Senator Paul Wellstone Killed in Plane Crash

Friday, 25 October, 2002

Eveleth, Minnesota | Senator Wellstone passed over today. He was a part of the liberal backlash against the dominating right wing of the Bush/Reagan era. He came into power along with Clinton and the liberal resurgence in the 90’s. From early on I knew I liked this man. His ideas, his passion for the issues of the people made him a populist Senator. He stood for the common citizen rather than the elite wealthy and stood for health care, veterans' rights, minimum wage, and the environment, while offering no support for the Columbia Plan, the War in Iraq and other nefarious war efforts set forth by the Bush administration. His Republican opponent had this to say about him in their tight race for the senate just 10 days away.

“Wellstone is an extremist whose left-wing views make him a marginal player in the Senate.”

So to a Republican you are an extremist liberal when you stand up for social security, farmers, unions, and you propose negotiations verses war in settling our differences with the world community. With the passing of Wellstone our country has one less voice to stand up for the issues that will save this planet and means that the people have to fight this much harder making our ultimate victory that much sweeter.

Sen. Ted Kennedy was in Minnesota campaigning with Wellstone and he was supposed to be on that plane. What a double blow it would have been had he decided to go along.

Two years ago, Missouri Gov. Mel Carnahan was locked in a tight senate race against now Attorney General John Ashcroft. He too was killed in a plane crash three weeks before Election Day. Carnahan's name remained on the ballot and he beat Repugnican Sen. John Ashcroft. Then Carnahan's widow, Jean, was appointed to serve in his place. This time will not totally repeat itself as Wellstone’s wife also died in the crash. Can lightning strike twice? Can a dead man defeat a Republican for the Senate again? If Republicans are wondering why winning control of the senate has to be so hard that they can’t even defeat dead people, maybe they should have a long hard look at their stand on the issues and come in from far right field and play ball.

Wellstone’s passion leaves a huge gap in the liberal stand. I hope Gov. Ventura, the Progressive Democratic Party of Minn., and the people in Minnesota choose to carry on the passion, vision and hope Paul Wellstone gave us all. Keep the faith.

Michael Tivana

Tribalmessenger.org