The Daily Digest: 6-26-08
The Digest is late today because we were waiting for poll results to be released.
A Quinnipiac poll shows that Minnesota may not be swinging as a Swing State when it comes to presidential politics. Democrat Barack Obama is leading John McCain by a wide margin - 54% to 37%.
It may, however, illustrate that Minnesotans are ticket splitters since GOP Sen. Norm Coleman is leading Democrat Al Franken in Minnesota's Senate Race by ten percentage points.
Pawlenty for VP watchers will take note that 56% of those polled say putting Gov. Pawlenty on the ticket won't impact their vote.
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2008 Race for President
Politico says John McCain doesn't work weekends.
The netheads don't like Obama's stand on FISA.
MinnPost says the state campaign leaders for the Obama and McCain campaigns are taking different tracks.
CQ says the Senate surrogates for Obama and McCain ratchet up the rhetoric. DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar is mentioned.
DFL Rep. Tim Walz talks about the meeting between House Democrats and Hillary Clinton.
Tom Steward, Norm Coleman's communications director, will become John McCain's local spokesman.
2008 Race for Senate
WCCO says Minnesota's Senate race is the most expensive in the country to date.
The Rothenberg Political Report suggests Minnesota's Senate race is headed GOP.
The Washington Post says Al Franken's campaign requested the Barack Obama or his wife make an appearance on Franken's behalf.
GOP State Rep. Laura Brod went to Washington DC to encourage the DSCC to condemn Franken's comments on rape.
Pawlenty for VP Watch
Talking Points Memo looks at a Pawlenty VP possibility. He said he's the most "boring" of the candidates.
The Wall Street Journal's political blog also has a Pawlenty profile.
The Boston Globe says Pawlenty appears to be a "presidential" VP pick.
Here's a question - Why is Pawlenty's Deputy of Chief of Staff defending Pawlenty to the Club for Growth? Their blogger (which is a must read for conservatives) writes a react to his react.
(UPDATE: I'm told Bob Schroeder no longer works in the Governor's office).
Rob Portman is raising money for McCain. Don't know who Portman is? Salon has a profile.
State Government
MPR took at the lobbying reports and found that business groups spent the most on lobbing in the first half of 2008.
DHS is looking for a new match to build Health Match.
Reports says St. Paul's Ford Plant may stay open longer. The Pi Press and the Star Tribune have stories.
Secretary of State Mark Ritchie says the state could see the highest voter turnout in 26 years.
The Minnesota Farm Bureau says the Legislature tackled Bovine TB in the past session.
A British magazine says Minneapolis is one of the Top 20 livable cities worldwide. MinnPost picks it up.
Congress
The foreclosure relief bill stalls in the Senate.
President Bush declares four Minnesota counties as disaster areas.
The Star Tribune takes a look at a dispute over who gets federal money from a settlement on a 19th century land deal with the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe. DFL Rep. Collin Peterson and DFL Rep. Jim Oberstar are mentioned.
DFL Rep. Tim Walz criticizes Big Oil in this op-ed.
GOP Rep. Michele Bachman goes toe to toe with New York Democrat Charlie Rangel on the AMT.
A few Minnesota organizations were on the GOP blacklist.
The fight over the Delta Queen continues. Oberstar is mentioned.
MinnPost says DFL Rep. Collin Peterson voted for the FISA bill.
2008 RNC
St. Paul approves the 4AM bar closing with some restrictions.
A second protest group is given a permit.
Here's a list of who is protesting the RNC.
Finally
Maybe Jesse and this guy can join the "Predator Caucus" if they both get elected to the Senate. Quiz time: Which actor was the first to die in that movie? Mucho Bravo points to the first to answer!