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OCTOBER 25, 2002
By Michael B. Brodkorb | October 25, 2007
Senator Paul Wellstone, his wife Sheila, their daughter Marcia, and three campaign aides – Mary McEvoy, Tom Lapic, and Will McLaughlin were lost five years ago today in a tragic plane crash.
I'm not sure if Democrats want to read what a Republican experienced on October 25, 2002. To be honest, if the roles were reversed, I'm not sure I'd care to read what a Democrat felt about the loss of a GOP politician.
I have always been respectful of Senator Wellstone and the events of October 25, 2002 on Minnesota Democrats Exposed. I know that many Minnesotans who voted for him wish he was still in the U.S. Senate. I am a partisan Republican who misses Senator Paul Wellstone.
I was working for the Republican Party of Minnesota at the time and I remember that horrible day like it was yesterday. I spent the morning at Boston Scientific's Plymouth office, tracking Senator Ted Kennedy who was in town for Wellstone's campaign. It was a cold and rainy day and I remember standing outside in the miserable weather as I stopped to fill up my car with gas after I left Kennedy's event.
I went back to my office at the Republican Party of Minnesota's headquarters and started reviewing the video from Kennedy's speech. I was talking with other staffers, when a college Republican came into my office and said that her mother had just heard on CNN that Senator Paul Wellstone's plane was missing. I was standing by my office door and I remember saying to the staffers gathered around the T.V. in my office that we should all take a moment and say a prayer for Senator Wellstone and his staff.
My first campaign job was on Boschwitz's '96 campaign and I would estimate that from '95 to '02, I had attended over 50 of Wellstone's press events and speeches. I saw Wellstone speak in-person more times than I have seen most Republican politicians speak. Republicans aggressively "tracked" Wellstone during the 2002 campaign and I had spoken with Wellstone's campaign spokesman Jim Farrell and Wellstone campaign aide Will McLaughlin on numerous occasions. Most of the conversations were less than pleasant. These interactions could fairly be described as petty bickering as the campaign rethoric between the Republican Party of Minnesota/Coleman campaign and the DFL/Wellstone campaign was very heated. Neither side was wrong.
Even though I attended so many of Wellstone's press events, we never really spoke. I would say "hello", but that was the extent of the interaction. I always tried to keep a respectful distance.
When I first heard that Wellstone's plane had crash, my immediate thought was of Jim and Will. I remember speaking with the interns who worked in the research department at the Republican Party of Minnesota that had crossed paths with Jim and Will. They were very upset and saddened by the realistic possibility that both of them were dead. I would quickly learn from press reports that Jim was not on board the plane, but sadly Will was killed in the crash.
I had flown in small planes across Minnesota on numerous occasions. In fact, I had flown in a similar plane in that area of the state only weeks earlier.
I knew nothing personal about Will. All I knew was that he was staffer for Wellstone's campaign and that he and I would sometimes snip at each other as I or another tracker tried to film Wellstone. I would learn more about Will during the memorial service that was held a few days later.
Later that evening, after I couldn't watch anymore of the T.V. coverage of the plane crash at work, I decided to walk up the street to the state capitol where people were gathering for a candlelight vigil to honor Wellstone and the other victims of the crash. The front mall of the capitol was filled with people. Wellstone's trademark green bus was parked in the lot and people seemed to hover around it. It was only hours after the crash and some people were walking around in a daze. They loved Wellstone and what he stood for and now, their hero was gone.
There pain was so raw. Yet, remarkably some people were gathered in small groups telling stories about Wellstone and laughing. Their shared memories of Wellstone telling a joke or doing something silly appeared to comfort them.
I saw Jim at the candlelight vigil and we spoke for a few short minutes. Looking back, I can't imagine the pain and sorrow he and others must have felt in hours after the crash. I sometimes wonder how he is doing.
I didn't stay too long at the candlelight vigil. Once again, I wanted to keep a respectful distance.
