The Daily Digest

DFLers in the Minnesota House want to take quick action on a bonding bill next session but Gov. Pawlenty says they should focus on other priorities. MPR, the Star Tribune and the Pi Press have stories.

Open enrollment is causing problems for the state's largest school districts.

The CDC says H1N1 is no longer widespread in Minnesota.

But clinics are told to hold the vaccine for high-risk groups.

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KARE wonders if a Vikings stadium is now or never.

Congress

President Obama will release his plans on Afghanistan tonight. The Washington Post says he will send an additional 34,000 troops. You can listen to the prime-time address on MPR News.

Politico says Democrats are nervous about Obama's Afghanistan plan.

DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar tells the St. Cloud Times that she is wary of a troop buildup in the country.

The Treasury Department pushes mortgage firms for loan relief.

DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar wants Iran to release the hikers being held there.

DFL Rep. Tim Walz gave $2,196 back in office funds back to the Treasury. Update: Walz's office says the funds were from his refusal to take a salary increase not unpsent office funds.

Walz also talked health care in Austin and stimulus success in Waseca.

DFL Rep. Jim Oberstar says the estimate on a Duluth to Minneapolis rail line is too high.

The Wall St. Journal says job cuts loom as the stimulus funding fades. Oberstar is mentioned.

Pawlenty for President Watch

Gov. Pawlenty gets 1% in a Washington Post poll of GOP voters considering 2012.

A former Republican Congressman from New Hampshire is co-hosting Pawlenty's New Hampshire fundraiser in December for New Hampshire Senate Republicans.

Pawlenty also appeared on Laura Ingraham's show yesterday (listen here). Pawlenty said "Yeah, we got a problem" when asked if Minnesota has an Al Qaeda problem in Minnesota because of the Somali issue.

He also said he never granted clemency during his time as governor and would not have granted clemency to the alleged shooter in Washington. He also said he's not concerned about a recent poll in the Washington Post and explains his position on global warming.

Conservatives rip former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee over a shooting in Washington.

Huckabee explains himself on Bill O'Reilly shows.

Seattle police shot and killed the suspect.

Time's The Page suggests

Alabama

Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour is eying a White House run.

2010 Race for Governor

The DFL candidates for governor differ on a sales tax expansion.

Discover Politics interviews DFLer Susan Gaertner.

2010 Race for Congress

Republican Randy Demmer will announce this morning that he's running for Congress in Minnesota's 1st Congressional District. Demmer, who lost the GOP endorsement in 2008, says he will not run for his Minnesota House seat again.

2010 Other

A former Crow Wing County prosecutor enters the race for Minnesota Attorney General.