Bob CollinsThe things you’ll hear in the news by day’s end:
How many people will turn out to vote next Tuesday? Probably more than 80 percent , Ramsey County’s election official Joe Mansky’s assessment of the state’s voting scene will be held at Midmorning. Based on absentee voting so far, officials expect a huge turnout. Now when you vote next Tuesday, drop me an e-mail and tell me about your experience, how long you had to wait, and tell me any anecdotes you think would be helpful. I’ll also set up a post here on Monday night for you to attach comments.
Here are some voters interviewed by MPR.
On the talk shows this morning
On the first hour of Midmorning, Kerri Miller and guests look at the value of polling. On national elections, why on earth do we report poll results (popular vote) when we don’t elect presidents that way? There was, of course, a poll released this morning that told everyone what eveyrone already knew — Obama leads in Minnesota. Tomorrow, I presume, the Humphrey Institute-MPR poll will focus on the Senate race. In addition to the story, we should have posted the actual poll data. I’m not sure why we didn’t, but I’ll try to find out.
In the second hour, Midmorning will look at the potential for voting problems on Election Day.
We only get a half hour to hear Michele Bachmann and Elwyn Tinklenberg mix it up in their 6th District race. Bachmann has been running an ad in heavy rotation on TV in the last day or so…
…that Tim Pugmire fact-checked this morning and found it wanting.
The 2nd District candidates debate at 11:30 on Midday. And then a Norm Coleman speech from the U of M gets a run. Al Franken’s was presented yesterday. Dean Barkley’s will be on tomorrow. All three are already on the Web.
Norm Coleman has a news conference at 11 to announce an unfair campaign practices lawsuit. The pro-Franken blog, MnPublius documented past unfair campaign practice suits Coleman has filed just before an election
Coleman, who leads in the latest poll, heads into traditional DFL territory today. He’ll campaign in Duluth, International Falls, Hibbing, Grand Rapids, Bemidji and East Grand Forks.
Franken has teamed up with 1st District Rep. Tim Walz today. They’ll campaign in Rochester, Owatonna, Faribault and Mankato. Franken joins former president Bill Clinton at a rally in Minneapolis tonight. Barack Obama held a late-evening rally in Florida with Clinton last night.
Dean Barkley will unveil his first — and only — TV ad of the campaign at 3 p.m.
One of the few remaining major newspapers in the state that hasn’t endorsed a candidate in the Senate race — the Duluth News Tribune — will do so tomorrow.
Today the National Student Parent Mock Election is being held at high schools around the country. There’s a media event at Richfield High School today. The curriculum for the program departs from its real-life counterpart. It focuses on issues.
Now you’re talking… err, singing. From 6-9 tonight in St. Paul, t he Urban Embassy hosts a karaoke party where political candidates will come speak on the condition that they sing first. What are the odds prominent candidates will show?
The cops want more pay. The St. Paul Police Federation is holding a news conference at 11 a.m. to kick off its petition drive to amend the St. Paul City Charter to boost police officers’ pay. Reportedly, a St. Paul police officer ranks 15th in pay among 27 metro police departments.
For all the grief they get in public discourse, teachers sure have a lot of jobs to do. Today, many are being trained to detect signs of problems among children whose parents have been deployed in the military. Education Commissioner Alice Seagren is speaking at the Military Child Education Coalition workshop in Roseville which is focusing on how educators can spot the effects of grief, loss and trauma because of the deployments. Noon.
This afternoon on All Things Considered we’ll learn a little more about how the credit crunch is affecting the nuts and bolts of city finances. Bob Kelleher will look at Duluth’s experience trying to float some bonds for the Duluth Civic Center.
And we’ll go artsy as Elizabeth Baier profiles the brains behind Batucada do Norte-Drum Group of the North. Brazilian drum group? In Minneapolis? If you’re in the office, turn your speakers down before clicking the link. Or take a break with you co-workers and have a samba session.
But the top story of the day? Twenty-six years ago today, Mrs. News Cut and I were married. I need to buy a card.