Wellstone was a great political adversary for Republicans in Minnesota and across the country. While I disagreed with Senator Wellstone's politics, I respected his passion. I respected him for the spirit he brought to his job. He was a great fighter. I truly believe Wellstone loved being a U.S Senator from Minnesota.
I hope the many Minnesotans who wish to carry on Senator Wellstone’s legacy will do so by visiting Wellstone Action. Wellstone Action has established programs to honor the memory and public activism of Paul and Shelia Wellstone by continuing their fight for economic justice and progressive social change.
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Topics: Uncategorized | 51 Comments »
October 25th, 2007 at 11:57 AM
stay classy, MDE.
Nice post.
October 25th, 2007 at 12:22 PM
thank you.
October 25th, 2007 at 12:51 PM
I remember the day well and feeling the loss. Politically I didn’t share any views with the Senator, but I had a deep admiration for the passion that he brought to his work.
I was volunteering with YMCA Youth In Government, and we stared our training session the next morning talking about what the loss meant to our state – and some of the (at that time) unknown political fallout.
We lost quite a man that day. My heart goes out to his family and the families of the others who lost their lives also.
October 25th, 2007 at 1:52 PM
If these are truly your feelings on Senator Wellstone and you truly respected him as a person, why do you let extremely hateful comments about him continue to be posted on your blog?
Disagreeing on politics and policy are one thing and by all means what political blogs should be about, but multiple people in the past year have posted comments about the Senator implying they are very happy he is dead.
October 25th, 2007 at 1:59 PM
Yureka -
Please accept Michael’s statement in the spirit it was intended. I know I disagree with Michael on many things, but if our goal is to love another, it must begin somewhere.
October 25th, 2007 at 2:37 PM
Wellstone was a class act and the consummate public servant.
Setting ideology aside, people across the spectrum canlearn a lot from the late Senator when it comes to the issue of why we all get involved in politics.
I think he was involved for the right reasons, even if he was misguided on the path to the end goals.
I’ll certainly never forget that day.
R.I.P. Senator.
October 25th, 2007 at 3:43 PM
One man can make a difference, Otherwise the crash wouldn’t of happened.
We will always miss you Paul.
October 25th, 2007 at 3:48 PM
Well sorry gang and Michael I am glad you can be nice about it but I on the other hand cannot believe anyone would place any politician on a pedestal as Wellstone was.
I hate what the left stands for at least as much as they hate what the right stands for. I will never forget the comments when Reagan was shot or all the ill will publicly stated by not only private individuals but our politicians about President Bush. How about with the now famous hunting accident?
Not quite sure why any from the right side would even offer a quip of sorrow over the loss of Wellstone. Do you really think they would do the same for one of yours?? That is like the left believing all we have to do is TALK with the terrorist and we will all be safe.
Wellstone accomplished next to nothing and was a major joke of a politician. Just because a bunch of loonies from the left worshiped him, did not make him great.
I am not glad he is
dead! I wanted to witness his loss to Coleman!!
October 25th, 2007 at 4:08 PM
Big Kahuna: I’m not putting Senator Wellstone on a pedestal. Rather, I’m trying to offer my personal observations on what I experienced on October 25, 2002.
I didn’t agree with Senator Wellstone’s politics, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t respect him.
October 25th, 2007 at 4:12 PM
Classy post MDE.
I had the distinct pleasure of knowing his daughter Marcia and she was quite possibly one of the most decent human beings I have ever known. I was crushed upon hearing that she was on the plane. We used to tease each other all the time about our differing political views, all in good fun.
While I disagreed with most of what her father stood for I admired him as a human being. Through Marcia I met and talked to Paul once and he truly was one of a kind.
To Broom, I take extreme offense to your insinuation that Paul Wellstone was murdered. Having known someone on that plane it is truly like a kick in the stomach.
October 25th, 2007 at 5:24 PM
Thank you, Michael. Probably the best post you have ever written.
