Minnesota Politics

America's leading pro-Israel lobby made a flag-pin wearer out of Obama...

Filed under: Elections , Elections , Elections , Elections , Elections , Elections

Photo courtesy AIPAC

The day after Barack Obama declared victory in St. Paul, he was at a podium addressing the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, which describes itself as "America's pro-Israel lobby."

And it wasn't just Obama. McCain did it. Hillary Clinton did it too. AIPAC is a notoriously influential lobby, with organizing skills that are the stuff of legend. Following the Obama address, The Daily Show satirized AIPAC's role in politics.



Jon Stewart began the piece by calling out: "Hey Barack Obama, you just won the democratic nomination, what are you going to do now?" Cut to Obama on the AIPAC stage where the man notorious for his aversion to flag lapel pins is wearing, well, as Stewart describes it: "the Siamese U.S.-Israeli flag double lapel pin--wow!"

Continue reading "America's leading pro-Israel lobby made a flag-pin wearer out of Obama..."

Posted by Jeff Severns Guntzel at June 10, 2008 5:07 PM | Comments (8)

 

Herbal Remedy

Filed under: Minnesota Politics

The Marijuana Policy Project is airing two television ads imploring Governor Tim Pawlenty to back down from his vow to veto a bill legalizing medical marijuana.

The first spot began running earlier in the month on cable channels. The second one--featuring a Ely resident whose neck surgery and resulting nerve pain have rendered him nearly bedridden--began running yesterday.

"I'm a registered Republican and born-again Christian," he says. "This doesn't have anything to do with culture wars. It's all about people in pain... please don't veto the medical marijuana bill, Governor Pawlenty."

Critics of the bill have framed it as a Trojan horse, maintaining that if we stop fining and jailing sick people who inhale cannabis smoke, we might one day cease fining and jailing healthy people who do the same. This "sends the wrong message," to quote an oft-repeated talking point.

Regardless of the bill's fate, medical morphine will remain legal.

[Peep the ads after the jump.]

Continue reading "Herbal Remedy"

Posted by Matt Snyders at April 30, 2008 2:38 PM | Comments (1)

 

Machinists back Franken

Filed under: Minnesota Politics

The labor endorsements continue to roll in for Al Franken. Today the senate candidate picked up support from the Minnesota State Council of Machinists. The union represents 5,100 workers in the state. Franken has been consolidating support among labor groups in recent weeks, with Education Minnesota, AFSCME Council 5, and the state council of SEIU all announcing endorsements. This would seem another positive portent for his candidacy heading towards the DFL endorsing convention.

Posted by Paul Demko at March 4, 2008 3:23 PM | Comments (3)

 

Minnesota Congressional Power Rankings

Filed under: Minnesota Politics

A group called Knowlegis has released Congressional Power Rankings. At 28 in the House, Rep. Oberstar is our most powerful member of Congress. In the senate, Coleman is 82--not much higher than Klobuchar. And despite her cloying attempts to curry favor with the Bush Administration (how'd that go?), Bachmann is among our most ineffectual representatives ... 383 (ouch!). Click through the jump to see where your elected official ranks.

Continue reading "Minnesota Congressional Power Rankings"

Posted by Kevin Hoffman at March 3, 2008 9:00 AM | Comments (9)

 

Feeling gassy?

Filed under: Minnesota Politics

Lawmakers are back at it in St. Paul and they've got taxes on the brain--the gas variety. The transportation bill DFLers are pushing calls for the first gas tax increase in two decades. The state take--which would be used to invest in transportation infrastructure--would go from 20 to 22 cents a gallon, and then, sometime this year, to 25 cents a gallon. How would we rank with bordering states?

Continue reading "Feeling gassy?"

Posted by Jeff Severns Guntzel at February 13, 2008 11:12 AM | Comments (1)

 

We're movin' on up

Filed under: Minnesota Politics

Sen. Norm Coleman has inched up to the number five spot on Chris Cillizza's top-ten list of endangered senators. That's one spot higher than the previous ranking. The WaPo scribe heaps praise on challenger Al Franken:

5. Minnesota: Many months ago, we wrote a piece about whether the candidacy of comedian/entertainer Al Franken is a nightmare or a dream for Senate Democrats. At the moment, it appears it is the latter. He continues to raise huge amounts of money -- nearly $2 million over the final three months of 2007 -- and draws rave reviews for the grassroots operation he is building. And, in a recent independent poll Franken had a solid edge over attorney, and 2000 Senate candidate, Mike Ciresi (D) and even carried a narrow margin over Sen. Norm Coleman (R). Coleman is one of the savviest incumbents in the Senate and won't go easily or quietly. But, Franken is off to a very strong start. (Previous ranking: 6)

