Thoughts on Pawlenty's announcement...

Check out this link to the Duluth Journal to read my public comment and those of other locals on Gov. Tim Pawlenty's announcement today that he will not run for a third term as Minnesota's governor. I guess my comment says it all so here it is...

“The first time I met him (Pawlenty) was at a News Tribune editorial board endorsement interview when he made his first bid for the governorship. Agree or disagree with him, we were struck by how articulate he was, and how he could smoothly discuss the issues and his goals with no sign of the nervousness most politicians display under those circumstances. So he’s smooth. And he’s smart. And he’s conservative — really conservative, a veteran of the ill-fated Jon Grunseth gubernatorial campaign in the 1990s. He took his early signing of a pledge to not raise taxes — not ever — way too seriously. He shouldn’t have signed it in the first place, not knowing what the state’s needs would be and because it forced him to raise many taxes anyway and calling them ‘fees.’ It’s duplicitous. He clearly has national ambitions, and he’d be an effective candidate for the Republicans, with some of the same campaigning talents that President Barack Obama has, along with a similar humble early background. The last time I spoke with him was a few weeks ago in the entry area of BlackWoods restaurant on London Road where he, his wife and daughter just showed up in casual attire and signed up for a table. Since Minnesota governors don’t go anywhere without security, I asked him where the highway patrol guy was. He pointed to the door.”

Kudos to Duluth's magazine maven...

Marti Buscaglia, current publisher of the Duluth~Superior Magazine, received the 2009 Folio 40 Award ( one of the top 40 individuals making a name in magazine publishing.) Check out today's Duluth Journal link for more information. Marti, as many of you know, is a seasoned publisher who headed the Duluth News Tribune during its Knight Ridder ownership. Congrats to Marti for a well-deserved honor!

Howie Hanson Live on January 26th...

I'm going to be a guest of local web journalist, Howie Hanson, on "Howie Hanson Live" from 2-3 PM on Monday, January 26th.  Check out the Duluth Journal web site at: www.howiehanson.com for more information about Howie's blog, journal, and live broadcast on the Internet. Here's the direct link to his live web broadcast: http://www.live365.com/cgi-bin/mini.cgi?membername=duluthjournal&tm=7914.  

Howie says we'll be talking about my book, local politics, the national situation and whatever direction the spirit moves us. Hope you can tune in!