Flash
PS: Big K, when Reagan was shot I was in the commons of North Hennepin Community College. It was a horrible day. And I don’t recall any student, or staffer, saying anything short of prayers and hopes for the injured President. We hovered around the television, some of us skipping class or delaying appointnments. We were hopeing for nothing but the best for the President!
I don’t deny there may be people out there who thought differently, as I am sure there are those behind the scenes who took joy in Wellstone’s passing. But your generalizations are misguided.
October 25th, 2007 at 6:33 PM
Moments like this make me remember that the Republicans aren’t just the Republicans, they are my fellow Minnesotans and fellow Americans.
To counter BK, as a very partiscan Democrat, I know I would be quite dismayed if Bush were killed in some way. I hate his policies, I think very poorly of him and his personal character but he is nonetheless a human being and my president. I bet Bush is actually pretty fun to be around if you put politics aside. I love watching him try to do jokes when he does press conferences, sometimes they bomb and I feel bad for him….
October 25th, 2007 at 8:44 PM
Brodkerb here is a paid shill pretending to be a journalist.
But he has class, and some decency, and a world where that counts a lot is one I think we all here would like to work towards.
October 25th, 2007 at 9:33 PM
Nice post Michael
October 25th, 2007 at 10:13 PM
Thanks Hal & Ulysses.
October 25th, 2007 at 10:14 PM
we dodged a huge bullet
October 25th, 2007 at 11:15 PM
Looks like Kahuna did a nice job of proving Yureka’s point.
Right afterwards MDE instead of damning the comment or calling it unappropriate appears to be apologizing for this entire post.
As we have seen once again MDE talk is cheap.
Kahuna, say hello to all the Republicans in the gutter…
October 25th, 2007 at 11:52 PM
Tubiek-
MDE didn’t have to do anything about today. He could have let it pass as just another day. He did however show geniune emotion for a loss of a human being, and a beloved figure to a lot of Minnesotans. Is Kahuna wrong? Yes. Forgetting the “golden rule” is a lapse on his part. Yet, you chose to ignore the other Republican posts on here in favor of focusing on his.
Stop trying to sling mud at MDE when HE is trying to say kind words about Wellstone.
October 26th, 2007 at 2:17 AM
When President Kennedy was assasinated the emotions almost garanteed that Lyndon Johnson would be elected when before the asasination many political analysts believed that Kennedy was vulnerable. We got “as a tribute to Kennedy Kyndon Johnson the animal abuser who liked picking up his beagles by the ears and who whas the leathery old guy who liked “exposing his surgical scars” to unwilling audiences. Also he greatly escalated Veitnam which Kennedy started..
By all accounts Paul Wellstone was a nice guy in person but in term of his policy Wellstone and his wife were very alienating. First off, the Wellstone for President bid was beyond a farce, the gay lobby threw a lot of money at Wellstone after he came out in favor of gay marriage. That funded the tepid Wellstone bid for president. I don’t think anyone but the Star Tribune and really hardcore “progressives” took the effort seriously.
October 26th, 2007 at 8:56 AM
True Republican, maybe MDE should have let yesterday pass without comment if he doesn’t take his own post seriously.
MDE runs/owns this blog and if he was truly sincere about his post he should take offense to comments like “I am glad he is dead”.
October 26th, 2007 at 9:03 AM
Yureka:
Where is the comment you quoted that reads
“I am glad he is dead”?
I don’t see it.
October 26th, 2007 at 9:05 AM
I was in a meeting at work when I found out Wellstone had died in a plane crash. The meeting ended early… on the news, actually… so folks could go check out the news.
The next week, I went to Fort Worth, TX for another set of meetings with employees. It was the day of the funeral.