Posted by Paul Demko at February 8, 2008 1:16 PM | Comments (1)

 

Cohen backs Franken for senate seat

Filed under: Minnesota Politics

Former senate candidate Jim Cohen has endorsed Al Franken in the race to take on Norm Coleman. Cohen dropped out of the contest last week, citing frustration at his inability to raise money and garner press attention. The lawyer and environmental activist was often overlooked in discussions of the contest for the DFL endorsement. Here's part of Cohen's statement released this morning by the Franken folks:

"Al Franken has the right voice, compassion, demonstrated commitment to progressive values, energy and the most resources, and he will work tirelessly to ensure we defeat Norman Coleman this November. Al Franken has the right message to bring back jobs and prosperity, provide affordable health care for all, and to make America a nation where the American Dream is not just an unattainable dream but a reality once again.

Given Cohen's tepid support, it's hard to figure this will have much impact on the endorsement process. But following last week's positive poll numbers, it's another nugget of good news for the Franken campaign.

Posted by Paul Demko at February 4, 2008 12:39 PM | Comments (0)

 

Nelson-Pallmeyer wins senate straw poll

Filed under: Minnesota Politics

U.S. Senate candidate Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer beat out his two Democratic rivals in a straw poll conducted this afternoon at TakeAction Minnesota's annual meeting. The University of St. Thomas professor and anti-war activist received 140 votes from attendees, while Al Franken was the top choice of 107 particpants. Mike Ciresi received a paltry nine votes. All three DFL senate candidates, hoping to take on embattled Republican incumbent Norm Coleman, attended the progressive nonprofit group's gathering. Ciresi, however--perhaps sensing that this wasn't a particularly friendly crowd for the moderate attorney--left early.

Continue reading "Nelson-Pallmeyer wins senate straw poll"

Posted by Paul Demko at January 27, 2008 4:15 PM | Comments (5)

 

John Kline's political slush fund

Filed under: Minnesota Politics

Ken Silverstein has an intriguing Minnesota-related post over at Washington Babylon. The veteran muckraker delves into a fundraising organization known as the "Freedom & Security PAC" that was created in July. Silverstein discovered that the Minnesota-based leadership PAC is the work of Rep. John Kline. In fact the treasurer of the Freedom & Security PAC also happens to handle the funds for the 2nd District Congressman's re-election campaign.

Continue reading "John Kline's political slush fund"

Posted by Paul Demko at January 24, 2008 6:40 PM | Comments (0)

 

Coleman, Ramstad posts remain in jeopardy for GOP

Filed under: Minnesota Politics

Taking a break from presidential politics, Chris Cillizza has updated his analysis of the House and Senate seats most likely to switch parties in the 2008 elections. A pair of Minnesota posts remain on the most-endangered lists. Sen. Norm Coleman clocks in at sixth on the Senate side, while retiring Rep. Jim Ramstad's seat takes the eighth slot.

Posted by Paul Demko at January 18, 2008 1:13 PM | Comments (0)

 

Running away from Bush

Filed under: Minnesota Politics

Norm Coleman voted with the White House 64 percent of the time last year--the lowest level of political fealty since he took office, according to a new analysis by Congressional Quarterly. In fact the senator's loyalty to the White House has steadily eroded since he took office.

In 2003 he sided with the Bush administration on 93 percent of votes, and followed that up with a 92 percent rate of GOP-loyalty in 2004. But in 2005 and 2006, Coleman voted with the White House a mere 77 percent of the time.

Surely this surge of independent thinking on the part of Minnesota's senior senator has nothing to do with the fact that he's running for re-election this year in a state where the President is held in extraordinarily low regard.

Posted by Paul Demko at January 15, 2008 11:22 AM | Comments (0)

 

Warm up your jaw...the immigration debate is heating up again in Minnesota

Filed under: Minnesota Politics

Given all the talk of deporting babies born in the U.S. to parents who do not have the proper papers (you'll find it in Matt Snyders' latest piece and in our Elephants in the Room blog)--this seems like as good a place as any to pile a few more voices on the question of illegal immigration.

Continue reading "Warm up your jaw...the immigration debate is heating up again in Minnesota"

Posted by Jeff Severns Guntzel at January 10, 2008 11:53 AM | Comments (3)

 

Coleman, Paulose and Susan Kimberly

Filed under: Minnesota Politics

Eric Black has again pushed the story of recently resigned and previously embattled Rachel Paulose a bit further. His hard-won interview with Sen. Norm Coleman about his role in "the rise and fall" of Paulose is a good read. But that's not what I'm here for. In Black's piece, Coleman re-visits, ever-so-briefly, a remarkable piece of history: Coleman, when he was mayor of St. Paul, appointed the first transgender deputy mayor in America: Susan Kimberly, a Republican.

