Rick Kahn says he regrets (Wellstone) memorial service (campaign rally) speech, fears its impact

Minneapolis Red Star ^ | November 7, 2002 | Chuck Haga

[GreatOne]

In the final hours of what victor Norm Coleman would call "this most incredible campaign," Rick Kahn is reported to have waited nervously with his family for results in Minnesota's U.S. Senate race.

If Walter Mondale were to defeat Coleman, Kahn told a Newsweek reporter Tuesday night, he might attend the celebration with Mondale's supporters at the St. Paul Radisson Hotel.

[Senator Goldwater]

The next Supreme Court will be known as the "Kahn Court".

Yet another Democrat tripping over his emotion.

[Wordsmith]

That "ugly girl" was a man, Paul Wellstone's son.

[1L]

It's all Rick's fault.

You've hit the nail on the head. That's what this article is all about -- running for cover and placing blame. Don't these people make you sick?

[BluH2o]

There is no question the tone of the
Paul Wellstone/democ"rat" Pep Rally was a contributing factor in Mondale's defeat ... up to that point a victory for Mondale was assurred. It didn't help when MN Governor Jesse Ventura got up and left the Memorial/Pep Rally ... then voiced his outrage on local and national TV. Then to top it off, after saying he would appoint a democrat, in deference to Wellstone to fill out his Senate term, adruptly reversed himself and appointed an independent. The Paul Wellstone/democ"rat" Pep Rally was certainly a defining moment in Mondale's defeat.

[laconic]

Thank you, Mr. Kahn, for your childish, nasty speech and your boorish behavior. You elected the 51st Republican to the Senate, meaning we don't have to worry about Chafee as a potential party switcher at 50/50 taking the Senate (and a slew of conservative judges) away from us. You also may have damaged your fellow Democrats such as Jean Carnahan in other states, who only lost by 23,000 votes who may have lost because this wretched spectacle you orchestrated fired up the Republican vote nationwide (whoever heard of attendees at a MEMORIAL service being booed?)

[knuthom]

"All I was talking about at the rally was that Paul was a brother to me," Kahn says in the report. "It wasn't about politics. It wasn't about partisan politics. It was a public expression of my private grief.

What a hypocrite! How can he claim it wasn't political when he has just called it a "rally"?

[Andy from Beaverton]

Couldn't have won without you!

[fm1]

Dear Mr. Kahn,

I offer you my sympathy, I can't imagine how difficult this time must be for you - Paul Wellstone sacrificing his life for this campaign race - and you, his close friend, virtually winning it for the Republican Party. If it's any consolation, Paul is now more eligible for the nickname 'The Body' than Jesse Ventura is. I like to think maybe he's up there in heaven right now, campaigning for that.

Love,
fm1

[justanotherfreeper]

Concession stands at a funeral. Doesn't that just say it all? The Democrats had 20,000 union members bussed into the "funerally", they had Bob Shrum write the "eulogies" and they had concession stands serving hot dogs for the "grief stricken" mourners. Come freaking OFF IT, Kahn, you knew exactly what you were doing. You aren't some poor little grief stricken mourner who had a lapse in judgement, you aren't sorry you did it -- you are only sorry that it didn't work.

[Dallas]

Note to Rick Kahn:

For your own safety, stay the hell away from Fort Marcey Park.

[laconic]

Concession stands at a funeral?? Oh, it must have been the guys in the paper hats who were passing out beer and throwing hot dogs that turned the memorial service into a hatefest carnival, not Rick Kahn.

[Tennessean4Bush]

The only thing, the ONLY thing, these folks regret is that they did not win.

If they could have swung the election their way by clubbing baby seals onstage they would have done it. Things are judged as right or wrong by these people solely as to whether it gets them elected.

It is grotesque, and in this case also pitiful. Pitiful that grown men and women doing these things cannot see the real issue. Pitiful that this guy is probably on a suicide watch because he lost an election for the demonRATs. Someone needs to tell him that he may have done them a huge favor. Especially if this leads to the demonRATs cleaning house and expelling Billary and all his/her minions from leadership.

[Letitring]

Mr. Kahn, we understand your grief, we also understand your politics. :) We feel your pain.

[hellinahandcart]

That's the amoral liberal way. Do any disgusting thing you want, then say you're sorry - that makes it OK. And obviously, people are increasingly tired of this moral bankruptcy.

It's not just moral bankruptcy, it's barely-disguised aggression. They provoke people to outrage and then snarl "Where's your forgiveness?!" as if somehow the offended parties were wronging them by witholding their approval. So the offended parties get slapped twice.

Yeah, I'm damned sick of it. Thought it was only me for a while.

[homeschool mama]

truth bump!!!

[Tijeras_Slim]

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

OK, you're forgiven. Now go back to flippin' burgers.

[Shooter 2.5]

Aw, come on Rick, don't take it so hard. It's just those nasty Republicans who didn't understand your enthusiasm. It was a great speech and I'm thoroughly looking forward to the next time you give a funeral speech for a stupid dem who thinks the law of gravity doesn't pertain to them in 2004.

[Howlin]

Exactly. If Mondale had won, they'd be hailing him as the next Lee Atwater.

[Mike Fieschko]

His office is in Minnetonka, per the zip file from the Minnesota courts, at http://www.courts.state.mn.us/mars/marstxt.zip, available from the Minnesota Attorney Registration System - Public Inquiry page.

[NittanyLion]

saying that he regrets the speech "and, worse, fears he may have lost the race he set out to revive,"

He probably made a major contribution to GOP wins in Colorado, Missouri, New Hampshire, and Georgia as well.