From my hotel room, I was first surprised to see the funeral live on TV in Texas. I understood why it would be broadcast in Minnesota, but why nationwide? I barely recall when Sen. Heinz died in a helicopter crash, and don’t remember how that funeral was covered… Anyway, nationally, Wellstone wasn’t that big a deal… I figured maybe they’d broadcast for half hour or so…
I left for a quick dinner, and was surprised to return to my hotel room and the funeral was still being broadcast… apparently, just as things got interesting… the event had turned markedly political… dis-tasteful, considering it was a funeral… And then Kahn stepped up to the podium… I went to bed with my blood boiling…
What a national embarrassment.
To me, Paul Wellstone was little, hyper-active, agitating moron. He flapped his arms around so fast, I thought he looked like a hummingbird trying to take flight.
My girlfriend at the time had worked in his office (that relationship was destined to fail) as an intern. She told him once she was at the U of M journalism school… he said he hated reporters, they were “ignorant and lazy.” … I guess Paul and I agreed on something. I just thought it was a crass/mean thing to say to an intern … working for him… and just plain dumb, given the genuflecting the Minn. Media did to all pearls dropping from Wellstone’s mouth.
Someone earlier remarked that Republicans are “glad he’s dead.” … that certainly isn’t the case. However, I am grateful that insipid jerk isn’t occupying a Senate seat any longer.
October 26th, 2007 at 9:16 AM
Michael – great post. It is a wonderful tribute to a man that truly loved his state and wanted to serve. We may not have agreed with his political views, but his love of state and country could not be denied.
LL
October 26th, 2007 at 11:03 AM
Good lord people, what did Wellstone ever do to earn any respect??
He was a VERY ineffective senator, had views so out of touch he often was giggled at in the senate.
It just seems to me all everyone can point at was his passion. To claim he loved this state and just wanted to serve is complete bullshit!!! He had a very specific agenda and all his hype he would pump into a crowd was to help push his agenda. He was special interest driven all the way. He was not out for what was best for the whole state, he was in it for his personal special interest and the local media would never call him on it.
Yureka – I am not glad he is dead. I wanted to see him lose his seat, and become the insignificant little liberal he really was. Whether it was his broken promise of term limits or his stump speeches on environmental issues and then would drive off in a pollution spewing green bus. The man was nothing but probably the greatest hypocrite to ever hold an office.
October 26th, 2007 at 12:43 PM
“Good lord people, what did Wellstone ever do to earn any respect??”
Well, for the liberals, he served on the leadership of extreme liberal brainwashing at Carlton College… Land of the perpetually retarded…
October 26th, 2007 at 2:39 PM
Big Kahuna-
You say Paul was in it for personal special intrest?
Paul Wellstone passed a lobbyist law to try and rid corruption. This law is ignored and abused on a daily basis, mainly by the drug companies.
You are a disgusting human being, having said that I will still look out for your intrests after elected,Out of respect for all human beings.
You would think that one day out of the year that some of you could restrain your hate for one day and at least not say anything at all.
….and GOPGAL- You take extreme offense to my insinuation that Paul Wellstone was murdered?
How do you think I feel? Paul had at least a 4 if not 6 point lead. Within 24 hours of his flight going down I was suppose to meet his staff in Washington D.C. in regards to the pharmauecitcal plan myself and his staff had been helping me with for over a year in regards to the good teachers of America.
I thought last minute campaign commercials would’ve been great and would increase his lead to 8to10 points.
Within 5 minutes of CNN reporting that the flight went down I yelled into my phone while I was talking to a friend(knowing the NSA was monitoring)
“If you cockroaches can take down a Senators plane, do you have any checks or credit cards left in the budget to send me”
The checks came and I went on a trackable spending spree. I have already posted on this site the account that was used offshore.
As soon as I have Kenneth Star like privledges, this case will be solved. Until then basic common sense tells you this was no accident.
I know who gave the order. With Starr like privledges I can out this case to bed.
I tried to expose this situation a few months after the crash. Everytime I’ve tried to since then I would get to see my hero the American soldier ready to pull the trigger red dots on my head and all.