Continue reading "Coleman, Paulose and Susan Kimberly"

Posted by Jeff Severns Guntzel at December 6, 2007 9:23 AM | Comments (0)

 

Iraq War veteran challenges Kline

Filed under: Minnesota Politics

Former Watertown mayor Steve Sarvi, a veteran of the Iraq War, filed to run against Rep. John Kline today in Minnesota's Second Congressional District. Sarvi returned from a 16-month tour of duty with the National Guard in July. The 42-year-old father of three is currently the city administrator of Victoria.

“I am very proud to have served my country in Iraq,” says Sarvi in a press release announcing his campaign. “Our district deserves a representative in Congress who will put the safety of our troops and the well-being of our families ahead of blind party loyalty."

Continue reading "Iraq War veteran challenges Kline"

Posted by Paul Demko at October 4, 2007 2:23 PM | Comments (1)

 

Court Hears Convicted City Councilmember's Appeal

Filed under: Politics , Politics , Politics

When last we heard from convicted City Councilmember Dean Zimmerman, he was making plans for prison ("I am hoping to be able to do some teaching while I am in"). Today, with Zimmerman already serving a 30-month sentence, his lawyers are appealing his bribery conviction in the 8th Circuit Appeals Court. Want to hear how that's going? You can listen to the oral arguments here.

Continue reading "Court Hears Convicted City Councilmember's Appeal"

Posted by Jeff Severns Guntzel at October 4, 2007 11:48 AM | Comments (4)

 

Timeline for a Timebomb: Rachel Paulose

Filed under: Minnesota Politics

Eric Black has been doing his homework...as usual. His post on the investigation of U.S. Attorney Rachel Paulose provides a folly of a footnote to a story that ties Minnesota to the national scandal that led to the resignation of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales--but that's not what the investigation is about.

Of the investigation by the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, underway since June, Black writes:

"The conflicts enumerated in this matter are not explicitly political or ideological, except for one instance in which Paulose allegedly made false statements about a job candidate who had liberal associations.

"But the pattern of the matters under investigation by the special counsel may shed some light on the gray area between issue of 'management style' and issues of politics.

"When Paulose took over the office, she told several of the career officials there that she demanded total personal loyalty. At least one replied that loyalty was owed to the Constitution, not to her. Many of the allegations raise the possibility that Paulose crossed the line while seeking to punish personal disloyalty."

In the spirit of homework, here's an abridged timeline of the entire Paulose debacle. It begins with a choir and a color guard. Where it ends...well, stay tuned.

Continue reading "Timeline for a Timebomb: Rachel Paulose"

Posted by Jeff Severns Guntzel at September 19, 2007 8:18 AM | Comments (1)

 

He's serious, already!

Filed under: Minnesota Politics

Al Franken isn't clowning around. He's serious. This, we should know. The national media has done well reminding us that he's not joking, jesting, joshing, kidding, pranking, or shitting us whenever they report on his rather vigorous (one might say "serious") campaign.

For any other candidate, the sober tone of his or her campaign goes without saying—to date, no politician has won many hearts on the stump by greeting constituents with hand-buzzers or depantsing flushed opponents mid-debate. No need to dabble in is-this-guy-for-real? guessing games when the candidate in question is a former trial lawyer, military goon, oil lobbyist, or religious zealot. These people laugh seriously.

Continue reading "He's serious, already!"

Posted by Matt Snyders at August 10, 2007 3:38 PM | Comments (1)

 

Kids beware: former Roseville mayor runs for school board

Filed under: Minnesota Politics

Perhaps the most interesting name to pop up in the ranks of candidates for office this year in Ramsey County is John Kysylyczyn. The former Roseville mayor has filed to run for the Roseville school board. He's one of 12 candidates vying for three seats. Kysylyczyn was elected mayor in 1999 and served a contentious (to put it charitably) four-year term. His tenure was marked by personal attacks and unusually combative city council meetings that often dragged on into the wee hours of the morning. (The drama was similar to what's been happening in Maplewood in recent months.) Kysylyczyn didn't seek a second mayoral term in 2003. Instead he opted to run for city council, losing in the primary election. For those not familiar with Kysylyczyn's leaderhip style, here's a May 2002 clip of him browbeating then-city council member (and now mayor) Craig Klausing:

Posted by Paul Demko at July 18, 2007 3:24 PM | Comments (0)

 

South St. Paul: New home to Chuck Norris Park?

