Mike Ciresi

Political Panel

tptadmin — Fri, 6 Jun 2008 16:07:15 -0500

Big stuff to chat about: Franken's problems ... Obama's visit ... McCain's strategy. Democrats Wy Spano and Mary Jo McGuire and Republicans Sarah Janecek and Brian Sullivan match wits.

The Senate Candidates at the DFL Convention

tptadmin — Fri, 6 Jun 2008 16:01:01 -0500

Saturday is endorsement day in Rochester ... will Al Franken be the convention's choice? How about Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer? Will there be no endorsement? Mary Lahammer talked to both candidates in Rochester Friday about Franken's problems this week.

Franken v. Ciresi v. Nelson-Pallmeyer

Mary Lahammer — Fri, 6 Jun 2008 14:13:36 -0500

We just got inside Al Franken's "war room" at the DFL State Convention in Rochester. In our interview I told Franken about Doug Grow's story saying Mike Ciresi is "likely" to challenge Franken in a primary. Franken reminded us that Ciresi got out because of lack of support and said he wouldn't challenge the endorsed candidate and Franken added "I hope he keeps his word."
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Headlines

tptadmin — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:32:32 -0500

Mary talks to Al Franken about his tax troubles, budget negotiations pick up with talk of bringing bonding projects back into the mix, and a Senate committe meeting about the NWA merger turns feisty on the subject of jobs.

One on One with Franken

Mary Lahammer — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 13:39:38 -0500

I just sat down with Al Franken for a one-on-one interview about his financial problems. We'll have some clips tonight on Almanac: At the Capitol and more Friday on Almanac. He said "yesterday was the best day of the campaign" because his staff and supporters rallied. Franken says they contacted most of the delegates and virtually every one said the recent news was not a problem.
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Franken's Potential Foes

Mary Lahammer — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 10:11:40 -0500

There's a lot of talk about other Democrats who may enter the race to challenge Al Franken. The first obvious name is Mike Ciresi who could not be reached directly but his people and lots of others are chatting with him about re-entering the U.S. Senate race. Ciresi has money and infrastructure that wouldn't be too difficult to re-start.
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The Other Senate Candidate

Mary Lahammer — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 16:08:52 -0500

Lost in the week's news of Sen. Norm Coleman's campaign kick-off and Al Franken's pre-act/re-launch was the fact there is still a legitimate candidate left on the DFL side: Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer. Franken's rally was politically smart, rallying the troops, looking like the sole strong candidate. But activists and young people who are propelling a candidate called Barack Obama are also excited about JNP.
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Franken Pre-Act Re-Launch

Mary Lahammer — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 12:52:56 -0500

We in the press aren't exactly sure how to describe why Al Franken had a big rally at the Capitol today. It seemed to be what we call a "pre-act" — that is reacting to an event before it happens. The event he's pre-acting to is Sen. Norm Coleman's campaign kick-off tomorrow. Much of the speech was devoted to Coleman. The "re-launch" aspect seems to be him almost re-starting his campaign with Ciresi out of the way.
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The Political Panel

tptadmin — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 16:09:29 -0500

How are lawmakers dealing with the need for cuts in the state budget? That's one of the topics tonight with our political panel of DFLers Mary Jo McGuire and Mike Hatch and Republicans Fritz Knaak and David Strom.

The Monologue

tptadmin — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 15:58:17 -0500

Dominic Papatola is thinking about the political news of the week. Perhaps a bit too much...