Politics

One man's minimalist is another man's "efficient"

Filed under: Politics

Tim Pawlenty might or might not be the VP nominee, but he's relishing the role of factually challenged attack dog. He called Barack Obama's energy plan "minimalist" today.

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Posted by Jeff Shaw at August 18, 2008 4:51 PM | Comments (0)

 

Again: The Convention is in St. Paul

Filed under: Politics

If that fact that mainstream journalists have mixed up Minneapolis and St. Paul during RNC talk isn't embarrassing enough; or the point that a study aimed at convention safety was focused on the wrong place; or, even better yet, our own U.S. Representative Michele Bachmann misstated the location for one of the biggest events ever to occur in this state, the Republican National Convention; last week our own Governor and potential Republican Vice Presidential nominee made the same annoyingly common gaffe.

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Posted by Beth Walton at August 13, 2008 12:59 PM | Comments (9)

 

Obama's double-digit lead on McCain shrinks in MN

Filed under: Politics

U.S. Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, the commander of Multi-National Force – Iraq, gives an aerial tour of Baghdad, Iraq, to Sens. Barack Obama, left, and Chuck Hagel. (Photo: Department of Defense)

According to a just-released Rasmussen poll, Barack "Made it out of Iraq" Obama has a 12 point lead on John McCain in Minnesota. The Obama campaign can't complain about a double-digit lead--but that lead was 18 points two weeks ago. Who here likes a horse race?

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Posted by Jeff Severns Guntzel at July 23, 2008 11:12 PM | Comments (0)

 

Chinese Beer: Policy, a pint and trade talk

Filed under: Politics

Policy and a Pint: The China Tradeoff
July 10, 2008
Varsity Theater
Review by Desiree Weber

In an age of propaganda and over-blown threats, it’s nice to just have a normal conversation every once in a while. This seems to be the sentiment behind the Citizens League and 89.3 The Current’s ‘Policy and a Pint’ series. Host Steve Seel played the moderator and lay-person translator to his two policy-wonk guests: Alan Holmer, Special Envoy for China and the Strategic Economic Dialogue and Tony Lorusso, Executive Director of the Minnesota Trade Office.

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Posted by Jeff Shaw at July 11, 2008 12:06 AM | Comments (0)

 

Department of Justice blacklisted Minnesota liberal groups

Filed under: Politics

From Mindy's Tom Elko comes a shocking-but-not-surprising story about how the federal Department of Justice excluded people from high-level jobs if they belonged to conservation groups, pro-choice groups or progressive legal societies.

Elko writes that "influence came in the form of a 'screening committee' made up of political appointees who would 'deselect' candidates based on political affiliation, organization membership and ideology."

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Posted by Jeff Shaw at June 26, 2008 7:37 AM | Comments (0)

 

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!"

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

 

Michele Bachmann calls John McCain a tax-and-spend liberal

Filed under: Politics

Michele Bachmann's op-ed in today's Strib takes a bold stance on climate change. She's for it.

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Posted by Jeff Shaw at June 10, 2008 11:44 AM | Comments (4)

 

The Strib fawns over Ron Paul -- again -- ignoring evidence of racism

Filed under: Politics

Last week, the Star Tribune once again reported on Ron Paul's campaign, covering the candidate's trip to Rochester. This is the latest in a long line of neutral-to-effusive reporting on the candidate.

They run fawning section front profiles of him. They send photographers whenever he comes to the state, just to augment wire copy. They videotape his speeches for Web-only content. They frame his campaign as an insurgent one, a principled group battling the GOP establishment.

But never -- not once -- does the paper acknowledge that there's even been a controversy about the candidate, let alone well-documented ugliness involving a lightning rod issue like race. This is a glaring and shameful failure.

A search of the Strib's site yields about 1900 results involving Paul from stories, blogs and comments. A lot of that is duplicative, of course, and a lot of it's wire content -- but a goodly portion of it isn't. A lot of it is original laudatory or neutral coverage that the paper is responsible for.

