Speaker at Wellstone service asks for understanding, forgiveness

The St. Paul Pioneer Press ^ | November 7, 2002

[CoolCD]

Posted on Thu, Nov. 07, 2002

Speaker at Wellstone service asks for understanding, forgiveness

ASSOCIATED PRESS

MINNEAPOLIS The man who gave a much-criticized speech at a public memorial service for Sen. Paul Wellstone said he didn't mean for his comments to be about partisan politics but an expression of personal grief for his close friend.

Some Republicans say Rick Kahn's speech turned the memorial into an inappropriate political rally one week before the election, and some analysts say it may have swung votes in the close Senate race between Democrat Walter Mondale and Republican Norm Coleman, which Coleman won.

Kahn, who was Wellstone's campaign treasurer, said he regretted the speech, according to an account posted on the Newsweek/MSNBC News Web site.

"All I was talking about at the rally was that Paul was a brother to me," Kahn said Tuesday night before the election results were in. "It wasn't about politics. It wasn't about partisan politics. It was a public expression of my private grief.

"All I hope is that people would find it in their heart to understand and forgive me," he said.

Kahn was among the first people to view the boggy, wooded site near Eveleth where Wellstone's plane crashed Oct. 25, killing the senator, his wife and daughter, and five others.

Kahn trembled as he walked into the debris to make a vow, according to the Newsweek account. "It's not going to end here in this awful place," he said. "Not in this way, not now."

The night of Oct. 29, Kahn gave a fiery speech in the style of his longtime friend.

"We are begging you to help us win this election for Paul Wellstone," he told the crowd of 20,000, as well as the television audience at home. "Stand up for all the people he fought for ... for working men and women ... for all those who lack the strength to stand up on their own."

Kahn even urged from the podium that U.S. Rep. Jim Ramstad and other Republicans back Mondale as Wellstone's replacement on the ballot.

After his concession speech Wednesday, Mondale was asked whether the backlash contributed to his defeat. He again said that some of the comments "went too far," but that he took responsibility for his loss and repeated an appeal for understanding.

"We've all made mistakes," Mondale said. "Can't we find it now in our hearts to forgive?"

[CoolCD]

Norm Coleman will forgive you from Washington D.C.

[Paul Atreides]

Get the Dims, wanting us to just forget about that spectacle. Yet, they drag out Watergate and Nixon every year.

[Howlin]

"It wasn't about politics. It wasn't about partisan politics. It was a public expression of my private grief.

THIS IS GRIEF?????

"We are begging you to help us win this election for Paul Wellstone," he told the crowd of 20,000, as well as the television audience at home. "Stand up for all the people he fought for ... for working men and women ... for all those who lack the strength to stand up on their own."

[D-fendr]

"It wasn't about politics. It wasn't about partisan politics."

Unless, of course, it had worked. Then he would have taken all the credit.

Now he's welcome to all the blame.

"It was a public expression of my private grief."

Your private grief was political. And that's what you expressed in public.

[willgetsome]

Kahn's religion must be politics. He called on all of the Republicans in attendance to back Paul in his final campaign (i.e. disarm and support Mondale). I guess his feelings of dispair and spiritual soul searching flowed out in gasps of political rhetoric because that is all he knows.

[bybybill]

We all pay for our mistakes. BO Hoo, welcome to the real world. Bet you a cookie that Rats all over the country were cheering him right after his speech. My lefty Mom wished she lived in Minn. so she could vote for the dead guy. It was only after they saw the backlash did the Rats start to blame Wellstones sons.

[RANGERAIRBORNE]

Wow! This is pure BS. This guy is exactly like every other liberal/Democrat true believer I have ever met- a stoned nutjob. He probably was on drugs when he gave that "funeral oration" (Pericles did a much better one, and he was not even a druggie hippie liberal loser).

[Paul Atreides]

"Pleathe, I'm athking all Republicanth; give up for Paul."

[Gracey]

He probably was on drugs when he gave that "funeral oration"

Don't know about that for sure, but I'd say that Wellstone was probably one of his professors, or perhaps, Noam Chomsky. I surely put the blame, responsibility on these commie/socialist/leftist/anarchist college professors, in the style of Wellstone. Sorry, but they care nothing about honesty and decency... and they care little about our country except to turn it into a LEFTIST nation. Tell them to move to another country that suits their politics but LEAVE US ALONE with our (not a living) CONSTITUTION of the US.

[skr]

I can understand his wanting to keep Wellstone "alive", but his speech wasn't the only problem. The moment I read "Love Train" was one of the songs chosen, I was disgusted. And then came news about the political rally and that the Vice-President of the United States was told to stay away and finally the booing of a United States Senator...well, that showcased the crass depravity of The Democrat Party whose top members were dancing and laughing in the same service that also included the friends and loved ones of the other people on the plane.

The lack of common courtesy for those who were truly in mourning was nearly mind-boggling, except for the fact that the participants included such "sincere and integrity-driven" Democrat leaders as the Clintons, McAuliffe and Jackson.

[Paul Atreides]

Star Dreck: The Gaffe of Kahn

[MTCJK]

To the real mourners: Prove you are really sincere, and have a real Memorial Service this time, and invite Dick Cheney and do not boo him. Let's see how sorry you are

[Savage Beast]

Sure, fellas. It's easy to forgive. In fact, here's a big

THANK YOU!

[Gracey]

Good point. :-)

[Savage Beast]

BTW, who was that creep that kept yelling, "We will win! We will win!"?

I guess he was wrong.

[Gracey]

Wrong pep rally, I guess...

[Paul Atreides]

That was Wellstone's son, Mark. Can you imagine, 3/5 of your family not even dead for a whole week and you are up there at his memorial service shouting "we will win"?

[Savage Beast]

Yeah, you're right. The difference between Kahn and Pericles is...well... Oh nevermind.

[VOA]

Speaker at Wellstone service asks for understanding, forgiveness

Kahn should get a bouquet from just about every caring Republican in the country.
He is owed a debt of thanks.

And if his actions lead, however indirectly, to Pelosi becoming House Minority Leader,
the RNC should give him an award and a cash prize.

[Savage Beast]

I think the "memorial service" was completely appropriate. Wellstone devoted his live to serving these low-lifes and their shenanigans. He got the send-off he deserved.