Wellstone Story Still Being Told

[dflprincess]

From Nick Coleman's column in today's Star Tribune:

http://www.startribune.com/stories/357/4999735.html

In a recent column, I referred to Ronald Reagan as "the late thespian" without bothering to specify that he was the 40th president of the United States or that he single-handedly saved the planet from Walter Mondale. Those unforgiveable omissions enraged a number of touchy wonks and bloggers who took me to the woodshed for dissing the honored dead.

Of course, some of these folks are the same lovelies who since Oct. 25, 2002, have told supporters of Sen. Paul Wellstone -- who died in a plane crash along with his wife, their daughter and five others 10 days before a hard-fought campaign was about to end and who was only 58 -- to "park the bus." Or as I believe one bumper sticker has it: "He's Dead. Get Over It."

We live in angry times, so I know that with the anniversary of Wellstone's death coming up in a month -- again, just days before an election -- the mere mention of his name in a newspaper or a reference to a nostalgia for his passionate spirit will be seen as more evidence of a conspiracy to foist a hate-America agenda on gentle, God-fearing patriots.

Paul Wellstone didn't die 15 years after leaving office. He went down in the middle of the fight of his life, and went down courageously. (He was the only senator running for reelection who voted against war in Iraq.)

Although he's been gone two years, his name is still discussed more than most of the empty suits in Washington, and Minnesotans are still arguing over his legacy. The fact that we are still talking about Wellstone drives some people nuts, but it's also testimony to the lingering sense of loss that has motivated others to try to keep his memory alive....

[fearnobush]

1. He was popular, voted No to the war. So they had to kill him.

If Paul were alive today, he would be 23 pts ahead of Bu$h now.

[whalerider55]

2. a loss too big for words

i saw the man speak several times at events in DC; he radiated hope and decency and made us all a little more courageous. minnesota's loss was a loss for the nation.

i've never forgotten him. when the kids are old enough, i will tell them that i got to see him speak. no other experience, shaking hands with a president, hanging with hot tuna, riding a whale, meeting several times with kerry- none top it.

whalerider55

[AndyTiedye]

3. Our "Night of the Long Knives"

Paul Wellstone,
Mel Carnahan,
and the attempt on Tom Daschle,
and the Senate doesn't give the BFEE any trouble any more.

[tom_paine]

6. Yep. Exactly. Up to and including confirm Goss-Heydrich

Very very bad things are coming after the Emperor is re-appointed to the throne of Amerika.

[bvar22]

4. It soooo pisses off the Minnesota republicans.

They killed his body, but Paul's spirit lives on!
I proudly and frequently refer to myself as a WELLSTONIAN DEMOCRAT!



Paul kicking republican ass!


Paul & Shiela sitting on the wet grass, just like the rest of us.

[AmyStrange]

5. I miss him so much...

I cried when I heard he died, and then I cried the next day when I went to the war protest (it was an international day of protest against the Iraq war) and everyone talked about him and how great he was,

and still is I must add... sigh,

d