Minnesota Independent

O’Reilly: Bachmann, Palin snubbing media after Arizona shootings

By Andy Birkey | 01.14.11 | 3:17 pm

Conservative Fox News commentator Bill O’Reilly noted on Thursday that Rep. Michele Bachmann and Sarah Palin have snubbed the media over the last week — in particular his show. Bachmann, who in recent months has made multiple national cable appearances, has done none this week, according to her YouTube channel and a search of cable news websites. Bachmann went from six major media appearances to zero in the course of a week — the week following shootings in Tucson that some have said may have had something to do with violent rhetoric by the pair.

Ellison: Palin’s political ride may be over

By Andy Birkey | 01.14.11 | 12:28 pm

Rep. Keith Ellison says Sarah Palin “may be looking at the end of her political ride” over remarks in which she used the term “blood libel,” a historical anti-Semitic canard that Jews sacrifice Christian children. Palin used the language in her video response to critics who have attempted to tie her rhetoric to the shootings in Arizona, drawing further criticism from Democrats and some Jewish groups. Ellison, on the Bill Press Show Thursday, said the continued controversy could hamper her political prospects.

Pawlenty takes gentle jab at Palin in NYT interview

By Patrick Caldwell | 01.11.11 | 10:08 am

Turning his focus to the national stage after leaving Minnesota’s governor’s office, Tim Pawlenty is making his way through numerous high-profile interviews. He appeared on both Good Morning America and The View on Tuesday morning, and on Monday he sat down with The New York Times for an interview addressing a wide number of topics, ranging from Afghanistan to health care reform.

After Giffords shooting, Palin aide says ‘crosshairs’ really surveyor marks

By David O. Williams | 01.10.11 | 11:21 am

An aide to former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin said on a conservative radio program Sunday that last year’s much-maligned ads by Palin’s PAC showing rifle crosshairs over 20 Democratic congressional districts – including Gabrielle Giffords’s CD8 in Arizona – were actually meant to represent surveyor’s symbols on a map.

Pawlenty lags in Quinnipiac poll of 2012 contenders

By Andy Birkey | 11.23.10 | 8:00 am

Gov. Tim Pawlenty finished a distant fifth place among potential presidential hopefuls in a poll of Republican voters released on Monday. According to the Quinnipiac University poll, Pawlenty trailed Sarah Palin, Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee and Newt Gingrich, who all broke the 15 percent mark. Pawlenty garnered 6 percent in the poll and beat out Mitch Daniels, Haley Barbour, and John Thune.

Pawlenty polling low in Minnesota 2012 matchup

By Andy Birkey | 11.11.10 | 1:44 pm

Gov. Tim Pawlenty only garnered 19 percent of Minnesota GOP primary voters in a poll comparing contenders for president in 2012. While Pawlenty had the best showing of all candidates in the Public Policy Polling survey released on Thursday, he only led Sarah Palin by one point. The poll’s authors said that Pawlenty’s lackluster showing in his home state might be behind Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer’s underperformance during a GOP wave.

Tim Pawlenty, Newt Gingrich, Sarah Palin and Mitt Romney

Pawlenty claims 2nd in Hotline’s 2012 ‘presidential power rankings’

By Patrick Caldwell | 11.09.10 | 5:34 pm

The list ranks Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty as the second leading contender, far above his placement in most early 2012 opinion polls. Hotline cites his “executive experience and conservative credentials,” as reasons to believe Pawlenty is the real deal, but wonders if the stereotype of Minnesota nice might be true in this case, harming his ability to appear aggressive enough to run an effective presidential primary campaign.

Bachmann power bid on shaky ground

By Andy Birkey | 11.08.10 | 10:03 am

Rep. Michele Bachmann’s bid to become the fourth most powerful Republican in the U.S. House has been hitting snags as establishment Republicans continue to line up behind her opponent, Texas Rep. Jeb Hensarling. While Bachmann picked up the support of fellow Minnesotan Reps. John Kline and Erik Paulsen and Rep.-elect Chip Cravaack, well-known conservatives are defending their decision not to back Bachmann.

Pawlenty fifth in new Rasmussen presidential poll

By Andy Birkey | 11.04.10 | 12:59 pm

Gov. Tim Pawlenty rated fifth among likely Republican primary voters, according to a Rasmussen poll released on Thursday. Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee, Sarah Palin and Newt Gingrich placed in the top four, followed by Pawlenty, who has lagged in virtually every professional poll and straw poll over the last year. Pawlenty has said his decision on a presidential run will be made this spring.

Pawlenty defends potential prez rival Palin

By Patrick Caldwell | 11.01.10 | 5:10 pm

Sarah Palin lashed out at Politico for quoting unnamed GOP sources who oppose the former Alaska governor as the party’s nominee for president in 2012. But she wasn’t alone: Her potential rival for that nomination, Gov. Tim Pawlenty, defended Palin on Twitter today.