You know what you do when that happens????
You very slowly with no sudden movements get down on your knee’s and pray to God.
October 26th, 2007 at 2:56 PM
It’s official: Broom is out of his mind.
October 26th, 2007 at 3:02 PM
MINNESOTA’S NEXT U.S. SENATOR, you a funny guy you make me laugh – HA HA
Now quite sniffing that glue and clean up the basement.
October 26th, 2007 at 3:35 PM
You would think that one day out of the year that some of you could restrain your hate for one day and at least not say anything at all.
Seems your liberal friends could not help themselves either and look what happened at the memorial.
October 26th, 2007 at 8:54 PM
he was a carpet bagger from maryland
October 27th, 2007 at 2:05 AM
Big Kahuna said: “How do you think I feel? Paul had at least a 4 if not 6 point lead.”
I don’t think that even the old Star Tribune poll gave Wellstone that kind of lead. The overall consensus was that it was the tightest race in the nation, too close to call. That is why there was so much money and advertising on both sides.
My guess is that if the plane had not accidentally crashed Wellstone would have probably lost. Roger Moe had been doing a full blown “pro-hunting” speil outstate and then Moe came to the Fine Line Cafe in Minneapolis to hobnob and get photo ops with actor and PETA spokesperson Alec Baldwin. The republicans had a “field day” with this, especially outstate where it motivated a lot of pro-hunting people to register and vote. I doubt these new voter (which is the key in any close race) would have voted for Wellstone, who was strongly anti-gun.
October 27th, 2007 at 4:19 AM
Broom, you were a nothing and useless 25 year old snot at the time Wellstone’s plane crashed. You also have claimed you were in California at the time the plane crashed, and demanded payment (blackmail) within minutes of the crash when the media couldn’t have even know the plane had crashed yet.
So if this so called drug plan was so great at the time, why hasn’t it been presented yet? Oh that’s right, because the plan is nothing more than a figment of your imagination, along with all the name dropping you do. If you were such a popular guy and you know all these big names, why is you claimed in MN Publius that you can barely make ends meet? LOL
October 28th, 2007 at 11:17 AM
In 26 I guess I meant “MINNESOTA’S NEXT U.S. SENATOR” not “Big Kahuna”.
How can “MINNESOTA’S NEXT U.S. SENATOR” be in DC and California at the same time. Perhaps an alein girlfriend in a spaceship that is equipt with one of those Star Trek trnsporter beams?
October 28th, 2007 at 9:14 PM
I demanded payment? Oh please, how can I tell the NSA what to do? I just gave them a suggestion.
KEEP IT UP HATERS-For every hate remark I get 100′s of more good comments on my site.
I actually expected at least 20x’s the hate I’m getting. So all n all its a good day.
Barely make ends meet Honeydog? Thats odd? My accountant would probably show about 300k That was in my drug company.
For sake of argument you make it appear that if you are not rich you are not smart?
Well I’ll give you that, You are an EXPERT on not being smart.
and Greg Lang- When did I say I was out in both places.
You very few people try to smear me with your lies and distortions.
Makes you all look very stupid.
MY JOB IS EASY- I TELL THE TRUTH, THAT WAY I DON’T HAVE TO REMEMBER A COVER UP.
October 29th, 2007 at 7:27 AM
Broom: “My accountant would probably show about 300k That was in my drug company.”
Time to stop consuming your product…
October 29th, 2007 at 7:30 AM
WWWD?
Apparently crash and burn.
I rule!
October 29th, 2007 at 9:08 AM
“My accountant would probably show about 300k That was in my drug company.â€
Another funny: A guy sells nutritional supplements through a pyramid scheme, and all of a sudden he owns a “drug company.”
LMAO!
