In the Know

Minnesota DFL
Oct. 14, 2015
 
Events today

• 7:45 a.m. – 5 p.m. – The House Capital Investment Committee will visit University of Minnesota, Hennepin County Medical Examiner, Hennepin Center for the Arts, 35W and Lake Street Reconstruction, Pioneers and Soldiers Cemetery Fence, 10th Ave. Bridge Rehabilitation, Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board Headquarters, Hall’s Island, 26th Ave. Overlook , Upper Harbor Terminal, Emergency Operations and Training Facility, Cedar Cultural Center.
•  9 a.m. – The Legislative Commission on Pensions and Retirement meets in Room 5 of the State Office Building.
• 10 a.m. – The Legislative Permanent School Fund Commission meets in Room 200 of the State Office Building.
•  Lt. Gov. Smith will meet with St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman and Rochester Mayor Ardell Brede in Rochester to talk about the Destination Medical Center initiative.

 
Mark your calendars

• Oct. 17 – The Twin Cities Book Festival. Sen. Amy Klobuchar will read from her book “The Senator Next Door.” Minnesota State Fairgrounds. More information is available here.
• Oct. 18 – Stonewall DFL will have its monthly board meeting at 1 p.m. at the Minneapolis Central Library in Room N-202. They will discuss outreach plans along with planning for the 2016 election year.
• Oct. 24 – The DFL African American Caucus will hold its monthly meet at 10 a.m. at East Lake Library, 2727 E Lake St., Minneapolis.

Fundraisers

• Oct. 17 – Le Sueur Co. DFL’s Annual Fall Fundraiser. American Legion Hall in Montgomery. The event includes a social hour (5 p.m.), dinner (6 p.m.), program and live auction (7 p.m.). Contact Janet Straub for tickets: .
• Oct. 17 – The 13th Annual Cass & Crow Wing County DFL will be held at 4:30 p.m. at the Nisswa American Legion, 25807 Main St., Nisswa. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door.
• Oct. 18 – The 12th Annual Donkey Chili Feed will take place at 4 p.m. at the Pine City VFW, 305 8th St. SW, Pine City. Tickets are $10.
• Oct. 21 – Beltrami County DFL Fish Fry Fundraiser, 5:30 p.m., Eagles Club, Nielson Ave. SE, Bemidji.
• Oct. 24 – Pizza, Pie & Politicians DFL SD48 Fall Function! 6 – 9:30 p.m. at Homeward Hills Park Barn, 12000 Silverwood Dr., Eden Prairie. (more info)
• Oct. 25 – Senate District 14 DFL will host the Wellstone Dinner, 5 p.m., Courtyard Marriott, 404 W Saint Germain St., St. Cloud. Click here for tickets.
• Oct. 25 – Congressional District 4 DFL will host the Vento Dinner 2015. Doors open at 4 p.m. New location – Midpoint Event Center, St. Paul. For ticket information, go here  https://www.dfl.org/cd4/bruce-vento-dinner-tickets-2/ .
•  Nov. 1 – CD 1 DFL will host its Autumn Dinner with Congressman Tim Walz. The keynote speaker is DNC Vice Chair R.T. Rybak. Special guests include Secretary of State Steve Simon and Attorney General Lori Swanson. 5 p.m., Owatonna Veterans of Foreign Wars, 135 Oakdale St., Owatonna. Please RSVP by Oct. 21with meal choice (turkey dinner or vegetarian lasagna) to Shawn Groth at .
• Nov. 4 – CD3 DFL Fall Fundraising Event: An Evening with Vice President Walter Mondale, moderated by Don Shelby. The 7 p.m. event will be held at Hughes Pavilion, Centennial Lakes, 7499 France Ave. S, Edina. Tickets may be purchased online at www.dfl3cd.org. Reservations can also be made by mail. Checks should be payable to CD 3 DFL and mailed to Nancy Parris, 8350 Airport Rd, Waconia, MN 55387.

