Polinaut: August 7, 2008 Archive

The Daily Digest: 8-7-08

Posted at 6:02 AM on August 7, 2008 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Daily Digest

Illinois Senator Barack Obama held a private fundraiser in Minneapolis last night. The Star Tribune provided the pool report.

Some reporters were told that there would not be a media availability before or after the event so imagine the surprise when some in the press corps saw him holding a news conference for a select group of TV stations last night. KARE, WCCO, Fox9 and KSTP have stories.

I would put the audio up from the entire news conference but we weren't there because we weren't told about it. Please send suggestions on what I'm supposed to tell the boss this morning.

Republican John McCain says he would force Congress to act on energy.

Pawlenty for VP Watch

Gov. Pawlenty campaigned in Delaware yesterday after spending some time in Washington DC.

During his DC visit, he said the party needs new ideas. The news wasn't the speech (which was standard fare) but where it was given (The National Press Club). The Washington Post, the Star Tribune, AP, The Hill, MPR, Politico, the New York Times, ECM, ABC, MinnPost, Hotline, the Pi Press and the Wall Street Journal have stories.

AP says Pawlenty praised Obama's positive tone but CNN said he slammed him. In the words of Vince Lombardi - What in the hell is going on around here?

The Pi Press takes a look at where Pawlenty has traveled in the past year.

A Pi Press editorial says everyone is asking Will Pawlenty get the nod but shouldn't we be asking if he should get it?

2008 Race for Senate

GOP Sen. Norm Coleman writes an op-ed on energy.

The Rochester Post-Bulletin says three senate candidates will visit Rochester today.

The Wall Street Journal says there's nothing funny about Al Franken's race in Minnesota.

DFLer Priscilla Lord Faris releases her new round of ads. MPR and the Star Tribune have stories.

The Mankato Free Press has a profile of Lord Faris.

WCCO Reality Checks the ads.

2008 Race for Congress

3rd District DFLer Ashwin Madia has a lapsed law license. The Star Tribune says it was renewed.

The Economic Times of India says Madia is running a strong race.

Congress

Unpaid bills are causing more utility shutoffs. Coleman is mentioned.

Food vs. Fuel splits farmers at Farmfest. DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar is mentioned.

The GOP House Minority Leader played a little golf in Ohio while his party calls for lawmakers to come back.

State Government

Sun Country wants the state's help.

The census says western Minnesota's counties remain the oldest.

2008 RNC

Few Twin Cities bars pony up the fee to extend bar hours during the RNC.

Cab drivers get a civility lesson before the RNC.

2010

Ramsey County Attorney Susan Gaertner campaigned in Lucan.

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The GOP, Guns and bailouts

Posted at 6:46 PM on August 7, 2008 by Tom Scheck

Gov. Pawlenty is on CNN's Glenn Beck tonight to talk about guns, bailouts and the GOP. CNN has this story or you can watch part of the interview here.

One quibble with Pawlenty. He said this about government bailouts:

When asked if car companies such as GM, Ford and Chrysler - who have fallen on hard times with a sagging economy - need a bail out, Pawlenty said the government "can be in the business of bailing out every large company that's in trouble." "We'd be bailing out the airlines we'd be bailing out lots of other companies, I think the answer is to have those companies ... be competitive and compete in a world marketplace."

That seems to contradict his philosophy when it comes to St. Paul's Ford Plant. In 2006, he said the state would do whatever it takes to save the plant. When I asked if that meant a significantly large state contribution, his crystal clear response was "In for a penny, in for a pound."

Here's part of that story:

Gov. Pawlenty reiterated Monday he will push for any state investment that might convince Ford to convert, rather than close, the factory.

Pawlenty suggested he is prepared for the bidding war that might ensue among other states with troubled plants.

"We want to find out what is strategically important to them -- what is a difference-maker to Ford," said Pawlenty. "And we'll invest in that because we want to align with their strategic future, not our strategic past."

Pawlenty flew to Detroit this month to pitch Ford executives on one particular idea -- a research and production facility for hybrid and alternative-fuel vehicles. The governor stressed Minnesota's leadership in ethanol production.

So is there a difference between saving a plant and bailing out an industry?

The NY Times profiles Pawlenty...

Posted at 10:18 PM on August 7, 2008 by Tom Scheck

...here.