Filed under: Minnesota Politics

No good deed goes unpranked it seems. The South St. Paul Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission is inviting residents to submit a name for the Port Crosby Area to be officially named as a park. What was once a demolition landfill will soon be a public park, quite possibly the Chuck Norris Park if pranksters filling out the naming form on the South St. Paul city website have their way. Rumor has it the e-suggestion box has been getting stuffed with the name of the aging martial arts artist, with the "significance of name" field peppered with those beloved Chuck Norris facts, such as "There is no theory of evolution, just a list of creatures Chuck Norris allows to live." The inspiration for these monkeyshines comes from an online poll conducted last year by Hungarian officials to name a new bridge across the river Danube in Budapest. The Walker, Texas Ranger star held the lead in that poll over Hungary's first king and a beloved children's book character for much of the voting.

Posted by Corey Anderson at June 29, 2007 4:18 PM | Comments (5)

 

Tim Pawlenty would be a dentist today...

Filed under: Minnesota Politics

...if he only managed to get better grades in his chemistry class at the University of Minnesota. He also shops at Wal-Mart and says--apparently with a straight face--that John McCain shares a "lineage" with great Republicans such as Teddy Roosevelt and Abe Lincoln. All this comes in a wet kiss profile in the current issue of The Weekly Standard.

Posted by Mike Mosedale at April 30, 2007 11:42 AM | Comments (0)

 

Revolving Door to Keep Spinning

Filed under: Minnesota Politics

Minnesota's state Senate today failed to pass a bill that would have prohibited lawmakers from lobbying at the Legislature for one year after they leave office. The bill, which failed on a vote of 33-33, was sponsored by Roseville Sen. John Marty, faithful author of years of good-government legislation that's typically torpedoed by his cohorts. We can only imagine the lawmakers who voted down the bill were only thinking of their futures, given how many of them end up on Minnesota's registered lobbyist rolls within days of leaving office.

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Posted by Beth Hawkins at April 18, 2007 3:13 PM | Comments (0)

 

Clip of St. Louis County Board member's slavery gaffe

Filed under: Minnesota Politics

Here's the video of St. Louis County Board member Keith Nelson making a point about the dedication to his constituents in not the most eloquent way. During a Feb. 27 board meeting, Nelson announced "If the people in my district had voted for slavery, and if the vast majority had, and I was representing them, the answer is 'yes,' I would have voted for it." Could he have replaced "voted for slavery" with "voted for banana-walnut as the state muffin?" Sure. But then there'd be no reason to watch the clip.

Posted by Corey Anderson at April 12, 2007 5:57 PM | Comments (2)

 

You have to be this tall to legislate

Filed under: Minnesota Politics

In a bid to honor Faribault's favorite son Herbert Sellner, Rep. Patti Fritz (DFL-26B) has proposed a bill (H.F. No. 2354) in the Minnesota Legislature creating a State Amusement Ride, akin to the state flower, drink, muffin, etc., with Sellner's invention, the Tilt-A-Whirl, as the choice. Sellner created the ubiquitous fair ride in his backyard in 1926, and it made its debut at the Minnesota State Fair the following year, one of only nine rides on a Midway that 80 years later would be touted as one of the world's largest.

Herbert's great-granddaughter, Erin Sellner Ward, currently oversees the manufacturing company he formed following the success of the Tilt-A-Whirl. The Sellner Manufacturing Co. produces, on average, 50 rides a year, including other spinning rides, kid-powered mine cars, track rides, and swing rides, for amusement parks around the country. Each Tilt-A-Whirl takes six weeks to construct and costs $375,000. A perfect addition to that water garden in the backyard, next to the cotton candy machine.

Posted by Corey Anderson at March 30, 2007 3:35 PM | Comments (1)

 

Minnesotans currently prefer Coleman to Franken

Filed under: Minnesota Politics

In a poll conducted by SurveyUSA for KSTP-TV Minneapolis and WDIO-TV Duluth of 639 registered votes, Minnesotans prefer Sen. Norm Coleman to challenger Al Franken, 57 percent to 35 percent, with eight percent undecided. Another DFL candidate, lawyer Mike Ciresi, would lose to Coleman 57 percent to 34, in a poll also conducted on Wednesday, February 14. According to the survey, a quarter of all Democrats would vote for Coleman and 58 of Independent voters would do the same.

Posted by Corey Anderson at February 16, 2007 10:59 AM | Comments (1)

 

Al Franken releases his candidacy video

Filed under: Minnesota Politics

Last year it was penguin movies, this year it's candidate videos on the internet. Humorist and former Air America host, Al Franken, as expected, today announced his candidacy for the senate seat currently held by Norm Coleman. The eight and a half-minute video features anecdotes about his middle class childhood in St. Louis Park and his wife's more difficult Maine upbringing. He also does what I can only assume is a workmanlike impression of his father. Check out the video and let us know if Al's ready for prime time.

