Polinaut: July 17, 2008 Archive

The Daily Digest: 7-17-08

Posted at 8:47 AM on July 17, 2008 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Daily Digest

Priscilla Lord Faris, the DFLer who hopes to defeat Al Franken in the September primary, will be on Midday today.

Franken says he's not bothered by the primary challenge. He says his focus is on GOP Sen. Norm Coleman.

Franken made those comments after he received the endorsement from ACORN.

The Star Tribune says I-P candidate Dean Barkley is touting his time in the Senate.

WCCO Reality Checks the Senate gas price ads.

DFL Party Chair Brian Melendez calls Coleman a liar. KARE says the rhetoric is getting hot.

2008 Race for Congress

MPR takes a look at the Republican challenging GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann in the 6th.

The Hill says Republican Brian Davis is showing DFL Rep. Tim Walz that he may be facing a well funded challenger.

Davis also wrote an op-ed on gas prices.

2008 Race for President

Democrat Barack Obama warns about the dangers of fighting the last war.

McCain lays out his plans for education. MPR has an analysis.

Obama announced that he raised $52 million in June.

Pawlenty for VP Watch

Marc Ambinder has set up on online poll on who McCain should pick.

The Minnesota Family Council's Tom Prichard writes on his blog that McCain will pick former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney as VP.

David Broder writes about the governors. Pawlenty is mentioned.

Congress

Minnesota lags in bridge spending. AP and the Star Tribune have stories.

A billionaire tycoon is singled out in a tax evasion report. GOP Sen. Norm Coleman is mentioned. AP and the Guardian have stories.

The Secretary of Commerce will visit Minnesota.

The Senate passes GOP Sen. Norm Coleman's childhood cancer bill.

DFL Rep. Betty McCollum tells Reuters that the World Bank and Congress need to work together better.

DFL Rep. Keith Ellison calls for higher wages.

GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann notes the cost of government day.

DFL Rep. Collin Peterson jams with the keyboardist from the Rolling Stones.

DFL Rep. Jim Oberstar chides the feds on the number of highway deaths.

2008 RNC

MPR says neutral peace teams have been set up to settle conflicts at the RNC.

The Pi Press says the FAA will restrict airspace for the RNC.

A judge denies a change to the RNC protest route.

KSTP asks whether the RNC will be a bust for businesses.

Fox9 says President Bush will not be arrested for war crimes at the RNC.

Franken's DFL challenger on Midday

Posted at 9:06 AM on July 17, 2008 by Tom Scheck

Priscilla Lord Faris, who is challenging Al Franken in the September primary, will be on Midday today at 11 AM.

Short campaign starts with long ad

Posted at 2:16 PM on July 17, 2008 by Tim Pugmire

Jack Uldrich, an Independence Party candidate for U.S. Senate, is counting on a unique Internet video to create a buzz about his campaign and bring in donations.

Uldrich unveiled the political ad called "Reverse Your Thinking" today, two days after filing as a candidate for the seat now held by incumbent Republican Norm Coleman. In the ad, Uldrich lays out a series of negative observations about key issues. Halfway through, he reverses course and repeats the list with an upbeat, positive message. With a running time of nearly 3 minutes, Uldrich admits the ad is risky.

"The only way I'm going to win this thing is to be unconventional," Uldrich said. "But I think that people are going to give it three minutes. And if they don't I can't do anything about that. Can my political opponents use snippets of that to portray me in a different light? Absolutely. But I have to do things differently."

Uldrich says his ad is patterned after a popular YouTube video called "Lost Generation." Seven Independence Party candidates are running for U.S. Senate in the September 9th primary.

Franken gets some campaign help

Posted at 6:03 PM on July 17, 2008 by Tom Scheck

A former staffer for North Carolina Senator John Edwards 2008 presidential bid will become Franken's deputy campaign manager.

WCCO: Coleman backed card check

Posted at 6:05 PM on July 17, 2008 by Tom Scheck

WCCO is reporting that GOP Sen. Norm Coleman backed the union backed card check proposal when he was mayor of St. Paul. The TV station has Coleman's signature on a 1997 resolution.

As the DFL pointed out yesterday, Coleman has repeatedly denounced the proposal on the campaign trail.