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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWho was Paul Wellstone?
Terrific read summarizing the life and politics of the Minnesota firebrand ....
http://www.bluecheddar.net/?p=36039
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Mr. Wellstone was also an accomplished campaigner. Though he had never held elected office, he pulled off a major upset in 1990 when, running on a shoestring budget, he defeated the incumbent Republican senator, Rudy Boschwitz. Watch this 1990 ad in which Wellstone goes looking for his opponent, Boschwitz. Beautiful.
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Few thought he had a chance when he announced that he would run for the Senate against Mr. Boschwitz. Russell D. Feingold, now a like-minded liberal Democratic senator from Wisconsin, today had this recollection of dropping by to meet Mr. Wellstone in 1989: He opened the door, and there he was with his socks off, 15 books open that he was reading, and he was on the phone arguing with somebody about Cuba. He gave me coffee, and we laughed uproariously at the idea that either of us would ever be elected. But he pulled it off in 1990 and gave me the heart to do it in Wisconsin.
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Often, Mr. Wellstone was the only senator voting against a measure, or one of only a few. He was, for instance, one of three senators in 1999 to support compromise missile defense legislation. He was the only one that year to vote against an education bill involving standardized tests, and the only Democrat who opposed his partys version of lowering the estate tax.
Lot of interesting tidbits and links to other relavent videos too. We need more people like Wellstone in Washington.
Brickbat
(19,339 posts)And I almost never use either of those words.
leveymg
(36,418 posts)Along with the Kennedys.
TRoN33
(769 posts)Shook his hands. He's amazing guy, a proud Minnesotan and willing to share his thought after question asked. I knew this was the guy who can beat W. Bush in general election in 2004 if Paul Wellstone is still alive. I knew something is not right about that tragic event. The unseen powerful force played the part with the death of Paul and his family and friends. That unseen force is still working inside the Republican sphere, I have no doubt about that.
Paul Wellstone's legacy will be never forgotten.
annabanana
(52,791 posts)The very personification of the best of the 60's.
mountain grammy
(26,663 posts)TomClash
(11,344 posts). . . and then all of a sudden . . . he was dead.
Certainly a life worth living, a life of which he could be proud.
Chaco Dundee
(334 posts)He was a principled,noble human being.
GatorOrange
(63 posts)As I read up more on Wellstone's accomplishments and the fact he had a Liberal Spine when few bothered to display one made me curious about him. Needless to say I found him to be a fine man and just the kind of Liberal we need in Congress today.
DirtyDawg
(802 posts)...'they' killed him and his family...and you have to ask why we can hate them so?
Ichingcarpenter
(36,988 posts)captain of my older brother's wrestling team. I came to the meets and met him many times in his younger days.
I was 3 years behind my brother and in junior high at the time.
I think he was murdered in my opinion but that's another story.
secondwind
(16,903 posts)adirondacker
(2,921 posts)folks involved in politics. Thanks for the enlightenment Iching.
secondwind
(16,903 posts)she was to have this wonderful man to turn to for advice!!!!
awoke_in_2003
(34,582 posts)tavalon
(27,985 posts)I was shocked that you wouldn't know. Of course you would.
sarisataka
(18,883 posts)a politician with integrity.
He is missed
Egalitarian Thug
(12,448 posts)SomeGuyInEagan
(1,515 posts)When we moved back to Minnesota. Sadly for all of us, she didn't get that chance.
Jenoch
(7,720 posts)Wrestling Tournament. We didn't talk non-stop, but we did talk for the time he was sitting next to me. The conversations were all about wrestling.
The only real fault Senator Wellstone had was his hiring of incompetent pilots.
Taverner
(55,476 posts)Commercial planes are very safe
Those small ones, not so much
Jenoch
(7,720 posts)Of course, statistically, it is more likely to die in a small airplane rather than an airline, but to call all of them death traps is quite the exaggeration.
Taverner
(55,476 posts)But they do kill more than big-ass jumbo jets do
Jenoch
(7,720 posts)of the crash. It provides some details on the pilots.
http://www.minnesotamonthly.com/media/Minnesota-Monthly/October-2012/Wellstone/
It also has information on many of the people who were close to the Wellstones.
IronLionZion
(45,615 posts)commercial planes just aren't going to get the job done when he goes to see his rural constituents.
If anyone is wondering how someone as radical as Paul Wellstone could possibly get elected and re-elected, its because he will risk his life to fly to the funeral of a constituent way up in the north country instead of his own fundraiser, on the same night that he has a debate. He was such a good man that he would give his life for his constituents.
Taverner
(55,476 posts)It's just personally, I am afraid of small planes.
applegrove
(118,880 posts)Karl Rove and the GOP freaked out that his funeral was partisan. I knew then his death had the possibility of changing the hearts of humanity if he was such a danger to Rove, even in death. I look forward to watching the video.
KoKo
(84,711 posts)It's been a long time since someone posted about him here.
ruffburr
(1,190 posts)So many GREAT posts on Paul Wellstone, He, I believe could've helped save this country, I always feel a great sadness When I think of Paul and his family.Thanks for all you tried to do Paul
Puglover
(16,380 posts)To my surprise he published it. To this day I could kick myself because I neglected to say that after Paul had a good laugh he said to me in all seriousness, "I will never feel good about that vote."
I loved that man.
ScreamingMeemie
(68,918 posts):'( Thanks for sharing that again.
Puglover
(16,380 posts)God.............age.
ScreamingMeemie
(68,918 posts)I love it that you posted it. I love it that he acknowledged his error.