Almanac: At the Capitol

As a veteran of trade missions (I went to Hollywood, Japan, China, Cuba, Canada with governors) the travel news from the governor's office is interesting. Of course Pawlenty is in China today on his second trip there. Then he leads a 73-member delegation to India. It's the state's first mission to India and a booming market with more than a billion people. Experts say India will be the second largest economy in the world. So it probably makes sense to do business there. What's more interesting to me is that Agriculture Commissioner Gene Hugoson just announced he's returning to Cuba next month. I traveled with Jesse Ventura to Cuba 5 years ago when President Bush and his brother Governor Bush told Ventura not to go. Besides getting into Castro's private compound for cigars served on silver platters, I saw the state drumming up some serious business. Participants in that mission have done millions of dollars of trade. But now agricultural exports to Cuba are drying up. Maybe it's Castro's illness. I got to see first hand the power and charisma Castro possesses. He charmed all the American business people on the trade mission. He does have an aura about him. In contrast, I also met his brother who would assume power after his death, and his brother does not have the same presence. What's also fascinating about the commissioner's mission to Cuba is the politics. It seems Pawlenty is threading a needle again. He's not personally going on the trip, a trip the president of the United States and many Republicans would oppose. I do wish I could attend some of these trade missions, but it's hard to make a case for the huge expense of international travel and news gathering without the threat of a Jesse Ventura international incident looming. Also, sorry I haven't blogged in a while, I just got back from a trip to Europe with my family. We kissed the Blarney Stone in Ireland—so I may be full of it.