GOP demands equal time; Wellstone aide apologizes; Ventura upset

Minneapolis Start Tribune ^ | 10/31/02 | Rochelle Olson and Bob von Sternberg

[randita]

As the uproar intensified Wednesday over a pointedly partisan speech at Sen. Paul Wellstone's memorial service the previous night, the late senator's campaign manager apologized and said it hadn't been planned.

Gov. Jesse Ventura's ire about the speech prompted him to say he might appoint an independent, instead of a Democrat, to temporarily fill Wellstone's seat. "I'm leaning toward appointing a regular citizen, someone you don't even know," Ventura said.

[randita]

Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., said, "It would have been out of character to have a traditional, emotionless event. . . .

"This was the only way you could say goodbye to Paul Wellstone, in the style and manner in which he lived his life, with passion, with emotion, with enthusiasm."

Then you should have called it what it was--a political rally--not a memorial service.

You duped attendees and the media into believing this would be a somber event and it was a raucus partisan party. There would have been little hubbub if you'd just labeled it correctly from the start.

[Destructor]

I'm going to be real disappointed, if the Republicans use Wellstone's corpse as a prop like the Dimocrats did! I mean sooner, or later we need to bury the man and move on.

[GraniteStateConservative]

Everyone is running away from this-- Roger Moe, Geraldine Ferraro (on FNC), Jon Corzine (last night on CNBC), the senior campaign aide, etc.

They know they screwed up big.

[The Mayor]

"It certainly was not an orchestrated or scripted event as some have suggested."

Lies, lies this whole thing is nothing but Lies...

This is WAR! no other way to say it!

[MsLady]

I saw the picture of bill clintoon laughing and carrying on as if it was just another demo pep rally. It was the most disgusting display I'd ever seen. That was no memorial service.

[friendly]

Any comments from that sleezy lawyer woose, Trent Lott, "Mr. Minority." I wish for once he would denounce the vile booing he got by the demothugs. I thought it was interesting that the democrats in planning this debacle at least dis-invited Cheney to spare him, but did not dis-invite moron Trent Lott.

I guess they thought he is used to being spit upon. What a pathetic excuse for a Senator Lott is. He is also closely linked to every vermin millionaire trial lawyer in the South, like a bad character in a John Grishem novel.

[NittanyLion]

Daschle said Lott had a flight to catch, which was confirmed by a Lott aide Wednesday.

For a day, I thought Lott may have actually developed a spine.

My mistake. He remains the gutless wonder he's always been.

[jmstein7]

Well, despite the tone of the service, I know one voter who will still be voting for Mondale -- Wellstone. I mean, when has being dead ever kept a Democrat from voting? If someone from DU read this, they would get very upset. Not because of the accusation that Democrats committ voter fraud, but because it is not PC to call the dead Democratic base dead -- they're just "vitally challenged".

[MrB]

I wish for once he would denounce the vile booing he got by the demothugs

In this case, it would be best to let "others" expose the 'demothugs' for the vile, classless, disgusting people that they are.
If he were to come out and denounce it, kneejerkers would automatically come to the defence of the dems, just because he, Lott, was "attacking".

[scooby321]

Lott Had No Plane to Catch

Speaking of Planes is the DNC going to Pay for the Travel cost used by Military and is Someone going to Investage who called DOD Illegally

[evad]

..taken by surprise by some of the content of one of the addresses last night,"

Surprised??
Why would anyone be surprised at RATs acting like RATs?

I will say one thing..the Welstone kids were an embarrassment and that was a bit unsettling. But then, they're kids and RATs will use anything, do anything to gain an unfair advantage.

[Non-Sequitur]

"It certainly was not an orchestrated or scripted event as some have suggested."

Yeah, right.

[CMailBag]

This whole show has CLINTON FINGERPRINTS all over it.

[maica]

Do you really think he was flying commercial? It sounds much like the excuse, "I hear my mother calling me." or "my wife won't let me."
Trent Lott is sadly missing the killer instinct that Dems have in excess.

[GailA]

IF it hadn't been planned then why was cueball carville closeted with Wellstone's kids the day after the crash?

[conservativemusician]

Jesse Ventura's embarrassment speaks volumes.

[NittanyLion]

Trent Lott is sadly missing the killer instinct that Dems have in excess.

He also lacks any conviction at all.

The simplest explanation could've been that Lott came to pay his respects, and did so. Once the event turned political Lott could've said he felt it no longer honored Wellstone, and so he left.

[steve-b]

It certainly was not an orchestrated or scripted event as some have suggested.

In other words, exploiting the dead just came naturally and spontaneously to them.

[ErnBatavia]

Everyone is running away from this-- Roger Moe, Geraldine Ferraro (on FNC), Jon Corzine (last night on CNBC), the senior campaign aide, etc.

Well, not quite "everyone"...