Jim Oberstar, longtime representative in Congress, dies at 79

[Brickbat]

Jim Oberstar, the Democratic Congressman who represented northeastern Minnesota in Washington for decades, has died at his home in Maryland.

Sources tell Eyewitness News Oberstar passed away in his sleep Friday night. He was 79.

James Louis Oberstar was born in Chisholm on September 10, 1934 and graduated from Chisholm High School in 1952. He received degrees from the College of St. Thomas in St. Paul and the College of Europe in Belgium.

http://www.wdio.com/article/stories/S3422026.shtml?cat=10335

[riverwalker]

1. RIP

"

On behalf of the DFL Party we send our thoughts and prayers to the family of Rep. Jim Oberstar. We have lost a true Minnesota legend," the leader of the Minnesota DFL Party, Ken Martin, tweeted this morning.

During his political career, Oberstar, nicknamed "Mr. Transportation," chaired the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and was influential in aviation and aviation safety.

The former U.S. Representative served for 36 years and held the longest number of Congressional terms in Minnesota history.

http://www.northlandsnewscenter.com/news/local/Former-Congressman-Jim-Oberstar-Dead-at-79-257797461.html

[shenmue]

2. Rest in peace

[gopiscrap]

3. RIP

Thank you for your service to our nation!

[CatholicEdHead]

4. RIP Jim

You did much good work for Minnesota both for the Iron Range and greater Minnesota and the US. Thank you for your service.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

5. He was a good guy. I'm sorry to hear this.

[question everything]

6. Interesting that he died at his home in Maryland

Happens with many politicians who spent many years in Washington. They buy a house there and choose not to come back home to the farm after they've seen Paris. (Or however the phrase goes.)

I did not know him or much about his work, but rode some of the bike trails that he championed.

I think that he tried to get involved in the fight to prevent the conversion of the Marines Base at El Toro, California, to a mega airport. Did not appreciate his intervention...

Still, he obviously served his district well. May he rest in peace.

[dflprincess]

7. "How Ya Gonna Keep Them Down on the Farm After They've Seen Paree?"

A post-WWI hit.

It used to be common for members of Congress to move their families out to D.C. when they were elected when Gingrich became speaker he discouraged that. There is a school of thought that that has helped fuel the incivility in Congress. It's harder to be as hostile when your kids are in the same schools and you're running into each other at school events or little league.