Polinaut: September 19, 2008 Archive

The Daily Digest: 9-19-2008

Posted at 6:00 AM on September 19, 2008 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Daily Digest

John McCain and Sarah Palin will make a campaign stop in Blaine today.

Minnesota is one of 14 states that matter.

A poll of the Big 10 states shows the race as close.

MPR talks with some Minnesota women about Sarah Palin and politics.

John McCain says he would have fired the SEC Chairman.

Barack Obama mocked McCain's decision. ABC News points out that a president can't "fire" the SEC Chairman.

Obama will meet with a group of economic advisers on Friday and will outline new plans.

The New York Times says the financial crisis is posing on the fly tests for the candidates.

Obama has a massive voter database.

Sarah Palin is nixed from the anti-Iran rally.

Palin's husband won't testify in the troopergate scandal.

AP takes a look at how sportsmen could play a role in the campaign.

2008 Race for Senate

The Fix has the race as the 7th most competitive.

The DFL files a complaint with the FEC on GOP Sen. Norm Coleman.

The Star Tribune fact checks Democrat Al Franken's social security ad.

2008 Race for Congress

DFL Rep. Tim Walz and GOP challenger Brian Davis will debate the issues on October 2nd.

State Government

Minnesota lost jobs in August.

Essar Global breaks ground on a steel plant in northern Minnesota today. Gov. Pawlenty will attend the groundbreaking and not the McCain rally. Mary Pawlenty, however, will be at the event.

County commissioners are complaining that the state is forcing them to pay for inmate costs. The Star Tribune, AP, MPR and Forum Communications have stories.

The problems on Wall St. are worsening the state's fiscal headaches.

MnDOT keeps extra lanes open on I-94.

The state's industries agree to cut mercury output.

Minnesota is planning for wind power.

The state outlines new ATV restrictions.

The stadium commission delays a decision on a new Vikings stadium.

Congress

The White House and Congress are planning a rescue plan for the banks.

Members of Congress are promising quick action on the plan.

GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann criticizes the bailouts.

The government releases more money for heating aid.

GOP Rep. Jim Ramstad voted against a motion that would have stripped Charlie Rangel's chairmanship of the House Ways and Means Committee.

The House passes DFL Rep. Collin Peterson's oil speculation bill.

McCain event on the radio

Posted at 10:52 AM on September 19, 2008 by Mike Mulcahy

We'll have the McCain-Palin rally in Blaine on live at noon on Midday.

License Plate of the Day

Posted at 11:10 AM on September 19, 2008 by Tom Scheck

I saw this license plate on my way into the event:

NHL*MOM

It appears that they'll play up the hockey connection at the rally in Blaine. U of M Men's hockey coach Don Lucia will also address the crowd.

Secret Service: 9,000 here.

Posted at 11:18 AM on September 19, 2008 by Tom Scheck

Secret Service says at 11 AM, the current crowd count was at 9,000 people. Many people are still lined up in cars trying to get into the event.

McCain just crossed 35W bridge

Posted at 11:38 AM on September 19, 2008 by Tom Scheck

The TV Pool said John McCain's motorcade just crossed the new 35W bridge.

Bachmann on ANWR

Posted at 11:43 AM on September 19, 2008 by Tom Scheck

GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann just said that ANWR is "The most wonderful place in the world to drill." Bachmann, GOP Rep. John Kline, GOP Sen. Norm Coleman and GOP candidate Brian Davis addressed the crowd. First Lady Mary Pawlenty is the "MC" of the event. Her husband, Gov. Tim Pawlenty, is not attending because he's in northern Minnesota for the groundbreaking of a steel plant. A campaign spokesman for Pawlenty, who was considered as a possible running mate for John McCain, said Pawlenty's absence from the McCain event should not be considered as a slight and that he strongly backs McCain for president.

Busy weekend for Bachmann

Posted at 5:05 PM on September 19, 2008 by Tom Scheck (7 Comments)

GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann's office sent out advisories saying Bachmann appeared on Fox New Channel's Your World with Neil Cavuto this afternoon. She's also scheduled to be on CNN's Larry King Live tonight at 8 pm. Bachmann will also appear on Fox's Geraldo at Large on Sunday night at 9:30. Bachmann's staff says all three appearances will focus on the U.S. economy.

I'm sure these appearances will raise the ire of DFL Party officials. The party has questioned why Bachmann can make frequent TV appearances but can't agree to a debate schedule with DFL challenger Elwyn Tinklenberg. Bachmann's staff says they're working to put a few debates on the schedule.

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5 Senate debates scheduled

Posted at 5:43 PM on September 19, 2008 by Tom Scheck

GOP Sen. Norm Coleman, DFLer Al Franken and I-P candidate Dean Barkley have agreed to five debates. Here are the details:

Sunday, October 5
Location: Rochester
Sponsor: Debate Minnesota

Saturday, October 11
Location: Twin Cities
Sponsor: Debate Minnesota and KARE-11 and Kare11.com

Thursday, October 16
Location: Duluth
Sponsor: Debate Minnesota

Friday, October 24
Location: Almanac
Sponsor: Twin Cities Public Television

Sunday, November 2
Location: Fitzgerald Theater, St. Paul
Sponsor: Minnesota Public Radio

The three campaigns acknowledge that, to reach agreement, each campaign made compromises in good faith regarding the number, venues, and formats of the debates. The candidates will not accept other debate invitations.

Specific times will be established and announced. The venues and panelists for the first three debates remain to be identified, and co-sponsors may be added. To promote substantive answers, the campaigns have agreed that, for the first three debates, each candidate will have two minutes to answer a question and one minute for rebuttal.

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Palin speech in Blaine

Posted at 5:51 PM on September 19, 2008 by Tom Scheck

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin got the 13,000 (latest number from TSA) people rockin' in Blaine today. Here's her speech:

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For the record, there was no dash for the door after Palin spoke. That apparently happened at the McCain/Palin rally in Iowa on Thursday.

Update: Newsweek says Palin's approval ratings are beginning to fall.

McCain speech

Posted at 6:04 PM on September 19, 2008 by Tom Scheck

John McCain went after Barack Obama during his speech in Blaine today. You can listen to the full speech here:

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You can also read what McCain didn't say (Fact Check) here.

Meanwhile, Obama supporters held a much smaller (but not small) counter rally in Minneapolis.