Polinaut: December 4, 2008 Archive

The Daily Digest: 12-4-08

Posted at 7:48 AM on December 4, 2008 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)
Filed under: Daily Digest

Al Franken's campaign withdraws 633 ballots. More ballots discrepancies were found. This time it's in Minneapolis and cost Franken some votes, which the campaign is protesting. MPR, the Pi Press, AP, the Star Tribune and Forum Communications have stories.

The latest numbers compared to Election Day totals show Norm Coleman with a lead.

Franken's campaign is claiming he's ahead in the vote count. Coleman's people say they're ahead.

MinnPost tries to determine who is telling the truth.

The Pi Press estimates that all of the challenges could take weeks for the Canvassing Board to sort through (if they aren't withdrawn).

MPR takes a look at how the campaigns are raising money for the recount.

The Fix says the recount lost its urgency not that Saxby Chambliss won the Georgia runoff.

WCCO says tensions flare at the recount in Scott County.

State Budget

We will learn today how bad the state's budget will be later this morning. A historic, very very bad, mega doom budget deficit is predicted. MPR, AP and the Star Tribune have stories.

There's also talk of unallotment.

The Pi Press examines whether the forecast should be moved up before the November election.

The paper also says some lawmakers are looking at ways to innovate in light of the bad news.

ECM profiles the House GOP.

Minnesota slips in healthiest state rankings.

Minnesota and 48 states fail the college affordability study.

Congress

The feds wants the reinstatement of a tax probe into a church.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says the bailout plan for cars makers doesn't have the votes to pass.

Meanwhile, the UAW makes concessions to help the Big 3.

A special counsel faults former U.S. Attorney Rachel Paulose for taking retaliatory action against an Assistant U.S. Attorney.

GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann wins something called the "Worker Freedom Award."

Reuters says Senate Democrats will pack plenty of muscle. DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar is mentioned.

DFL Rep. Tim Walz is teaching local leaders and non-profits how to win a federal grant.

DFL Rep. Betty McCollum helps kick off the Census count. The Pi Press and KARE have stories.

Minneapolis is working to reduce foreclosures. DFL Rep. Keith Ellison is mentioned.

DFL Rep. Collin Peterson is in London pleading for tighter regulation of credit derivatives.

DFL Rep. Jim Oberstar wants National Steel's pension fund examined.

Obama

DFL Rep. Collin Peterson appears to like Colorado Democratic Congressman John Salazar as Ag Secretary.

Bill Gates presses President-elect Obama on a stimulus package and global aid.

Some health groups are wary of picking GOP Rep. Jim Ramstad for "Drug Czar." MinnPost and the Star Tribune have stories.

Comment on this post

$4.8 Billion red

Posted at 10:12 AM on December 4, 2008 by Tom Scheck

The projected budget deficit over the next two years is $4.8 billion, according to several sources who have been briefed. That number does not include inflation.

Gov. Pawlenty and state lawmakers will also be facing a $426 million budget deficit in the current budget cycle which ends in June. Story here.

Coleman to withdraw ballot challenges

Posted at 10:25 AM on December 4, 2008 by Tom Scheck

An attorney for Republican Norm Coleman says he is withdrawing 650 ballot challenges after saying he would wait until the recount is finished on Friday. The move comes one day after Democrat Al Franken withdrew 633 challenges. Maybe we'll see an arms race in the other direction after the two campaigns mounted challenges topping 6,000.

Both campaigns say they hope to withdraw more in the coming days....

Meanwhile, the Secretary of State's office sends this dispatch:

The state canvassing board will reconvene on Friday, Dec. 12 to discuss possible options for dealing with mistakenly rejected absentee ballots being sorted by county and local election officials.