Capitol View: August 27, 2008 Archive

The gov rides in a stolen car

Posted at 12:24 AM on August 27, 2008 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)

It was a mix-up. Sweet ride though (note I highlighted the sweetness for your viewing pleasure):

Road tour: How's this for a presidential joyride?

When Sharky Laguana heard from an employee of his San Francisco company, Bandago, that one of his $65,000 rental tour vans had disappeared Sunday in Allentown, Pa., he called police. Officers put out an all points bulletin.

Imagine Laguana's surprise when he found out the next day that Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who is on John McCain's short list for vice president, was riding around in the "stolen" van all day campaigning for the Republican presidential nominee-to-be.

"I don't know that anybody could have picked my jaw up off the floor," the professed "political junkie" told The Chronicle's Tanya Schevitz.

Pawlenty didn't actually steal the van. It was all a mix-up - and a strange one at that.

Laguana, whose company rents out high-end vans to rock bands, had arranged for an employee to pick up the vehicle at the Allentown Holiday Inn once the group Everclear was done with it. But when the employee arrived at the hotel, he was told that a man in a blue suit already had driven the van away.

The man in the blue suit was a police officer, assigned to Pawlenty, who was supposed to pick up a rental at the hotel - but he wound up at the wrong Holiday Inn picking up the keys to the wrong vehicle.

"The driver said it was a little weird that there were a couple beers in the van when he picked it up," Laguana said.

He might also have wondered why the governor needed a 24-foot-long Dodge Sprinter van, loaded with a 20-inch LCD video screen with a DVD, an Xbox 360 game system and iPod.

After driving Pawlenty around on Monday, the driver called the number on a contract the band had left in the van. That's when he learned he had the wrong vehicle.

Laguana is now negotiating with the McCain campaign to cover the van's $200-a-day rent.

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The people united...

Posted at 12:28 PM on August 27, 2008 by Tom Scheck

Several high profile Clinton supporters and delegates held an early morning newc conference outside of the the delegate hotel. They said they and many other Clinton supporters will united behind and work for Barack Obama.

The roll call vote is scheduled for 3 pm Mountain Time so we'll know if any Minnesota delegates vote for Clinton. Rick Stafford, a long time Clinton supporter, said those votes won't matter on Friday. He said Democrats will then begin making the case for Obama across the state and nation.

New day, same script for Pawlenty at the State Fair

Posted at 5:24 PM on August 27, 2008 by Tim Pugmire

Gov. Tim Pawlenty munched on cheese curds and shook a lots of hands in between media interviews this afternoon at the Minensota State Fair. He appeared on KTIS, KSTP-AM and KARE 11.

Pawlenty managed again to side step several variations of the vice president question. For those who haven't been paying attention, the governor of our state has been frequently mentioned as a possible running mate for Republican presidential hopeful Sen. John McCain. Pawlenty is a co-chair of the McCain campaign.

Following the KTIS interview, Pawlenty offered what has become his boilerplate response.

"I don't address questions that relate to VP issues, because I just have stopped talking about that, because of the fact that it just leads to more speculation," Pawlenty said.

Pawlenty will be in Denver Thursday to offer a GOP perspective during the day Democrats will endorse Sen. Barack Obama. Asked about his plans for Friday, the day McCain is expected to announce his running mate, Pawlenty offered a quick answer.

"I am planning on being in Minnesota Friday, Pawlenty said. "I have my weekly radio show, Good Morning Minnesota, 9:00 Friday morning. I plan on being there."

Pawlenty added that he's scheduled to be in Minnesota on Saturday and Sunday.

The delegation vote

Posted at 6:01 PM on August 27, 2008 by Tom Scheck

Minnesota's Democratic delegates casted 78 votes for Barack Obama for president, 8 votes for Hillary Clinton and there were two abstentions (DFL Rep. Jim Oberstar and DFL Rep. Collin Peterson were absent). I'm trying to get the list of Clinton backers but DFL Party leaders said they already turned it into the DNCC Secretary.

Here's the list of delegates who voted for Clinton:

Charles Carlson, Claudia Cody, Jeffery Flynn, Lisa Stager, Jackie Stevenson, Tammy Tesky, Jodie Torkelson and Lynn Wilson.

Jackie Stevenson said she voted for Clinton because she worked so hard to see a woman elected president.

"I have been working consistently as a strong feminist to someday hope that we could elect a woma president of the United States and I thought this was the year. I threw myself into it totally in my heart and my mind. I had to vote for her for closure."

Stevenson said she will back Barack Obama in November. In fact, former Vice President Walter Mondale said the Democratic Party will unify behind Obama now that the vote is over:

"In the Minnesota delegation, every Clinton delegate is now for Obama and I heard this is true all over. I think Hillary's stunning speech last night giving the arguments for that erased any concerns and I think the same will be true across the country."

Obama officially became the nominee after Clinton called to unanimously back him. There were plenty of people in the halls of the Pepsi Center watching Clinton's speech.

Real live celebrity encounter

Posted at 7:05 PM on August 27, 2008 by Mike Mulcahy

We were sitting at the broadcast table getting ready for our six o'clock report tonight and two guys walked up. One was older with white hair; the other was a young man.

"I'm Graham Nash," the older one said, "and you're the only bleeping station I have programmed on my car radio."

And it was Graham Nash, from Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. He introduced the young man as his son, and we all shook hands. Now I assume when he said we were the only station he has on his radio he meant his local public radio station, not necessarily MPR.

One of our engineers, Michael DeMark, asked him if he was headed for St. Paul, and he said something like, "I don't know if I can take that many showers." Or at least I think that's what he said because we were 10 minutes away from airtime and all of us were too dumbfounded to ask him what the heck he was talking about.

As he walked away he said Crosby also sent his regards. I told him to say hello to Neil, and he said he would.

I'm not usually one for celebrities, but I must say that was pretty cool.

Pawlenty for VP Watch

Posted at 7:13 PM on August 27, 2008 by Tom Scheck

Gov. Pawlenty spent part of his day at the State Fair today. He's scheduled to be in Denver tomorrow to offer the GOP response to the DNC.

For all of you VP watchers, the governor said he is scheduled to be in Minnesota on Friday and Saturday. Republican John McCain is expected to announce his running mate on Friday morning in Ohio.

Ellison, Sanders address Minnesota delegation

Posted at 7:46 PM on August 27, 2008 by Curtis Gilbert

U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minn, today told Minnesota's delegates to the DNC that while his heavily Democratic district might lead many to consider his seat "safe" for the DFL, he still wants to work for his re-election. Listen

The most fiery speech at the delegates' breakfast meeting came from U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. Sanders may be an independent, but he caucuses with the Democrats and had biting words about conservatives. Listen