Polinaut: June 18, 2008 Archive

The Daily Digest: 6-18-08

Posted at 9:05 AM on June 18, 2008 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Daily Digest

Republican John McCain is scheduled to make a fundraising stop and a possible campaign stop in Minnesota on Thursday. No details yet but it appears that at least one townhall is scheduled.

A poll by Survey USA also shows a close race between McCain and Barack Obama.

The New York Times details where McCain lines up and disagrees with President Bush on the issues.

Al Gore backs Barack Obama.

Quinnipiac handicaps the battlegrounds.

2008 U.S. Senate Race

GOP Sen. Norm Coleman has a wide lead over Al Franken in the latest Survey USA poll.

Coleman and Franken continue to spar over Iraq. It follows a recent Franken ad on the subject.

2008 Race for Congress

The Rothenberg Political Report takes a deeper look at Minnesota's 3rd Congressional District.

GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann says $2 a gallon gas can happen again. Her DFL challenger, El Tinklenberg, says Bachmann is unrealistic. The Pi Press and the MPR have stories.

The DNC also rips Bachmann on her drilling comments regarding China.

Pawlenty for VP Watch

Pawlenty sits down with The Hill to talk up his conservative credentials.

Robert Novak says McCain likes the idea of picking CT Senator Joe Lieberman and former PA Gov. Tom Ridge but isn't sure the base will support it.

White House political ace Karl Rove talked up Pawlenty on the Sunday talk shows but says former MA Gov. Mitt Romney should be the pick.

Former GOP House Speaker Newt Gingrich praises LA Gov. Bobby Jindal.

A blog called Donklephant looks at Pawlenty's record.

2008 Race for Legislature

The Duluth News Tribune says DFL Rep. Mike Jaros will retire.

State Government

AP looks at the panel that will determine compensation to the bridge victims and their families.

The state will spend more on bridges.

Aviation firms aren't happy with state cuts to airports.

Gov. Pawlenty seeks federal disaster status for flooded counties.

Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Eric Magnuson wants more money for the courts. He also wants judges appointed and then reelected but fears negative and expensive elections.

2008 RNC

A proposal to extend bar hours in St. Paul comes with a catch.

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DCCC has eye on 2nd and 6th. Bachmann on O'Reilly

Posted at 3:30 PM on June 18, 2008 by Tom Scheck

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee says 6th District DFL candidate El Tinklenberg and 2nd District DFL candidate Steve Sarvi are emerging as possible Red to Blue candidates.

Meanwhile, GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann (who represents the 6th) is expected to appear on The O'Reilly Factor on Fox News tonight at 7pm. Her office says she will address the Countrywide Mortgage scandal.

No more Draft Dean Barkley

Posted at 3:54 PM on June 18, 2008 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)

Former U.S. Senator Dean Barkley says he's not running for the U.S. Senate despite efforts to convince him to run. Barkley said he's been offered a job that he can't turn down.

Barkley adds that former Governor Jesse Ventura is still mulling a possible run saying Ventura is "torn" about a possible run:

"If I had to bet, I would bet that he would enter the race,"

Listen to Cathy Wurzer's interview with Barkley here.

UPDATE:

Ventura tells Minnesota Independent that he is confident that he can win:

"I find it interesting that when I ran for governor I was polling at 27 percent the weekend before the election," he said in an e-mail statement Tuesday evening. "I am only four points away from that in June, and I'm not even a candidate in the race nor have I participated in one debate yet. Imagine where I could be after debating."

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McCain to hold townhall Thursday night in St. Paul

Posted at 4:35 PM on June 18, 2008 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)

The event will be at the Landmark center:

John McCain Participates in 2008 Presidential Town Hall Meeting

ARLINGTON, VA -- U.S. Senator John McCain's presidential campaign today announced that John McCain will participate in the second 2008 Presidential Town Hall Meeting in St. Paul, Minnesota on Thursday, June 19th. Thursday, June 19, 2008 ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA

WHO: John McCain

WHAT: 2008 Presidential Town Hall Meeting *Please Note -- This is a pre-ticketed event with undecided voters.

WHEN: Thursday, June 19, 2008 at 7:00 p.m. CDT

WHERE: Landmark Center Musser Cortile 75 West Fifth Street St. Paul, Minnesota 55102

**The previously scheduled morning town hall meeting for Thursday, June 19th in Eagan, Minnesota has been cancelled.

This is in addition to his previously scheduled Minneapolis fundraiser.

Update: McCain's campaign tells us the event is NOT open to the public. The audience will be made up of people the campaign says are undecided voters who were selected by a polling firm. And they will have special tickets to get in.

Don't worry if you can't get in to the town hall. MPR News will broadcast it live on MPR News stations. It will also be streamed online.

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Norm's new ad

Posted at 6:07 PM on June 18, 2008 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)

Here it is.

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