Of these, zero acknowledge that there has been any type of race controversy involving Paul. Zero, at least that I've been able to find. Of all the stories, none of them even reference the most important issue from Paul's past, and indeed his present.

This is embarrassing. It's not quite the equivalent of running stories about David Duke without mentioned his background in the Klan, but it's not far off, either. You don't have to note the racism allegations in every story -- although I think a strong case can be made that you should -- but to never, ever even mention the issue is inexcusably bad journalism.

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Posted by Jeff Shaw at June 9, 2008 8:00 AM | Comments (88)

 

Obama at Xcel: best fist bump in history

Filed under: Politics

Folks who waited for four plus hours in a line that stretched through the streets of St. Paul watched as Barack Obama grabbed the donkey by the ears. The great orator flew the place into a commotion with his command of diction and rhetoric. His only problems came when the audience cheered so loudly and forcefully that he couldn't speak over their bellows. Hopefully, he’ll even out the ballast on the ship. And if last night at Xcel is any indication, he will.

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Posted by Bradley Campbell at June 4, 2008 10:28 AM | Comments (7)

 

Tom Sorel new transportation chief

Filed under: Politics

Tim Pawlenty today appointed Tom Sorel to head the Minnesota Department of Transportation. Sorel leaves his post as administrator of the Minnesota division of the Federal Highway Administration.

Pawlenty chose Sorel over Bob McFarlin, the acting commissioner, who'd been in the job since the state senate fired Lt. Governor Carol Molnau from the post in February. The appointment requires senate approval, but the vote doesn't have to be held until next year's legislative session.

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Posted by Jonathan Kaminsky at April 21, 2008 11:48 AM | Comments (0)

 

Madia wins!

Filed under: Politics

After hours of votes and repeat votes and what many feared would be another democratic stalemate, Iraq war veteran and lawyer Ashwin Madia became the endorsed DFL candidate for the 3rd Congressional District Saturday evening. He will face conservative Republican senator Erik Paulsen in the general election.

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Posted by Beth Walton at April 13, 2008 12:17 AM | Comments (9)

 

Klobuchar endorses Obama

Filed under: Politics

U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar endorsed Barack Obama for president today, making her the 64th superdelegate to throw support his way since Super Tuesday.

"My endorsement reflects both Barack's strong support in my state and my own independent judgment about his abilities," Klobuchar said in a statement.

Posted by Jonathan Kaminsky at March 31, 2008 2:05 AM | Comments (2)

 

Ciresi, Over and Out

Filed under: Politics

Mike Ciresi, a DFLer who got extremely rich suing tobacco companies, bowed out of the U.S. Senate race today. Surviving him are writer/funnyman Al Franken and academic/anti-war enthusiast Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer.

"The memories and friendships forged are timeless," Ciresi said in a statement released on his website, although he's evidently not referring to his time spent with the remaining DFL candidates, neither of whom he is endorsing.

Ciresi had previously run for Senate in 2000. That year, he lost the DFL endorsement to Iron Range populist Jerry Janezich, who went on to lose in the primary to eventual winner and noted wordsmith Mark Dayton.

Posted by Jonathan Kaminsky at March 10, 2008 5:34 PM | Comments (0)

 

First the Norwegian consulate ... now Norwegianity

Filed under: Politics

The popular, link-laden liberal politics blog Norwegianity is shuttering its virtual doors soon. Prolific lefty firebrand Mark Gisleson is burned out, and he's announced that "at soon as Obama conclusively wraps up the nomination," he's done. But he's left a few sparkling prose examples.

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Posted by Jeff Shaw at February 29, 2008 12:53 PM | Comments (0)

 

William F. Buckley is Dead

Filed under: Politics

When I die, this is pretty much how I want the AP to break the news:

His assistant Linda Bridges says Buckley died Wednesday morning at his home in Stamford, Conn. She says he had been ill with emphysema and was found dead by his cook.

My assistant explaining that I was discovered by my cook. That sounds ducky. In case you're wondering, here's a bit more about the legendary friend to the rich.

Posted by Jonathan Kaminsky at February 27, 2008 10:43 AM | Comments (5)