That's me, that second category. I'm stunned, but say I won't give up.

Posted by Bill Prendergast | April 8, 2008 12:54 PM

Bill: Out of curiosity, do you have a link to a story where Bachman said that earmarks could be good in theory? I saw a St. Cloud Times story a week or two ago where she said that she wouldn't use earmarks to get funding for the bridge, but that's all I have read on it.

Thanks,

Nick

Posted by Nick | April 8, 2008 11:08 PM

Yes, Nick, I can link to story that reports that. But I'm not going to. Instead, I'm going to give you a couple of paragraphs from that story, with the date April 5th, and the venue, the St. Cloud Times. Then you can go find it yourself, using Google, like I did, instead of me doing everything for a total stranger for free. Here is the excerpt, including the Bachmann quote:

--The most direct route for those projects to get federal funding would be to have a member of Congress get a specific line added to an appropriations or budget bill directing funds to them, a process known as earmarking that has come under scrutiny in recent years for abuses.

"Not all projects are wasteful and the bridge is certainly meritorious," Bachmann said. "And it's not wrong for the federal government to send us some of our money back. The only problem is that we have virtually no formula for projects that is based on merit. There are a lot of arbitrary decisions being made, and that's the part of the process I want to change."

Posted by Bill Prendergast | April 10, 2008 3:10 PM

Services

• Hourly Newscast
• HD Radio
• iPhone App / Mobile
• E-mail newsletters
• RSS feeds
• Podcasts
• Submit your photos
• Videos
• Weather
• Most e-mailed stories