Polinaut: July 24, 2008 Archive

The Daily Digest: 7-24-08

Posted at 8:35 AM on July 24, 2008 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Daily Digest

Heads up to Digest readers: A major poll comes out later today. Come back to see the results.

Now to the Digest:

Gov. Pawlenty will have to address all of the VP rumors when he holds an afternoon event praising John McCain's energy plan in Minneapolis.

Pawlenty was in Michigan last night. He declined to talk about the VP rumors before he spoke to the Kent County Republican Lincoln Day Dinner in Grand Rapids, MI.

He also said it's an honor to be considered and gave his "Sam's Club" speech.

The speculation in Minnesota mounts about Pawlenty. KARE and the Star Tribune have stories.

The Baltimore Sun says recent polling says Pawlenty gives McCain negligible value.

Is John McCain planning a Thursday surprise?

McCain talked up Pawlenty (after some coaxing by reporters) in the Digest's Hometown.

Robert Novak (who's in a bit of hot water himself) said Romney "now leads all speculation."

Romney is no longer denying the possibility of the VP slot and the Boston Globe says Romney may buy the slot.

Roll Call says Democrat Barack Obama is making headway among workers hurt by the economy. Pawlenty is mentioned.

Obama is playing down tonight's speech in Berlin.

2008 Race for Senate

MPR, Politico, the Star Tribune and WCCO write about GOP Sen. Norm Coleman's latest ad.

Where are Coleman and Franken getting all of this money for the ads? The Wall Street Journal said a lot is coming from out of state.

Democrat Al Franken campaigned in Rochester. The Rochester Post-Bulletin and KAAL have stories.

Coleman leads Franken in the latest Rasmussen Poll but it's w/in MOE.

CQ quotes a GOP strategist saying Coleman is doing well.

The Marshall Independent gives us a Farmfest preview.

The Minnesota DFL files a complaint regarding the anti-union organizing ads.

Former Fall Guy Actress Heather Thomas has raised money for Franken.

The conservative blog SCSU Scholars wonders whether Franken's tax plan would kill IRAs.

2008 Race for Congress

1st District Republican Brian Davis touts his conservative values and calls for increased drilling during an event in Houston County.

Davis explains why he was late paying his property taxes to MPR.

The Star Tribune reports that GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann didn't set foot in ANWR during her trip there.

Stu Rothenberg says the buzz regarding 2nd District DFLer Steve Sarvi's campaign is winding down after his latest fundraising figures were released.

State Government

Ford will keep St. Paul's plant open until 2011.

The Minnesota Independent says gay couples are organizing to challenge Minnesota's Defense of Marriage Act.

The Minnesota Health Department helped crack the salmonella case.

Congress

The House passed the foreclosure relief bill. GOP Rep. John Kline, GOP Rep. Jim Ramstad and GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann vote against it.

The New York Times says Congress is focused on gas prices but is in a stalemate. DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar is mentioned.

20,000 veterans have not received their earned leave. Klobuchar is mentioned.

The Peace Corps will close its Minneapolis office. Klobuchar, DFL Rep. Keith Ellison and DFL Rep. Betty McCollum criticized the move.

The House Armed Services Committee discusses "Don't Ask, Don't tell." GOP Rep. John Kline is mentioned.

A federal bridge bill would send $7.3 million to Minnesota. Kline, DFL Rep. Tim Walz and DFL Rep. Jim Oberstar are mentioned in the Rochester Post-Bulletin story. The Star Tribune also has a story.

The Great Lakes Compact may be approved by Congress this year. Oberstar is mentioned.

The second phase of the federal minimum wage hike goes into effect today.

2008 RNC

President Bush will address the convention on Monday, September 1st.

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Quinnipiac Poll: McCain closes gap on Obama in Minnesota

Posted at 9:08 AM on July 24, 2008 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)

The latest Quinnipiac Poll says Republican John McCain is closing the gap on Democrat Barack Obama in Minnesota. The latest poll shows Obama with a 2 percentage poing lead over McCain (46% to 44%). Obama led McCain by 17 percentage points in Quinnipiac's June poll.

"Sen. McCain is gaining strength, particularly among younger voters, independents and the Twin Cities suburbs, but the situation remains fluid with more than a third of independent voters saying their minds are not yet made up," said Clay F. Richards, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

GOP Sen. Norm Coleman also has a wide lead over Democrat Al Franken. 53% of those polled support Coleman. 38% support Franken. He had a ten percentage point lead in June.

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NYC Mayor to talk up McCain

Posted at 2:14 PM on July 24, 2008 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)

ABC News is reporting that New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg intends to talk up Republcan presidential hopeful John McCain during tomorrow's trip to Minnesota. He's speaking at a breakfast fundraiser for the Independence Party. He is also holding a news conference to make an announcement related to public infrastructure funding. He will be joined by Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell (an avid Eagles fan) and possibly California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

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Speculation....

Posted at 7:51 PM on July 24, 2008 by Tom Scheck

...is the word of the day.

Gov. Pawlenty met with Minnesota reporters this afternoon. He held a news conference at a gas station in Bloomington to tout John McCain's energy policy. You can listen to his comments here.