Daily Digest: 12-29-06
Time is running out on 2006 and apparently on Saddam Hussein. One of his defense lawyers says he believes Saddam will be put to death on Saturday. Unfortunately for President Bush Saddam's fate is likley to have little impact on the ongoing violence in Iraq. The New York Times is reporting that Bush is considering adding up to 20,000 U.S. troops to try to get a handle on security in Baghdad.
And speaking of the Times, it looks like they're going to be spending some time at the Minnesota Capitol. A piece today says "Minnesota’s capital is in many ways the perfect petri dish for testing what the nation’s new political landscape may produce." The story is labled the first of an occasional series that will examine state government in Minnesota. I say we're happy to have them here, especially with the cutbacks at the Pioneer Press and the sale of the Star Tribune.
And in some Capitol news that is not in the Times today, House GOP leaders have proposed a higher education tuition freeze at the U of M and MnSCU, and Gov. Pawlenty says he will sign it if it reaches his desk.
MPR has a look at incoming Attorney General Lori Swanson, and we did a two-parter about shortcomings in the Crimnet system despite 10 years of work and $200 million spent.
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The Star Tribune notes that violent crime in Minneapolis was up 17 percent in 2006, but city officials say the rate of increase is slowing.
2008
John Edwards had hoped to take advantage of the slow news week to announce his campaign for the White House. President Ford's death upstaged him a bit, but he still gets pretty good play in the Washington Post and other places. He's expected to spend a lot of time in Iowa where he's currently leading in the polls.
A brief item in the Pioneer Press notes St. Paul Police Chief John Harrington has appointed another deputy chief because he wants to devote one to full time planning for the '08 GOP convention.