Capitol View: August 26, 2008 Archive

Bachmann taps star power during RNC

Posted at 9:26 AM on August 26, 2008 by Tim Pugmire (1 Comments)

Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., will be rubbing shoulders with some big names during next week's Republican National Convention.

Bachmann's campaign sent supporters an invitation to three fundraising events. On Monday, Sept. 1, the congresswoman will join former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney at the University Club in St. Paul for a $250 per person brunch.

Bachmann will appear Tuesday, Sept 2, with radio talk show host Laura Ingraham, but details for that $25 per person event were not yet set.

On Wednesday, Sept. 3, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich will headline a breakfast for Bachmann, also at the University Club, at $250 per person.

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Which Coleman is which?

Posted at 11:39 AM on August 26, 2008 by Mike Mulcahy

St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman spoke to Minnesota delegates to the Democratic National Convention in Denver today.

Coleman, who is preparing his city to host the Republican National Convention next week, said working so closely with Republicans is starting to get to him. He said U.S. Senate candidate Al Franken has also tapped him to impersonate GOP Sen. Norm Coleman as Franken preps for debates.

Chris Coleman then did a wicked Norm Coleman impersonation.

GOP platform taking shape in Minneapolis

Posted at 1:20 PM on August 26, 2008 by Tim Pugmire

Republican leaders are busy getting their party platform in shape before the national convention opens next week in St. Paul.

The GOP platform committee is meeting today and Wednesday at the Minneapolis Convention Center. Members are divided into six topic subcommittees: Expanding Opportunity to Promote Prosperity, Defending the Nation/Securing the Peace, Reforming Government to Serve the People, Guaranteeing Energy Independence and a Cleaner Environment, Protecting Families/Preserving Our Values and Advancing a Healthier and More Competitive America.

North Carolina Senator Richard Burr, a co-chairman of the platform committee, said the goal is to write a platform that voters can easily to read and understand.

"Which opens us up to an unlimited opportunity to attract not just Republicans, but Democrats, independents and unaffiliated who align more with the Republican principles than they do our opposition," Burr said.

Congresswoman Michele Bachmann and Tony Sutton are the two Minnesotans on the 112-member platform committee. Sutton is also co-chairman of the Expanding Opportunity to Promote Prosperity subcommittee.

The full committee is expected to complete it work late Wednesday. RNC delegates will ratify the platform during the opening day of the convention on Monday.

Clinton supporters press on

Posted at 3:12 PM on August 26, 2008 by Tom Scheck

About 75 Hillary Clinton supporters gathered outside of Denver's Pepsi Center today to call for a roll call vote for Clinton. Los Angeles attorney Gloria Allred led the rally. She and the others say they intend to back Barack Obama once they leave the convention but want to see Clinton's name put in nomination.

Clinton speaks tonight. Her husband, former President Bill Clinton, speaks tomorrow night.

Bachmann on CNN tonight, also signals support for McCain

Posted at 4:44 PM on August 26, 2008 by Tom Scheck

GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann said on a conference call with reporters that she is backing John McCain for president even if McCain wasn't her first choice. Listen here.

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Bachmann will also appear on CNN's Larry King Live tonight at 11 CDT to offer the GOP response to the DNC.

Madia in Denver, releases first ad

Posted at 5:06 PM on August 26, 2008 by Tom Scheck

3rd District DFL candidate Ashwin Madia is in Denver today to raise money, meet with delegates and talk with high powered Democratic strategists Rahm Emanuel and Steny Hoyer. MPR's Curtis Gilbert has a good rundown of Madia's two days in Denver.

Curtis also recorded Madia's speech to Minnesota delegates. You can listen to the speech here.

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Madia will also start running his first TV ad tomorrow. You can watch it here.

Madia is running for Congress in Minnesota's 3rd Congressional District. Republican Erik Paulsen and Independence Party candidate David Dillon are also running for the open seat. GOP Rep. Jim Ramstad is retiring.