2016
Congress
Stewart Mills to challenge Rick Nolan again for Congress, Star Tribune
Mills announces bid for Congress, Brainerd Dispatch
It’s a Stewart Mills-Rick Nolan rematch for the 8th District, Pioneer Press
Ratings change in two Minnesota House districts, Roll Call
‘Mr. Right’ Jason Lewis hopes to take his libertarian streak to Washington, Star Tribune
Mills, Nolan set for 8th District rematch, KSTP

President
Republican activists think a strong conservative can win the White House. They’re probably wrong. Washington Post
Rep. Nolan: Waiting on Biden, MPR
Budget (state)
Minnesota starts budget year with good news, Minnesota Budget Project
 

Congress
Stassen-Berger: Signs of accord in Washington, Pioneer Press
 
Debate
Clinton, Sanders dominate Democrats’ first go on the debate stage, Washington Post
Does Clinton’s debate win take the air out of Biden’s balloon? Washington Post
In debate, Sanders shows flashes of passion but is often on the defensive, Washington Post
On debate night, Trump gets out-tweeted by a GOP rival, Washington Post
Clinton, Sanders spar on Middle East, guns, economy _ but he says enough on the emails, Washington Post
AP FACT CHECK: Clinton revises trade history in Democratic debate, Sanders off on income claim, Star Tribune
Insiders: A runaway victory for Clinton, Politico
Does Clinton’s debate win take the air out of Biden’s balloon? Washington Post
Hillary Clinton’s big night on the debate stage, CNN
As Democratic debate nears, DFL leader says MN may aid insurgent, MPR
Hillary Clinton serves notice to Bernie Sanders: No more truce, Washington Post

Washington Post takeaways
·        Hillary’s tight hug of Obama means there is less room for Biden.Mindful of a possible bid by the vice president, Clinton clearly wanted to send a message that she will aggressively compete for the Obama coalition and continue to grab for the president’s mantle.
·         Pressure is mounting on Biden to make a decision — fast. Bloomberg’s Margaret Talev points out that Biden’s name didn’t come up once during the two-hour face-off, and that former Biden chief of staff Ron Klain was by her side when a celebratory Clinton addressed supporters afterward. Klain helped Clinton prepare, and his presence seemed designed to send a not-so-subtle message.

·         Bernie Sanders spent most of the night on the defensive. Early on, he was caught off guard when Clinton ripped into him for his votes against the Brady bill and for granting immunity to gun manufacturers. After Sanders said it was a complicated issue, Clinton took off her velvet gloves to note that she opposed the same bill because there was nothing complicated about it for her. Gun control is one of the very few issues on which she can easily get to Bernie’s left, and she did so effectively. The Vermont independent sounded like just another politician as he explained, essentially, that political considerations prompted his vote.

·         Though he got more comfortable as the debate progressed, Sanders failed to sell himself as electable. To be sure, Bernie’s base still loves him. And the senator isn’t going anywhere. Sanders was favored by post-debate focus groups on Fox News, Fusion and CNN. “I thought you won,” Chris Matthews told Sanders on MSNBC last night. “All these other guys are arguing with me.”

·         Martin O’Malley did not have the night he needed.The ex-Maryland governor wound up getting even less online buzz during the debate than both Donald Trump, who was not on stage, and Jim Webb, who is not even trying to build a credible campaign apparatus.

·         A litany of progressives attacked CNN for tokenism.Frank Rich, now a writer-at-large for New York magazine, said Cooper did a good job, “but it doesn’t serve him to have female, black & Hispanic questioners as supplicants.”
 
Education (E-12)
Embattled Columbia Heights school board member resigns over comment, Star Tribune
Minneapolis school board votes to cancel contract with company that provided offensive books, Star Tribune
Minneapolis school board cancels contract with Reading Horizons, MPR
 
GOP
Rep. Ron Kresha: House GOP is prioritizing broadband, and other issues, Winona Daily News
GOP might snub Senate Office Building in protest, Pioneer Press

GOP record 2009-2013:
149 Pro-gun bills
124 Religion bills
56 Anti-abortion bills
36 Marriage bills
0 JOBS bills
 
Labor
Minneapolis’ largest businesses add to push against workplace changes, Star Tribune
Greater MSP launches a smart new push to recruit, retain talent, Star Tribune
Worker shortage worries drive Twin Cities recruitment push, MPR
 
Mining
Dueling mining rallies held in Twin Cities, Iron Range, MPR
Protesters rally against proposed PolyMet mine, Star Tribune
 
Planned Parenthood
What the Planned Parenthood fetal tissue research decision means for Minnesota, MPR
Republicans double down on Planned Parenthood probe, The Hill
 
Racial disparities
In St. Cloud, Gov. Mark Dayton calls for more funding to fight racial disparities, Star Tribune
Gov. Dayton provides harsh criticism of racial tensions, St. Cloud Times
Our View: We can’t ignore racial disparities any longer, Rochester Post Bulletin
Gov. Dayton leads discussion on St. Cloud race relations, WCCO
 
Target Center
Target Center redo delayed; naming rights extended, Star Tribune

Transportation
I-94 expansion project dedicated in Rogers, KARE
 
Veterans
Lawmakers demand answers from VA on ‘shockingly unethical misuse of funds’ by two executives, Washington Post

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