Posted by Corey Anderson at February 14, 2007 4:47 PM | Comments (1)

 

Norm Coleman loves lamp

Filed under: Minnesota Politics

The Sleuth, WaPo's D.C. insider blog by Mary Ann Akers, recently reported on a dumpster-diving expedition by Sen. Norm Coleman that left him sporting a giant gash on his head for last week's State of the Union address. In the post, Coleman claims his actress wife Laurie accidentally tossed an antique lamp that he was then enlisted to retrieve, whacking his head on a "piece of wood" in the process. A couple of questions come to mind about this tale: How does one inadvertantly throw away a lamp? And how does one strike their head on a piece of wood in a dumpster so hard that they "see stars?" If E. Howard Hunt hadn't died last week, I would guess he had something to do with this operation.

Posted by Corey Anderson at January 29, 2007 3:29 PM | Comments (2)

 

Walz emerging as Democratic Leader on Iraq War

Filed under: Minnesota Politics

After all the hoopla and controversy surrounding the election of new Minnesota Congresspeople Keith Ellison and Michele Bachmann, it may be the third member of that freshman class, U.S. Rep. Tim Walz from the 1st District, who winds up with the most clout. Walz defeated popular incumbent Gil Gutknecht last November by leading with his impressive bio--which includes a long tenure, including overseas service, in the National Guard, as well as being a veteran geography teacher and football coach--and following through with sharp, carefully considered, and pragmatic (and left of center) positions on the economy and the Iraq war.

Now, in the wake of President Bush's recent announcement of a troop "surge" in Iraq, the freshman from Mankato is taking center stage on the national scene. Tomorrow Walz will be a guest on "Hardball" with Chris Matthews on MSNBC. Saturday, Walz will give the Democratic response to President Bush's radio address.

Posted by Britt Robson at January 11, 2007 4:22 PM | Comments (0)

 

Tim Pawlenty's Rodney King moment

Filed under: Minnesota Politics

As plenty of political observers have already noted, Governor Tim Pawlenty struck an unusually conciliatory tone in his recent inaugural address. "On this occasion, and from this place," the governor announced, "I'm calling on every Minnesotan, especially our political leaders, to walk together down a new and better pathway: a path of civility and positive change...And let's be progressive as we improve and overhaul things that aren't working well or have us on the wrong course."

Continue reading "Tim Pawlenty's Rodney King moment"

Posted by Mike Mosedale at January 4, 2007 12:36 PM | Comments (1)

 

Keith Ellison to use Thomas Jefferson's Koran for swearing in ceremony

Filed under: Minnesota Politics

According to an article in today's Washington Post, Representative-elect Keith Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress, will be holding a personal copy of the Koran once owned by Thomas Jefferson while taking a ceremonial oath with new House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The article describes the Koran as "an English translation by George Sale published in the 1750s," having "survived the 1851 fire that destroyed most of Jefferson's collection and has his customary initialing on the pages." Mark Dimunation, chief of the rare book and special collections division at the Library of Congress, and a native of Minnesota's 5th District, stated Ellison contacted him in early December requesting a Koran that was "special." Read the entire article here.

Posted by Corey Anderson at January 3, 2007 10:16 AM | Comments (9)

 

McCain and Pawlenty, sittin' in a tree?

Filed under: Minnesota Politics

The New York Sun is the latest publication to fuel speculation of a possible McCain-Pawlenty 2008 presidential ticket. Among other things, the conservative newspaper takes note of the big fat wet kiss McCain planted on Pawlenty during the most recent campaign: "I know of no one who will make a greater contribution to the future of America than this great leader," McCain said of T. Paw. "This is the kind of leadership that I'd like to pass the torch to." Really don't need a gypsy to read those tea leaves there, do you?

Continue reading "McCain and Pawlenty, sittin' in a tree?"

Posted by Mike Mosedale at December 13, 2006 2:52 PM | Comments (1)

 

A Win-Win Situation

Filed under: Minnesota Politics

It was sad to read in today's Strib that people automatically assume Attorney General-elect Lori Swanson will be a figurehead unable to exert her will because she has offered her former boss, Mike Hatch, a position in her new administration. Swanson knows better than anyone what she'd be getting into by inviting Hatch on board. When I wrote an extensive profile of Mike Hatch for this paper nearly eight years ago, Lori Swanson was one of the first people Hatch recommended I speak with to find out what makes him tick. Swanson not only served with Hatch during his two terms in the Attorney General's office, she was with him in private practice, and before that at the Department of Commerce.

