The Rebellion Fizzles Out...

The Senate DFL caucus rebellion against Leader Larry Pogemiller is apparently over.

Throughout the fall, there was hot talk among DFL state senators that Larry Pogemiller needed to be dumped halfway through his first two-year term as the Senate majority leader.
But now, weeks from the opening of the legislative session, the discussion has cooled, and there likely will be no rebellion. The two senators who would have been in the most obvious position to lead a revolt, Steve Murphy of Red Wing and Tom Bakk of Cook, both have said in interviews with MinnPost that they aren't going after Pogemiller.

Pogemiller was considered to be so divisive that the Senate Majority actually appointed Sen. Tarryl Clark to be their "spokesperson" since they know that press was laying in wait. The fun thing is that even his own caucus dislikes "Pogey", but they are also aware that they have no one to replace him.

That's not to say they've developed fondness for the Minneapolis DFLer, who has been described as condescending, arrogant, rude and manipulative. (And that's just what DFLers say about their leader.)
"We made things more difficult, not better, for the DFL by electing Pogemiller,'' said Murphy. "But I don't think the majority of the members of the caucus are ready to make a change. As I look around the caucus, I don't see a consensus candidate at this point. There are some wonderful young members, but they're not quite ready yet. Soon it will be time to turn the reins over to the new members. But for now...."

There are some very practical reasons for their concern. As long as the Governor has enough support to sustain a veto (as he does now) the House and Senate majorities have not choice but to work with the Governor, and that is something that Pogey does NOT want to do.

Pogemiller, his DFL critics say, doesn't even attempt to work with the governor.
In the process, Pogemiller ends up making Pawlenty look good.
"When the two are in the same room, you can feel the contempt he has for Pawlenty,'' said one DFL legislator, who didn't want to be named for fear of antagonizing Pogemiller.

Emphasis added...and that is why the caucus feels that Pogey needs to be replaced. When your co-workers are on eggshells around you...who couch what they say for fear of antagonizing you, YOU are the ones with the problem. Since Pogey has shown that he is unwilling to change, then the caucus will have to make the change for him and it does not look like that will be happening any time soon.