After a Tuesday speech to business leaders, Pawlenty told reporters that he and Vikings owner Zygi Wilf met for an hour of coffee and stadium chat at the governor's Summit Avenue residence that morning.

They achieved no breakthroughs -- Wilf still wants to bolt from the Metrodome in 2011 and Pawlenty won't raise taxes to build a new stadium.

But the two seem to be getting rather chummy, especially given Pawlenty's increasingly packed schedule.

"Zygi and I talk, either by phone or in person, every few months," Pawlenty said. "This was part of that pattern."

BAIRD HELGESON

Day's end

Gov. Tim Pawlenty has set a Jan. 26 special election for the seat soon to be vacated by Sen. Dick Day, R-Owatonna. Day has held the seat since 1990, but is leaving Jan. 18 to lead the lobbying effort for a racino.

If needed, a special primary will be held Jan. 12 and candidates must file between Dec. 23 and 29.

Which way will the district go? Day won with 54 percent last time, but in the House, his district is represented by two DFLers. Republicans, who used to clean up in special elections, haven't done so well of late. Since 2005, DFLers won six of eight special elections and won all three of the 2008 special elections, according to information collected by the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library.

Stubborn facts

Sen. Al Franken grew irate on the Senate floor Monday evening while fencing with a Republican colleague over the health care bill.

What set the freshman senator off? A chart by Republican South Dakota Sen. John Thune that asserted taxes would increase for four years before benefits kicked in.

"We are entitled to our own opinions. We are not entitled to our own facts," Franken said. "The fact is benefits kick in on Day 1 and the large majority of benefits kick in on Day 1. And we shouldn't be standing up here with charts that say the exact opposite."

Noting that small-business credits would start immediately, Franken said, "The senator from South Dakota just said that nothing -- no payments -- nothing that costs any money will kick in right away. That's not true. We are not entitled to our own facts. And I stand here day after day after day and hear my colleagues, my good friends from the other side, say things that are not based on fact."

Thune countered with a few facts of his own:

"Did the senator from Minnesota, when I was pointing out on the chart, understand the point I was making, that the tax increases start 18 days from now and that the spending benefits under the bill, which are the premium tax credits and the exchanges that are designed to provide the benefit that's delivered under this bill, don't start until 2014?"

Franken: "Does the senator understand that spending benefits start right away?"

Thune: "If the senator missed the point, I can get the chart out ... "

Franken: "No, I asked you a question, Senator. I yielded to you for a question, I'm asking you a question."

It's not the first time Thune and Franken have been at odds. Earlier this month, Thune sharply criticized Franken's "rape" amendment, which he called "Daily Kos-inspired."

ERIC ROPER