John Thune

The U.S. Senate took an hour Thursday to honor former Sen. Norm Coleman. Here are clips of the complete tributes to Coleman from 10 senators (seven Republicans and three Democrats, including Amy Klobuchar), as well as transcribed highlights of their remarks — with particular attention to what they had to say about Coleman’s future.

Chris Cillizza’s latest analysis of the VP sweepstakes has Gov. Tim Pawlenty as the No. 1 contender. Here’s the Washington Post scribe’s take on T-Paw’s chances:
1.Tim Pawlenty: So Tpaw and McCain had something of a disagreement over the cause of last year’s bridge collapse in Minnesota. The Minnesota governor remains the candidate in the Republican [...]

Minnesota, South Dakota, Montana and Wyoming newspapers are rife today with more mentions of the DM&E railroad and its subsidiaries. Commanding the most attention is an Associated Press article going under the general headline “Senator blames competitors for loan rejection” or “Thune says competitors derailed loan” or “Sen. Thune: Competitors helped kill DM&E loan.”
How this [...]

There is a broader solution. With proper leadership we will find it.

Now that the Federal Railroad Administration has told the Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern railroad that it is not going to give it the hoped-for $2.3 billion loan to expand into the Powder River Basin, is that the end of a decade-long dream for the [...]

The DM&E railroad’s hoped-for $2.3 billion government loan is now officially dead. According to Minnesota Rep. Tim Walz, there is no appeal, there are no conditions. Over a year of angst and worry, thousands of hours invested, hundreds of thousands of dollars spent and just as many words written, most implying that the loan was [...]

Republicans, Democrats combine to thwart Sen. Thune, DM&E back-door deal

One would think that it would be a cold day in hell or a consistently 70º Minnesota winter to see newly elected Minnesota Reps. Tim Walz and Michele Bachmann cosponsoring the same piece of legislation. The same is true with veteran Minnesota Reps. Betty McCollum and [...]

Once considered a “sure thing,” the proposed Dakota Minnesota & Eastern (DM&E) Railroad expansion into the coal-rich Powder River Basin could be on the verge of collapse. The reasons for this are many and varied, but a last-minute provision slipped into the Transportation Bill earlier this year virtually assuring a $2.3 billion dollar unsecured federal [...]

From “DM&E waits to hear on federal loan,” Minnesota Public Radio, December 13, 2006:
more inside