Polinaut: June 9, 2008 Archive

The Daily Digest: 6-9-08

Posted at 8:36 AM on June 9, 2008 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Daily Digest

Al Franken, the DFL endorsed candidate for the U.S. Senate, kicks off a statewide campaign today. It starts in St. Paul.

MPR says Democrats and Republicans agree that Al Franken is a great endorsement decision by the DFL Party. It's safe to say it's for different reasons.

Franken won the DFL endorsement for the U.S. Senate over the weekend. MPR, Forum Communications, the Pi Press, the Star Tribune, KARE and AP have stories.

Bloomberg says Franken's candidacy has been sidetracked.

A DFL Feminist leader resigns from the DFL Feminist Caucus because of Franken.

The Houston Chronicle says GOP Sen. Norm Coleman could be a contender to lead the NRSC (if he's reelected).

2008 Race for President

John McCain buys at least $150,000 of ads in Minnesota.

DNC Chair Howard Dean urged the DFL delegates to get behind Obama.

Forum Communications says the party is united behind Obama.

The Star Tribune says Democrats leave the convention in an upbeat mood because Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer and Hillary Clinton are "good losers."

2008 Race for Legislature

GOP delegates decide to vote "no endorsement" in GOP Rep. Jim Abeler's House District.

Pawlenty for VP Watch

Pawlenty said for the first time that he would be open to the VP slot. MPR, KARE and Reuters have stories.

The New York Daily News said Pawlenty was being "coy."

Pawlenty was on Fox News Sunday to talk up John McCain and bash Barack Obama.

AP and New York Magazine say he's being considered.

Pawlenty is also headed to Iowa later this month.

The Star Tribune compares Pawlenty's credentials with former VP Walter Mondale.

Reuters has a list of the possible VP candidates.

State government

Gov. Pawlenty tours/toured damaged areas in Houston and Hubbard Counties today.

Ferry service will cost Winona $85,000 a week.

The Star Tribune has a series of stories on Minnesota's Sex Offender Program, its cost and whether anyone will ever complete "treatment."

MinnPost says a portion of the state's election law requires nonprofits to register voters.

Congress

Several lawmakers (including DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar, DFL Rep. Jim Oberstar and DFL Rep. Tim Walz) say they'll work to reimburse the city of Winona for ferry service.

The Senate blocks a climate change bill. DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar voted for it. Coleman wasn't present but said he would have supported it.

GOP Sen. Norm Coleman says Ford may review its plans with St. Paul's Ford Ranger plant.

Coleman's support for targeting tax havens is also mentioned in this story.

The World Trade Organization's director general criticizes the Farm Bill.

DFL Rep. Jim Oberstar asks the Justice Department to reject Delta's acquisition of Northwest Airlines.

Oberstar also offers a bill that would sell Superior National Forest Land to a mining company.

2008 RNC

The New York Times says the candidates are foregoing soft money but the conventions are raking it in.

2010

The Pi Press, the Star Tribune and Forum Communications say there were plenty of potential gubernatorial candidates at the DFL Party convention.

Franken on Midday at 11

Posted at 9:44 AM on June 9, 2008 by Tom Scheck

Al Franken, the newly endorsed candidate for the U.S. Senate, is on MPR's Midday at 11.

Cheney holds private fundraiser in Wayzata

Posted at 3:20 PM on June 9, 2008 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)

MNGOP spokeswoman Gina Countryman said Vice President Dick Cheney held a private fundraiser in Wayzata today to raise money for the state party's Minnesota Victory '08 fund (that's the state party's fundraising arm for federal candidates). Countryman said about 100 people attended the event at a private home. She would not release the host of the fundraiser and would only characterize the amount raised as "six-figures."

When asked if any of the federal candidates attended the event, Countryman said "I'm not aware of any federal candidates being there."

UPDATE:

A spokesman for Norm Coleman's reelection campaign said Coleman did not attend the event.

UPDATE:

State Rep. Erik Paulsen, who is running for Congress in Minnesota's 3rd Congressional District, did attend the event.

UPDATE:

GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann did not attend the event.

UPDATE:

GOP Rep. John Kline did not attend the event.

UPDATE:

Brian Davis, who is running for Congress in Minnesota's 1st District, did attend the event.

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This year's senate race: Bushboy v. Playboy

Posted at 4:18 PM on June 9, 2008 by Tom Scheck

Get ready to hear Democrat Al Franken and his surrogates say this plenty of times over the next five months:

"It's not enough that George Bush is going in January of 2009. His enablers have to go with him and top on that list is Norm Coleman. He's given the president a blank check on this war and he wants to continue the Bush economic policy and the Bush Iraq policy." - Al Franken

Get ready to hear Norm Coleman and his surrogates say this plenty of times over the next five months:

"Norm Coleman was prosecuting criminals in the Attorney General's office. Al Franken was penning skits about drugging and raping a woman. Norm Coleman cleaned up the streets of St. Paul, revitalized the city and brought back hockey and Al Franken was writing Porn-O-Rama. Norm Coleman has held the line of taxes as mayor, as a senator he's been a fiscal conservative. Al Franken wants to raise taxes on people and not pay his own." - Coleman campaign manager Cullen Sheehan

When asked when the Coleman campaign would start running tv ads, Sheehan said:

"All of that stuff will be heating up soon. The campaign, I think, has begun in earnest now that the Democrats have picked their candidate."

Indeed.

Add another one to the retirement list

Posted at 4:29 PM on June 9, 2008 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)

Forum Communications says GOP Rep. Dean Simpson is retiring.

Here's the updated list:

Dean Simpson (R- Perham) House District 10B

Brad Finstad (R-Comfrey) 21B

John Berns (R-Wayzata) 33B

Scott Kranz (DFL - Blaine) 51A

Frank Moe (DFL - Bemidji) 4A

Chris DeLaForest (R- Andover) 49A

Aaron Peterson (DFL - Appleton) 20A

Connie Ruth (R - Owatonna) 26A

Neva Walker (DFL - Minneapolis) 61B

Kathy Tingelstad (R - Andover) 49B

Erik Paulsen (R - Eden Prairie) 42B

Dennis Ozment (R - Rosemount) 37B

Bud Heidgerken (R - Freeport) 13A

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Pawlenty to raise money for Senate Republicans

Posted at 6:30 PM on June 9, 2008 by Tom Scheck

We wrote earlier this month that three of the four legislative caucuses were holding fundraisers this month. The fourth (Senate GOP) now have one scheduled. Governor Tim Pawlenty will reportedly host the June 26th breakfast fundraiser at the Southview Country Club in West St. Paul.