Pawlenty watch

Posted at 5:19 PM on August 26, 2008 by Tom Scheck

Gov. Pawlenty's public schedule says he will be doing interviews from the State Fair on Wednesday afternoon. He's also expected to be in Denver on Thursday to counter the DNC.

The governor also tells Rachel Stassen-Berger with the Political Animal that he is scheduled to be in Minnesota on Friday. Friday is the day that Republican John McCain is expected to announce his running mate.

Pawlenty and Coleman to speak twice in St. Paul

Posted at 6:41 PM on August 26, 2008 by Tom Scheck

The RNC released the full schedule of speakers for next week's Republican National Convention.

Gov. Tim Pawlenty is scheduled to speak on Monday and Thursday. GOP Sen. Norm Coleman is scheduled to speak on Monday and Wednesday. GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann and Republican candidate Erik Paulsen will speak on Monday night.

Know your credentials

Posted at 7:46 PM on August 26, 2008 by Curtis Gilbert

"Where did you get that?" asked the college student with the red crew cut, motioning toward the press pass around my neck. "I want one."

As we gripped the same overhead bar on the Denver light rail, I told him he could probably make something equally convincing at the local Kinko's.

"Does that get you in everywhere?" he asked.

No. An MPR-issued ID alone will get you pretty much nowhere this weekend.

To get anywhere worth going at the convention, you need a credential. What kind of credential? That depends where you want to go.

We received our official allotment from the Democratic National Convention Committee Sunday, a fat envelope stuffed with an assortment of different colored tickets. Here's what we got:

13 Perimeter Passes: These get you through security and into the convention area. You can go to the special tents set up for the 15,000 reporters expected to cover this thing. These are the lowest class of media credential. They will not get you into the Pepsi Center, where the first three days of speeches are happening or Invesco Field at Mile High, where Barack Obama will accept the Democratic nomination on Thursday night.

4 Arena Passes: These are better than perimeter passes. You can still go into the press tent, but you can also get into the Pepsi Center and Invesco with them. What you can't do is get into the hall where the convention itself is happening. For that you'll need one of the....

2 Hall Passes: These get you into the hall, but you still can't get onto the floor where the delegates are. The only way we can do this is to redeem any of:

3 Arena Passes with special stickers on the back.... indicating that they can be temporarily upgraded to floor passes. If you want to go onto the floor, you need to trade one of these passes for another type of credential that lets you go mingle with the delegates for 20 minutes. Once your 20 minutes is up, you have to trade it back. And don't be late we were warned, or they'll confiscate your Arena Pass.

As you can see the better the passes are, the fewer you get. You get enough credential for everyone in your group to have one, but most of them won't get you anywhere near the action. You can trade passes with other members of your media organization -- in fact, it's the only way to get your job done -- but as with any scarce resource, it can lead to conflict, war even.

There have already been a few flare-ups among your radio friends here at MPR, but we'll treat those intra-company disputes as off the record.

Hillary makes the case

Posted at 11:05 PM on August 26, 2008 by Tom Scheck

New York Senator Hillary Clinton made her pitch to her supporters that the race isn't about her but about the woman earning minimum wage, the person with cancer, etc.

Get ready to hear this line from the Democrats during the RNC:

John McCain says the economy is fundamentally sound. John McCain doesn't think that 47 million people without health insurance is a crisis. John McCain wants to privatize Social Security. And in 2008, he still thinks it's okay when women don't earn equal pay for equal work.

With an agenda like that, it makes sense that George Bush and John McCain will be together next week in the Twin Cities. Because these days they're awfully hard to tell apart.

Question of the Day: Did Hillary make her case to undecided Democrats and independents?

NRCC buys ad time in the 3rd

Posted at 11:14 PM on August 26, 2008 by Tom Scheck

Politico says the National Republican Congressional Committee bought ad time in the 3rd Congressional District. Independence Party candidate David Dillon, DFLer Ashwin Madia and Republican Erik Paulsen are vying for the open seat being vacated by GOP Rep. Jim Ramstad. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee already reserved ad time in the district as well.