The Daily Digest: 12-1-06
Happy December. Only 23 months for politicians to shop until the 2008 presidential election. It appears Governor Pawlenty is making his selection early. The New York Times is reporting that Pawlenty says he intends to support Arizona Senator John McCain for President:
Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota drove to the evening reception with Mr. McCain and later said in an interview he intended to support Mr. McCain if he ran for president.
The National Review is also reporting that Pawlenty is willing to back McCain. They even say he's working on the senator's exploratory committee and even mentions running mate:
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Pawlenty, by coming out for McCain early, could boost his stock as a potential running mate. Blunt, for his part, faces the prospect of a hard-fought reelection campaign in 2008.
Pawlenty is also headed to Arizona next week to attend a meeting by the National Governor's Association.
Back at the Capitol, Pawlenty announced that state employees will experience a health insurance premium holiday.
There's still discussion about the budget surplus among lawmakers.
The Marshall Independent has a story saying the surplus will make life easier for lawmakers this year.
GOP Senator Paul Koering ells the Brainerd Post Dispatch that property tax relief in on the top of the agenda.
The Star Tribune writes that DFL Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller will try to be invisible to the media.
Congress
The Star Tribune picks up the story on the controversy surrounding Keith Ellison swearing on the Qur'an when he takes the oath of office.
The AP says DFL congressman-elect Tim Walz and GOP Senator Norm Coleman are split on the Iraq study group findings.
DFL Congressman Collin Peterson is mentioned in this story on farm bill discussion and disaster aide.
2008
Coleman touts his 87 county tour. The Star Tribune and the Bemidji Pioneer have stories.
Other
The Star Tribune is investigating allegations of plagiarism by one if its editorial writers.
And Finally, the Pioneer Press has announced that thirty people will take buyouts at the paper. I know two of them personally and will miss them. Pat Sweeney has covered politics and government for the paper. He is a straight forward, no-nonsense reporter who made complex stories easy to read. More importantly, he was always willing to help the more inexperienced reporters with an angle, an idea or a fact. He didn't have to do it but he was a nice enough to help.
The other reporter is Aron Kahn, who covered the endless stadium debates at the Legislature. He is a tireless and tenacious reporter on a story that can get awfully mundane, awfully fast. He always offered a fresh perspective and knows more about the stadium debate then any others.
Both Sweeney and Kahn are great people and great journalists (I'm sure the others are as well). The editors at the Pioneer Press say the paper will look the same. Not to me.