October 29th, 2007 at 12:41 PM
Well, I can prove this “Drug” company beat Blue Cross in regards to 80 million a year in regards to prescription drug business.(BEFORE CORRUPTION ENTERED THE PICTURE)
DOESN’T CHANGE THE FACT THAT I STILL LOVE BIG BLUE THOUGH!
October 29th, 2007 at 1:17 PM
Blue Cross isn’t a drug company. It’s an insurance company…
Are you sure what kind of business you’re in?
Are you sure who you are? Where you are? When you are?
October 29th, 2007 at 1:17 PM
BTW — usually when people refer to “Big Blue” they’re talking about IBM.
October 29th, 2007 at 3:38 PM
Broom – Wellstone is even more out of touch than his hero Paul.
I think I understand Broom’s love for Wellstone with the bills he wanted to pass for mental health issues. Something I trust is very close to the heart for Broom.
October 29th, 2007 at 6:02 PM
ROFLMAO, a rose by any other name. You said you wanted a check, that is demanding payment. Now mind you, I think that is just one big lie on your part.
Blue Cross Blue Shield isn’t a drug company you moron.
And you did indeed on MN Publius claim that you could barely make ends meet.
So you claim you get hundreds of supporting emails. Really? LOL, considering that you thought Big Kahuna was supporting you when he called you a Kool-aid drinker, I’m sure you’ve got lots of emails that you think are support and are really emails slamming you. ROFLMAO
October 29th, 2007 at 6:32 PM
Honeydog and Chestnut-
Are you 2 really that slow? I did not call Blue Cross a drug company.
They deal in prescription drug claims.
DON’T BE SHY ASK A BROOM TO DANCE-DO
October 29th, 2007 at 6:35 PM
…and did I really ever think Big K was ever my supporter?
….ever heard of sarcasum?
wow….some people’s kids
October 29th, 2007 at 7:30 PM
Yeah, you really thought he was supporting you. You even tried to tell me that a Kool-Aid drinker wasn’t an insult. By the way, I do know what sarcasm is, I also know you aren’t bright enough to be able to employ it.
And are you too dense to rememeber you said this:
“Well, I can prove this “Drug†company beat Blue Cross in regards to 80 million a year in regards to prescription drug business.”
A drug company doesn’t compete with insurance companies, hence it couldn’t have beaten Blue Cross at anything.
October 29th, 2007 at 7:31 PM
By the way Broom, before you call others stupid, you might want to learn to spell. Sarcasum? HAHAHAHAHA
October 29th, 2007 at 9:38 PM
Broom says: “Well, I can prove this [my] “Drug†company beat Blue Cross in regards to 80 million a year in regards to prescription drug business.”
You’re the moron that compared your business to BCBS…. thus comparing BCBS to a “drug company”…
Are you that slow and stupid?
In other words, you said you “beat BCBS”… they’re not a drug company… so, if you beat them, who gives a shit. You weren’t competing…
It’s like saying the Twins beat the Raptors in the Stanley Cup.
JHC you’re an f’n idiot.
October 30th, 2007 at 9:04 AM
Broom I do support that you get some mental health help.
October 30th, 2007 at 2:59 PM
Little K-
I’m sure U.S. Senators have good health plans.
Should I ever need any mental health help.
I’ll let you know the coverage they have once I’m in D.C.
It wouldn’t surprise me if I even do the Senate health plans.
Also who can keep the peace between Israel and Iran?????
HMMMMMMM……I WONDER
I’d bet on America’s favorite “Tourist”
….and Mike B. Are we still on for Kid Rock?-
some friends of Camp Wellstone will be there in FULL SUPPORT of my situation.
October 30th, 2007 at 5:21 PM
You are in severe need of mental health help now Broom.
And you’re never going to make it to DC, at least not as any elected official.
And who cares about Kid Rock. He’s a violent creep who hangs in in jokes of restaurants.
October 25th, 2008 at 10:12 AM
[...] shared some of my thoughts about October 25, 2002 last year. I’ll have more to post when I feel more comfortable writing about that horrible [...]