Polinaut: May 23, 2008 Archive

Chew Toyz

Posted at 10:31 AM on May 23, 2008 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)

Things to chew on over the Memorial Day weekend.

TP or not TP?

Governor Pawlenty may not be heading to a John McCain BBQ this weekend (Pawlenty is attending a wedding) but it appears that his name is coming up during the cocktail hour among Washington's chattering class. AP says McCain and Barack Obama are now examining running mate options.

The Washington Post says the McCain camp is conducting background checks on Pawlenty and several others.

Here are ten things you didn't know about Tim Pawlenty (h/t The Political Animal).

The Atlanta Journal Constitution says McCain should book a room in Atlanta for early June 3rd and 4th since that's where the Republican Governor's Association meetings are being held.

One side note. It's kind of tricky to get Pawlenty to talk about his VP chances if you're a Minnesota based reporter. Pawlenty won't answer the questions when he's in the Governor's Reception Room (state business, we're told) and wouldn't step outside in the hallway when asked to talk about it yesterday. When pressed that he discussed it on Fox and Friends early Friday morning, he instructed reporters to get his comments there. Find the interview by clicking here and then on the News folder and then on politics.

Pawlenty later appeared on KFAN (listen here) and told the host that he couldn't talk about the VP possibility because he was on a state phone.

Sigh.

Is Jesse serious about a Senate run?

Former Gov. Jesse Ventura has been saying and saying and saying that he may run for the U.S. Senate the race for U.S. Senate. GOP Sen. Norm Coleman and DFLer Al Franken don't believe it. Should they start to worry? A Jesse run sure would make the race fun to watch but will make an already difficult Senate race even more difficult to cover.

Who will win the gas tax argument?

DFL staffers were texting reporters that they should pay attention to pages 63 to 69 of the I-35W bridge investigation report that was authorized and paid for by the Legislature. Those pages detail how funding may have played a role in the maintenance decisions of the bridge. As we head to November, Minnesota House candidates will surely be arguing over high gas prices and the recent gas tax increase. Both sides have been trying to shape their arguments for months. DFLers say the gas tax was needed to improve the state's roads and bridges. The GOP is trying to link high gas prices to the DFL transportation package that became law after a veto overide.

80% in '08?

Secretary of State Mark Ritchie says he wants to see 80% of eligible voters vote in the November election. 77% voted in the 2004 election. The record (in terms of percentage of eligible voters not votes cast) is the 1956 race between Democrat Adlai Stevenson and Republican Dwight Eisenhower. 83% of eligible voters participated in that election.

A steamy Capitol?

The Rake is asking readers to submit their choices for sexiest folks at the Capitol and it's generating a lot of comments. One of the Senate staffers mentioned repeatedly is Peter Brickwedde. He told me last night that the comments generated on the blog aren't from admiring fans but from old high school classmates. But if elected, will you serve?

Thanks to the person who sent me the link and pointed out that the post generates more comments that Polinaut. I guess I need to put something up on Ron Paul to show him.

Quote of the week

"I'm a team player. I've taken enough crappy votes on this House floor that you could fill a battleship!"

-DFL Rep. David Dill

Dill complained that Gov. Pawlenty and House DFLers were moving forward with a Lake Vermilion state park plan even though Dill and local residents don't want it.

Quote of the year

"Yo Yo Yo. I'm looking for my old lady."

-An apparent thief who was rifling through my suit coat pocket in April.

The coat was hanging on my locker. When I turned and saw him and yelled "Yo! What are you doing?" His response was "Yo Yo Yo! I'm looking for my old lady."

Reporters and even DFL House Majority Leader Tony Sertich muttered the line throughout the rest of the session. For the record, his "Old lady" was not in the pocket and Capitol Security never caught the guy.

Have a nice weekend!

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