On at least a half-dozen occasions when he was AG, at times far removed from elective politics, Hatch referred to Swanson as "the real brains behind this operation." As solicitor general, it was Swanson who managed 160 lawyers and juggled 2000 cases in the office. It was Swanson, for example, who conducted the interviews and laid out the problem of hospitals charging those without insurance a higher room rate and then using strong-arm collection tactics to make them pay. The case she built resulted in the first-ever settlement in the nation where hospitals have agreed not automatically nail the uninsured with the inflated sticker price of a hospital stay. That's one of dozens of prominent cases where Swanson worked in conjunction with Hatch and Hatch's other top deputy, Kris Eiden (who has agreed to stay on under Swanson) to go after powerful business interests on behalf of the little guy.

Continue reading "A Win-Win Situation"

Posted by Britt Robson at December 8, 2006 1:23 PM | Comments (0)

 

Michael Brodkorb's house egged, Mike Hatch's whereabouts unknown

Filed under: Minnesota Politics

Republican Party activist and Minnesota Democrats Exposed blogger Michael Brodkorb awoke yesterday morning to a bit of political commentary on the side of his house in the form of smashed eggs. Brodkorb reports his house appears to be the only one on the block targeted and a report has been filed with the Eagan police department. No suspects so far, but the consensus among MDE commenters is that liberals possessing organically-grown free-range chicken eggs from farmers markets should be considered armed and dangerous.

Posted by Corey Anderson at December 4, 2006 2:07 PM | Comments (6)

 

Conspiracy fight! Fetzer boots 9/11 truth movement colleague

Filed under: Minnesota Politics

In the world of conspiracy theories, as anyone who has spent too much time contemplating the grassy knoll knows full well, infighting is more rule than exception. Put another way: While JFK assassination buffs may scoff at John Q. Public's blithe acceptance of the Warren Commission findings, they reserve their true contempt for fellow believers with whom they differ on the more picayune aspects of the plot. You know, stuff like, Was the Zupruder film faked? Did JFK's autopsy involve a brain from another corpse?

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Posted by Mike Mosedale at December 1, 2006 2:25 PM | Comments (5)

 

Exit interview: Mark Dayton

Filed under: Minnesota Politics

Suffice to say that things in Washington didn't quite turn out the way Mark Dayton planned. When he took office in early 2001, he became known as "Senator 100," the lowest ranking member of the congressional body.

Not long after, he had to deal on a personal and political level with the 9/11 attacks--and various office evacuations afterward--along with the death of his friend and mentor Paul Wellstone, Minnesota's senior Senator. It seemed as though Dayton never truly found his footing after that.

Continue reading "Exit interview: Mark Dayton"

Posted by G.R. Anderson Jr. at November 22, 2006 8:26 AM | Comments (4)

 

The real Chris Stewart: a CP interview with the embattled school board member-elect

Filed under: Minnesota Politics

It all happened too late for this week's print edition, but I've posted a web interview with Chris Stewart, the man at the center of the flap about the satiric Tammy Lee website that painted the IP candidate as a racist.

Here's an excerpt, with a link to the full interview afterward:

CP: What was it that bugged you and your friends at AHS enough about the Tammy Lee candidacy that it was worth going to the trouble of building this spoof page?

Continue reading "The real Chris Stewart: a CP interview with the embattled school board member-elect"

Posted by Steve Perry at November 21, 2006 3:58 PM | Comments (6)

 

Political Spending from the Pulpit

Filed under: Minnesota Politics

Pastor who backed Michelle Bachmann in church also gave to Detroit candidate

The pulpit wasn't the only place where Mac Hammond, head of the Living Word Christian Center in Brooklyn Park, flexed his political muscle. Hammond, who made headlines in the days before the election for endorsing U.S. Representative-elect Michelle Bachmann during a sermon, also dug deep, together with his wife Lynne Hammond spending $10,400 to support two religious candidates, according to records compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics.

Continue reading "Political Spending from the Pulpit"

Posted by Beth Hawkins at November 21, 2006 10:57 AM | Comments (1)

 

CNN to Keith Ellison: "Prove to me that you are not working with our enemies"

Filed under: Minnesota Politics

Conservative Philadelphia-based radio host Glenn Beck held a brief interview with Congressman-elect Keith Ellison (D-MN) on November 14 during a broadcast of CNN Headline News. Beck stated he wasn't accusing Ellison of being "an enemy," but felt many Americans would consider Ellison an enemy of the United States. A snippet of the interview is below...

In response, Keith Olbermann, host of MSNBC's Countdown, named Glenn Beck winner of his nightly "Worst Person in the World" for his conduct during the interview. The full transcript of the Beck-Ellison exchange is after the jump...

