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Let us now praise ‘taking turns’: How to read T-Paw’s stated reason for retiring

By Chris Steller | 06.10.09 | 9:42 am

tpaw-on-hannityBy way of explaining his decision not to seek re-election, Gov. Tim Pawlenty bragged to Fox News host Sean Hannity last night that “in Minnesota [we're] good about taking turns.” In view of Pawlenty’s past, his highlighting the concept of…

‘Big tent’ no more: RNC’s Steele says GOP is a hat

By Paul Schmelzer | 06.09.09 | 2:02 pm

Here’s more evidence that the GOP is still struggling to find fitting metaphors to talk about itself. The party was likened to a miffed Eminem by Gov. Tim Pawlenty at the College Republicans’ national confab over the weekend,…

Video: Wellstone on grassroots leadership

By Chris Steller | 06.09.09 | 1:15 pm

wellstoneYesterday we posted video of Norm Coleman speaking at the Conservative Heartland Leadership Conference about cultivating “grass e-roots” to grow a movement based on conservative values. After the jump, see a clip of the man Coleman replaced in…

An (interesting?) Al Franken-Malcolm X connection

By Chris Steller | 05.22.09 | 8:45 am

malcolm-x-and-al-frankenHere’s a post about something Rep. Michele Bachmann didn’t say. Last year, Bachmann reveled in connecting dots between Barack Obama, Rev. Jeremiah Wright and Bill Ayers, and last month she pronounced it “interesting” that swine flu outbreaks…

State’s lone case of new flu has officials looking in ‘concentric circles’ for more

By Chris Steller | 04.30.09 | 12:41 pm

Minnesota’s one confirmed case of the new flu is sending investigators looking in “concentric circles” for other people who may have the infection, according to state Health Commissioner Dr. Sanne Magnan.

Riot gear and recounts: London, New York follow trends Minnesota set last fall

By Chris Steller | 04.02.09 | 10:51 am

excel-xcel
They’re wearing riot gear in London and they’re talking recounts in New York. It’s all so St. Paul, last fall.

Coleman’s site wasn’t ‘hacked,’ says IT pro who discovered donor breach

By Paul Schmelzer | 03.11.09 | 12:59 pm

Former U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman’s campaign spokesman Cullen Sheehan suggests that the publication of a campaign donor database on Wikileaks.org is the work of politically motivated individuals who have “found a way to breach private and confidential information” and may be a “political dirty trick.” MinnPost’s Joe Kimball echoes the sentiment, attributing the discovery of the unprotected database to “some hackers.” But according to the IT professional who first called attention to the exposed donor database, the site wasn’t hacked at all.

AP cites one man who voted for neither to say state’s tired of Franken-Coleman war

By Chris Steller | 03.10.09 | 10:33 am

It’s apparently hard for reporters to find an ordinary voter to comment on the extraordinary struggle over Minnesota’s vacant U.S. Senate seat. The latest example: The Associated Press cited one person — who didn’t vote for either Al Franken or…

Goodbye Meria: St. Paul Superintendent off to Austin

By Paul Demko | 02.26.09 | 11:27 am

meriaSt. Paul Public Schools Superintendent Meria Carstarphen is leaving to become head of the Austin, Texas, school system. At a public meeting this morning, the Austin district’s Board of Trustees unanimously…

Appointed by Blago, Burris shut out of Senate

By Paul Schmelzer | 01.06.09 | 11:21 am

What fate might Al Franken have faced today had he tried to take his seat in the U.S. Senate today? Although unlikely, he could’ve ended up where Roland Burris did: shut out and in the rain. The…