This and That

We can feel the change from fall to winter this week in Minnesota, and with four weeks until inauguration, things in Washington are moving just as quickly.

First, the story of Congressman-elect Keith Ellison swearing on the Qu'ran has moved into the rural papers. The New Ulm Journal, the only paper in the 1st District to endorse the Republican Congresional candidate in the last election, has written an op/ed piece supporting Ellison's right to swear by whatever is sacred to him.  And according to the new blog Forum Focus, which is dedicated to tracking the 20 Forum papers located in Minnesota, Dennis Prager's original column attacking Ellison ran last week in the Morris Sun Tribune but none of the AP or MCclatchy wire follow-ups ever ran.

Moving out of Minnesota and on to Washington, Michele Bachmann has picked her new Chief of Staff , choosing Brooks Kochvar, the formerly the Chief of Staff for Chris Chocola, the defeated Representative from Indiana.  Congressman John Kline (R -MN 2), has been named to the transitional team for the new chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, Congressman Tom Cole of Okalahoma, a move that makes sense with the 2008 GOP convention being held in Minnesota.

And a reminder that Arianna Huffington will be in town on Friday to speak at the Minnesota Women's Political Caucus, and tickets can be purchased until the end of the day.  We will have our interview with Ms. Huffington later this week.