Continue reading "CNN to Keith Ellison: "Prove to me that you are not working with our enemies""

Posted by Corey Anderson at November 17, 2006 10:10 AM | Comments (18)

 

Post Election Impressions: Rybak Helped Himself

Filed under: Minnesota Politics

It wasn't surprising to hear that Minneapolis Mayor RT Rybak isn't closing the door on a potential bid for the U.S. Senate against Norm Coleman in 2008. Hizzoner has been everywhere during this election cycle, plying his fabled energy with enough charm and calculation that his chances at higher office appear slightly less doomed than they did a few months ago.

How? By doing loyal scut work for both Mike Hatch and Keith Ellison, a pair of unconventional pols who represent two very disparate wings of the DFL. Hatch punted the metro area in favor of an outstate strategy. It turned out to be a mistake, as Hutchinson stole many good, gettable votes from him around here, but RT, more prominently than any other Minneapolis DFL-ers, worked hard for him. The only calls my South Minneapolis household got on behalf of Hatch the week before the election were from the nurses (always huge for Hatch and my wife is an RN), Clean Water Action (on behalf of Hatch and all Democrats)...and a taped message from RT specifically on behalf of Hatch, with a reason, the LGA cuts, attached. Bottom line, if I was a totally apathetic South Mpls. voter, RT Rybak gave more longer and more good reasons to vote for Hatch than did anybody else.

Continue reading "Post Election Impressions: Rybak Helped Himself"

Posted by Britt Robson at November 15, 2006 10:14 PM | Comments (5)

 

Phil Krinkie on the GOP election fiasco: "The voters have spoken and now they must be punished"

Filed under: Minnesota Politics

In the span of his 16-year career in the Minnesota House of Representatives, Republican Phil Krinkie earned a reputation as a feisty budget hawk, occasional gadfly and consistent straight shooter. Last Tuesday, Krinkie, who runs a heating and cooling business and lives in Lino Lakes, lost his bid for a ninth term by a 55-vote margin to a DFLer Paul Gardner--a defeat he chalks up to that much referenced Democratic tsunami. In a telephone interview, Krinkie shared his impressions of the election and thoughts on the future.

Continue reading "Phil Krinkie on the GOP election fiasco: "The voters have spoken and now they must be punished""

Posted by Mike Mosedale at November 14, 2006 2:13 PM | Comments (1)

 

Outtakes: a gallery of election night photo funnies

Filed under: Minnesota Politics

CP staffers Mike Mosedale, Mary O'Regan, Nick Vlcek, Paul Demko, and Corey Anderson hit the election night parties with cameras in hand. Check out what they captured in City Pages's new gallery section.

Posted by Corey Anderson at November 13, 2006 5:13 PM | Comments (2)

 

MN GOP chair: "Hatch gave us a gift"

Filed under: Minnesota Politics

Ron Carey may have been suffering more than most on election night, but if he was he never showed it. Carey, who succeeded Ron Eibensteiner as the chair of the Minnesota GOP a year and a half ago, managed to put on a brave face for most of the night at the Republican campaign party at the Sheraton in Bloomington, and in the end, he was rewarded.

By 3 a.m., Tim Pawlenty was giving a victory-from-the-jaws-of-defeat speech, keeping the night from being a total blank on state offices for the Republicans. Carey, who is 48 and lives in Ham Lake with his wife and two children, says that long nights are the future of elections here in Minnesota. "I think a state that's so split like Minnesota is now," Carey says, "the days of having these mailed in by 10 o'clock are long gone." City Pages caught up with Carey by phone three days after the election.

Continue reading "MN GOP chair: "Hatch gave us a gift""

Posted by G.R. Anderson Jr. at November 10, 2006 6:14 PM | Comments (1)

 

Michael Brodkorb exposed during the GOP's endless night

Filed under: Minnesota Politics

Video blogger Chuck Olsen turns the tables on City Pages, quizzes GOP consultant and MDE blogger Michael Brodkorb, and captures a few moments with Mark Kennedy and Norm Coleman:

Click To Play

Video/interview: Chuck Olsen

Posted by Corey Anderson at November 10, 2006 5:44 PM | Comments (3)

 

Minnesota's first Eritrean GOP nominee: Now you Sium, now you don't

Filed under: Minnesota Politics

"Help me say, 'Obi won,'" was the campaign slogan for Obi Sium. The 65-year-old, Eritrean-born, retired engineer staved off a primary challenge from a fugitive sex offender to secure the Republican endorsement. But he didn't fare quite as well in taking on three-term Rep. Betty McCollum in the overwhelmingly Democratic 4th Congressional District. Sium garnered just 30 percent of the vote.

Despite this overwhelming defeat, Sium seemed ebullient on election night. "I'm not disappointed," he insisted, grinning despite having just given his concession speech at the Sheraton Bloomington Hotel. "I did the best I can with no money. If I had the money to get name recognition I would win."

