Minnesota Independent

Palin, not Pawlenty, snubs CPAC over Birch ties

By Chris Steller | 01.08.10 | 3:55 pm

Sarah Palin will not attend the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) next month – in part, according to The Fix, because the John Birch Society is a co-sponsor. That isn’t stopping Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who is set…

Songwriting is bridge for Franken, Hatch

By Chris Steller | 01.08.10 | 1:46 pm

Al Franken recently sought out songwriting help from Orrin “Eight Days of Hannukah” Hatch, the Minnesota senator tells the ECM Publishers editorial board.

Tale of Depression-era bank robbery carries echoes of today’s news

By Chris Steller | 01.08.10 | 11:45 am

The winter issue of Hennepin History magazine recounts a notorious Great Depression-era bank robbery in Minneapolis, with story lines seemingly ripped from today’s newspapers: A murderous attack on a street-corner business in a city so broke it

Radical remarks by Minnesota conservatives ‘show how extreme they really are’

By Chris Steller | 01.08.10 | 11:39 am

From Allen Quist to Mike Parry, several conservative candidates in Minnesota have recently made (or have had revealed) statements extreme enough to earn terms of rebuke like “intolerant,” “appalling,” and “poisonous.” A partisan critic and a political scientist say such remarks show the candidates are not “of” their party’s rank and file and “erode [the candidates'] ability to speak to the voting middle.”

AM.MN: Got secrets? Paper polls pols on drugs, alcohol, depression, anxiety

By Chris Steller | 01.08.10 | 8:41 am

Have you “ever received therapy or treatment of any kind for use of alcohol or prescription or non-prescription drugs, or for depression or anxiety“? That’s the question the Star Tribune asked in a survey sent to candidates…

AM.MN: Triple murder tempers talk of drop in Minneapolis crime rate

By Chris Steller | 01.07.10 | 8:00 am

The murders of three men Wednesday in an apparent robbery attempt at a Somali-owned South Minneapolis corner store are sure to temper discussion of declining rates of homicide and other violent crimes — particularly at a…

From Al to EMILY: Franken campaign manager Schriock to head List

By Chris Steller | 01.06.10 | 2:47 pm

Franken for Senate campaign manager Stephanie Schriock is headed to the top of the EMILY’s List organization with the exit of founder and president Ellen Malcolm. Schriock has Minnesota links beyond steering Al Franken…

T-Paw: Ne-Yo of the GOP

By Chris Steller | 01.06.10 | 1:19 pm

Tim Pawlenty is to Republican events what Ne-Yo is to R&B: the ubiquitous “featured” performer. In fact, the Minnesota governor appears to have outstripped the singer-songwriter in racking up special-guest appearances.

Can Ed Schultz follow Al Franken’s footsteps from radio to Senate?

By Chris Steller | 01.06.10 | 10:25 am

Al Franken paved the way. Has progressive talk radio become the Democratic Party’s new farm league for the U.S. Senate? Maybe so, if the chatter about Ed Schultz running to replace North Dakota’s retiring Byron Dorgan turns out to…

AM.MN: Minnesota’s U.S. Senators not giving up their seats

By Chris Steller | 01.06.10 | 8:46 am

Despite what you may have heard about Democrats from North Dakota and Connecticut opting to retire from the U.S. Senate, the two Dems Minnesotans sent there will stay put. And Gov. Pawlenty, who