Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck got the scoop Monday about Gov. Tim Pawlenty delivering a $100,000 check from an unnamed donor to the Alabama Republican party, but the Star Tribune's Rachel Stassen-Berger put a point on it when the identity was revealed Tuesday: "Pawlenty plays bagman for Bob Parry."

You don't usually read 'em that tart outside of the partisan blogs. In fact, the Day One headline on Stribber Pat Doyle's post was far blander: "Pawlenty shuttles contribution to Alabama GOP."

Stassen-Berger's story comes on the same day the Strib chronicled the state GOP's rising hopes; I'm pretty sure the Republicans who leaped to link to that one this morning will resume criticizing the Red Star now.

Meanwhile, MPR's Bob Collins channels the criticism of ex-Congressman Tim Penny, who says Minnesota media have been too soft on Travelin' Timmy. (Worth noting: Penny was the 2002 Independence Party candidate TPaw beat.)

Penny complains that the media "seem to write only glowingly about Pawlenty's trips." I don't think that's right — there's been obsessive coverage, though not all glowing — but after Stassen-Berger's post, it's a harder argument to make.