Continue reading "Minnesota's first Eritrean GOP nominee: Now you Sium, now you don't"

Posted by Paul Demko at November 10, 2006 11:31 AM | Comments (0)

 

Pawlenty/Hatch: More proof that satire cannot compete with reality

Filed under: Minnesota Politics

Six days before the election, CP posted a video campaign ad parody as a sort of homage to the seemingly ridiculous way Tim Pawlenty countered Mike Hatch's every attack on his record by complaining that Hatch just wasn't a very nice guy.

A nice little laugh, we hoped. We didn't really think the governor's race would actually hinge on the ploy.

UPDATE: Pat Kessler, the host of WCCO-TV's Reality Check segment on political ads, has named "Mike Hatch Eats Kittens" the best fake ad of the campaign season. Thank'ee kindly, good sir.

Editor/animator: Chuck Terhark
Voiceover: G.R. Anderson Jr.
Cat herder: Corey Anderson
Script: Steve Perry

Posted by Steve Perry at November 9, 2006 7:48 PM | Comments (1)

 

The morning after: backlash and blame in the GOP ranks

Filed under: Minnesota Politics

For hardcore Republicans, the re-election of Governor Tim Pawlenty would seem to be the silver lining to an otherwise demoralizing night. But not all party faithful are taking solace in the governor's against-the-odds triumph. Among the fumers: Andy Aplikowski, chair of the Republican Senate District 51, fervant Mark Kennedy booster and proprietor of the blog, Residual Forces.

In his post mortem post, Aplikowski calls for the head of Republican State Party chair Ron Carey, whom he blames for failing to deliver support to any candidate other than Pawlenty:

Continue reading "The morning after: backlash and blame in the GOP ranks"

Posted by Mike Mosedale at November 9, 2006 4:38 PM | Comments (1)

 

Director of local Muslim cultural center talks about Ellison victory

Filed under: Minnesota Politics

Tuesday night at DFL election HQ, Britt Robson caught up with Abdisalam Adam, director of the Dar Al-Hijrah Cultural Center in Minneapolis.

Video: Chuck Terhark
Interviewer: Britt Robson

Posted by Steve Perry at November 9, 2006 2:43 PM | Comments (1)

 

Otto explains victorious auditor campaign, rues gay marriage vote in Legislature, blasts Green opponent

Filed under: Minnesota Politics

Before the final returns on her victorious race over Republican incumbent Patricia Anderson and two other opponents were in, DFL auditor-elect Rebecca Otto spoke from her hotel room at the Crowne Plaza in St. Paul:

Video: Chuck Terhark
Interviewer: Britt Robson

Posted by Corey Anderson at November 9, 2006 11:51 AM | Comments (5)

 

The Guv's right-hand man crunches the numbers

Filed under: Minnesota Politics

Dan McElroy was once referred to as a "human spreadsheet" by Tim Pawlenty when he was the governor's finance commissioner. He's since been Pawlenty's chief of staff, and now is a senior adviser. Here he offers some rather hopeful analysis very early on election night:

Click To Play

Video: Chuck Olsen
Interviewer: G.R. Anderson Jr.

Posted by Corey Anderson at November 9, 2006 11:06 AM | Comments (0)

 

Mr. Right on election night

Filed under: Minnesota Politics

Conservative KTLK (100.3 FM) talk-show host Jason Lewis offered his thoughts on the election shortly after the polls closed in Minnesota.

Click To Play

Video: Chuck Olsen
Interviewer: Paul Demko

Posted by Corey Anderson at November 9, 2006 9:47 AM | Comments (6)

 

Coleman on Kennedy: "I'm not sure Mark could have done anything"

Filed under: Minnesota Politics

Though pretty much everyone in the ballroom at the Sheraton Bloomington saw Mark Kennedy's demise coming last night, nobody at the GOP election party thought the Kennedy/Klobuchar race would be over so quickly.

The word came so soon, in fact, that no one really had the time to ask what happened.

I ran into Norm Coleman just as he stepped off the stage in the back of the ballroom, fresh from giving the troops a little mid-evening pep talk, and asked him just that.

Continue reading "Coleman on Kennedy: "I'm not sure Mark could have done anything""

Posted by G.R. Anderson Jr. at November 8, 2006 5:18 PM | Comments (5)

 

Exclusive CP Wobble-Cam™ video: Keith Ellison victory party interview

Filed under: Minnesota Politics

We caught up with Keith Ellison last night at his Trocadero's victory party, just before he went downstairs to greet the crowd around 9:00.

Apologies for the lighting. We're still acclimating to this video thing.