Clare Carlson, one-time Grand Forks legislator, former agriculture adviser to Govs. Ed Schafer and John Hoeven and for the past eight years the North Dakota director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development, was unemployed as of noon Tuesday, just like all Bush administration appointees.
He was in the Capitol in Bismarck the next day in a suit and tie. When he was jokingly asked if he's perhaps in line to be Hoeven's appointee to run Workforce Safety and Insurance, he laughed but added that he is interested in the job.
"I think it would be a fun job," the affable Carlson said of the workers' compensation agency that's seen so much controversy over the past two years.
Carlson has had farming interests at Drayton, N.D., and was in the state House for a single two-year term, 1993-94. He also made an unsuccessful bid for state agriculture commissioner against Roger Johnson in the 2000 election.
Fed money to help
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Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty is trying to temper expectations that a federal economic stimulus package could significantly ease Minnesota's budget problems.
Pawlenty said the state could receive more than $3 billion if the U.S. House version of an economic stimulus bill passes Congress and is signed by President Barack Obama.
But that version may not emerge from congressional negotiations. Even if it did, Pawlenty said, some of the funding is targeted to specific education, outdoors and infrastructure programs.
"It looks like there's going to be substantial money available to help," but not solve, the budget deficit, Pawlenty said. That deficit is at least $4.85 billion; some experts say it could top $6 billion by spring.
Ties not uncommon
Senate Minority Leader Dave O'Connell said some in his Democratic-NPL caucus thought Mike Haugen of Fargo was "too partisan" to be on the state Board of Higher Education.
That's apparently based solely on the fact that after he retired as the state's adjutant general, Haugen attended the state GOP convention last year and gave a nominating speech for now-Public Service Commissioner Brian Kalk. An odd sentiment given that many past board members are or were active in party politics.
Take Bev Clayburgh of Grand Forks, who served eight years on the board. She's a longtime vice chairwoman of the state Republican Party and her husband ran for the U.S. Senate against Democrat Kent Conrad in 1994. And her stepson, Rick Clayburgh, was the Republican who finally recaptured - after more than 40 years - the state tax commissioner's office from Democratic control in 1996.
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Or current board member Sue Andrews, daughter-in-law of former congressman and Sen. Mark Andrews.
Or former board member John Korsmo, who served a stint as state Republican Party chairman in 1993-95 and ran against Democratic U.S. Rep. Earl Pomeroy in 1992.
Or Jack Olin of Dickinson, a former Republican state senator before going on the Board of Higher Education.
Or Cynthia Kaldor of Mayville, wife of Democratic legislator and one time gubernatorial candidate Lee Kaldor. She was an appointee of the state's last Democratic-NPL governor, George Sinner.
Coleman on Web
Norm Coleman is granting select Minnesota media interview requests, but tried to reach out to a broader audience through a Web video.
In the short video - www.youtube.com/colemanforsenate - Minnesota's ex-senator and Senate candidate expresses confidence that he will win his upcoming court case. He said he will pick up votes when ballot controversies are resolved.
"Let me be clear: When the votes were counted on Election Day, I had the lead," Coleman said. "When the counties and secretary of state completed their initial canvassing process, I had the lead. And I fully expect that when the election contest is completed - if it is done fairly, with no votes counted twice and with all voters treated equally - I will win this election."
