Monday Rundown

Maine: Today's must-read column: "The senator who cried wolf":

Susan Collins must hope that the media has a short memory.

There is no other explanation why Collins would be whining again that the opposing political party is — now get this — trying to hold her accountable.

Read the whole column. Collins has a history of really dirty tricks.

Minnesota: The difference between Norm Coleman and Al Franken:

This Tuesday, George W. Bush and Norm Coleman will attend a fundraiser for Coleman at a private home in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. You can probably attend, too. A mere one thousand dollars will get you in. Give $10,000 and they'll list you as a co-host in the program. Give $14,600, and they'll say you're a host.

That same day, Al Franken will appear at a food drive in a picnic shelter in a public park in Plymouth, Minnesota. Then he'll race across town to a non-fundraising potluck dinner at the East Side Community Center in Saint Paul. You can probably attend those events for less than a thousand dollars A contribution of some kind of canned goods would be nice at one. It sounds like they won't even pass the hat at the other.

Stark.

Virginia: Stu Rothenberg informs us of timing issues surrounding popular former Governor Mark Warner's decision-making processes:

In Virginia, the Democratic State Central Committee will decide no later than March 12 whether to select a 2008 Senate nominee in a June primary or convention. For a primary, the filing period would run from March 25 to April 11. In either case, Warner likely would have to make a decision about the Senate race well before the party’s presidential nominee has settled on a running mate.

Of course, Warner could enter the Senate race and still be available to join the national ticket in July or August, if the party’s presidential nominee were to select the Virginian as a running mate. But that would be messy, and, as one national political operative told me, a Warner Senate bid surely would be a factor dissuading the party’s presidential nominee from asking him to join the ticket.

A lot for Warner to consider. Much may come into clarity next month when John Warner announces his 2008 intentions.

South Carolina: The "Local Republicans Unhappy with Lindsey Graham" story is not going away anytime soon.

Kentucky: MyDD's Singer notes that perpetual offense against Mitch McConnell at home will help distract him from coherently "leading" Senate Republicans nationally. And, make no mistake, national Democrats will be heavily targetting McConnell.

Alabama: Congressman Artur Davis, who passed on a 2008 challenge to Jeff Sessions, may have his eye on a 2010 Senate run.

George W. Bush: "Embarrassing Uncle"

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