The Daily Digest: 11-2-06
Go Deeper.
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OK. I'm covering the Senate debate tonight so I could actually take the time to read all of the stories that I'm linking to and actually think about this entry. Sorry to all of those folks who took offense to the past few entries. I aim to please but sometimes miss the mark.
So...
What should lead with the digest with today? A possible future president campaigns with our governor? Nah. How about a one time presidential candidate who may run for president again campaigning with the DFL nominee for Minnesota's open U.S. Senate seat? Nope. How about the comments from the DFL candidate for Lieutenant Governor that could change the outcome of the governor's race? Yup.
For the first time in digest history we will put this at the top:
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Lt. Governor
Mike Hatch's running mate, Judi Dutcher, told a TV reporter that she didn't know what E-85 was. The Pawlenty campaign is trying to seize on the moment. Pawlenty's campaign, which appeared to have Carol Molnau hiding in some bunker, is now making the sitting Lieutenant Governor available for interviews. The campaign is also talking about renewable fuels today. Here's the KSTP video and an AP story. Dutcher also made stops in Worthington and Marshall.
Does it change the race? Who knows? But no candidate wants this type of attention in a race this close.
Governor's Race
Arizona Senator John McCain, who is widely expected to run for president, campaigned with Governor Pawlenty and 1st District Congressman Gil Gutknecht in Rochester. McCain and Pawlenty also campaigned in Blaine, Duluth and Moorhead.
DFLer Mike Hatch will be campaigning in southern Minnesota today with Gutknecht's DFL opponent, Tim Walz. I'm sure Hatch will bring up corn somewhere along the trip.
The Pi Press and MPR both have profiles on Hatch.
Hatch is also criticizing a special interest group for running ads that criticize him. His beef isn't with the ads but with the fact that no one knows exactly who is funding the group. Target's CEO and Stan Hubbard kicked in some cash but the rest of the money came after the filing deadline. Joe Weber, a St. Paul based consultant, returned my calls yesterday. He wouldn't disclose the additonal donors but said the contributors were concerned about Minnesota's business climate if Hatch were to be elected. Guess we'll know the other contributors on January 30th . AP and the Strib have stories.
Pawlenty visited the Spam museum, says the Albert Lea Tribune.
Senate Race
Democrat Amy Klobuchar leads Republican Mark Kennedy in latest MPR/St. Paul Pi Press poll but it's closer than the last poll. MPR and the Pi Press have stories.
Former Vice President Al Gore holds a rally today for Klobuchar on the University of Minnesota campus. Klobuchar is also debating Kennedy tonight in Rochester.
The Star Tribune writes that anger over Iraq is a big issue in the Senate race.
The St. Cloud Times also writes that Klobuchar visited the Whitney Senior Center in St. Cloud.
Both candidates will be up early tomorrow morning to start their statewide campaign tours. The final election day push begins.
1st District
GOP Congressman Gil Gutknecht probably benefited more than anyone else over Massachusetts Senator John Kerry's troops remark. That's because Kerry canceled his visit to Mankato on behalf of Tim Walz. AP has a story.
AP also has a story saying Minnesota troops are mocking Kerry.
2nd
Here's a little debate between the candidates running in the 2nd.
5th district
MPR has a profile of the candidates running in the 5th.
Ellison's candidacy and the fact that he could be the first Muslim ever elected to Congress are receiving national attention. How do I know? Because a fine young reporter from Radio France just did an interview with me about the race. She called and asked if I could talk about the race. I said sure. She said "Can you do it in French?" I said "No." She did the interview anyway. I have no idea what she'll do with it.
6th
DFLer Patty Wetterling, Republican Michele Bachmann and I-P candidate John Binkowski debated the issues last night. Here's the audio of the debate. Here's an MPR story on the debate.
The Star Tribune has a story saying the candidates stances on issues are not detailed in their ads.
Bachmann also appeared at the Blaine rally with John McCain who said she would be welcome in the city of Satan. I guess he was alluding to Washington D.C. unless he was inviting her to a trip to Vegas. KARE-11 has that story.
The St. Cloud Times has a profile on Binkowski. I-P Chair Jim Moore cheers.
MSNBC has a profile of the race and doesn't mention Binkowski. Jim Moore sighs.
7th
The West Central Tribune has a look at the candidates.
AG
DFLer Lori Swanson is leading GOP candidate Jeff Johnson in the latest MPR/Pi Press poll. However, there are plenty of undecideds. MPR and the Pi Press have stories.
Legislature
The Bemidji Pioneer has a story saying GOP House Speaker Steve Sviggum says a Republican controlled House is good for rural Minnesota.
The Crookston Daily Times writes that Sviggum and DFL House Minority Leader Margaret Anderson Kelliher are just a few of the folks who made campaign stops to Crookston.
You can also listen the the four caucus leader's on MPR's Midday program.
The Rest
The Pi Press has an interesting story on how much all of those political ads cost.
The Star Tribune says the swing votes are swinging.
And finally, USA Today has a story on the youth vote and how it could make the difference this year.
