Poll of Minnesotans shows political risk if Obama OKs Medicare, Social Security cuts

Democrats are increasingly optimistic that the public shares their opposition to the Republican plan to overhaul Medicare, as national polling shows the plan authored by Rep. Paul Ryan is unpopular. And many are touting last night’s victory by Democrat Kathy Hochul in a New York special congressional election — one in which the Medicare debate took center stage — as clear evidence of voters’ opposition to the GOP measure. New polling released this morning underscores that message: Survey data shows that President Obama risks alienating Minnesota voters if he makes cuts to Medicare or Social Security.

Poll: Majority unlikely to back Klobuchar if she votes to cut Medicare, Social Security

Updated: Don’t mess with Medicare and Social Security: That’s the message that progressive groups are gleaning from a new poll of swing state voters. Commissioned by the Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC), Democracy for America, MoveOn.org and Credo Action, the survey’s results show overwhelming opposition to cuts in both areas. In fact, in Minnesota, 72 percent of respondents were opposed to Social Security cuts, while a majority of Minnesotans polled said they were less likely to back Sen. Amy Klobuchar next election if she votes to reduce Social Security benefits.

GOP’s Kelly on why he opposes gay marriage constitutional amendment

With only a handful of exceptions, legislators voted along party lines during Saturday night’s House vote to put a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage on the ballot in 2012. Republican Rep. Tim Kelly of Red Wing was one who broke with his party, making an impassioned speech Saturday. “I can’t help but feel this is an assault on personal freedom and choice,” he said, before mentioning the service of fellow Republican Rep. John Kriesel, who lost both legs during an IED attack in Iraq.

Passage of the amendment, he said, would “diminish the sacrifices that Rep. Kriesel and all the men and women who died fighting for the freedoms of individuals.”

Dems file ethics complaint over Sen. Hoffman’s ‘idiots and imbeciles’ tweet

Sen. Gretchen Hoffman, R-Vergas, “misled the public” when she tweeted Wednesday night claiming that DFL Sen. Barb Goodwin “called people with mental illness idiots and imbeciles” during a debate on the Health and Human Services budget bill, according to a complaint filed Friday with the Senate Rules Subcommittee on Ethical Conduct. Sent to committee chair Sen. Michelle Fischbach by DFL Sen. Ann Rest, the complaint states that Hoffman “falsely describes Senator Goodwin as personally using derogatory labels for those with mental illness.”

On O’Reilly, Jon Stewart gives Pawlenty mixed reviews

The Daily Show’s Jon Stewart appeared as a guest on Fox’s The O’Reilly Factor last night and ran down his take on GOP presidential candidates. While Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann got mention, more as a punchline — “If Sarah Palin doesn’t run, Michele Bachmann could definitely put on that blazer” — Tim Pawlenty got props for seeming “like a reasonable guy.” But, Stewart added, Pawlenty has left Minnesota in worse shape than did, say, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

Bachmann views bin Laden photos, confirms kill

At CIA headquarters in Virginia today, Rep. Michele Bachmann viewed photos of the late Osama bin Laden who was killed in a U.S. military raid in Pakistan and confirmed his identity. “I am convinced that this was Bin Laden,” she said, according to the Star Tribune. “We got our man.”

Video: 24-year old Republican Madeline Koch urges vote against gay marriage amendment

While politicians and religious leaders have been outspoken on Republican efforts to put a constitutional amendment barring same-sex marriage on the ballot next year, Friday’s Senate committee hearing included a little-heard-from voice: that of a young, straight, Republican woman who opposes the measure.

Pawlenty: I won’t be the ‘loudest or craziest person’ in the 2012 race

Tim Pawlenty has claimed that Barack Obama is so frightened during foreign policy briefings that the president must wear Depends diapers. He’s quoted Charlie Sheen and Lady Gaga in campaign speeches. And he’s thanked the tea party, a movement backed by billionaires, for “standing up to the ruling class.” But today in Iowa he struck a decidedly more low-key tone, promising that he won’t be the “loudest or craziest” person running for president.

Ellison, Muslim community applaud elimination of bin Laden

Calling Osama bin Laden a “truly evil man,” Rep. Keith Ellison commended the U.S. military, American intelligence officers and President Obama for the raid yesterday that killed the al Qaeda leader. Meanwhile, Muslim groups locally and nationally also applauded the military raid.

WaPo: Lacking influence, Bachmann may need to hone new skills to get bridge funds

Despite skillfully using the media in “boosting her personal brand,” Rep. Michele Bachmann has little influence on Capitol Hill, the Washington Post wrote in a profile Sunday. Of the 45 or so measures she’s introduced in her federal career, many are “small in scope and of great interest to conservative ideologues” — and few have gone anywhere. But one project — securing funding to replace the lift bridge over the St. Croix River in her hometown –”will test whether one of the most recognizable elected officials in Washington can fulfill the most basic duty of members of Congress: delivering for the voters in their district.”