October 25, 1996 - Midday offers a chance to hear from the candidates in the 4th and 6th Congressional Districts. For the first half hour, 6th District DFL Congressman Bill Luther and his Republican challenger Tad Jude. For the second half hour, 4th District DFL Congressman Bruce Vento and his Republican challenger Dennis Newinski.
November 1, 1996 - Midday examines the system for selecting judges for Minnesota's courts with interviews about the appointment, election process, and the role and qualifications of judges. Guests Wes Skoglund, chair of the House Judicial Committee; and Suzanna Sherry, law professor at University of Minnesota, explain the debate between merit selections vs. elections.
November 5, 1996 - Former Vice-President Walter Mondale reflects on losing presidential election in his run for the Oval Office. Mondale talks about how an individual must accept that fact that many will not vote for them.
November 8, 1996 - MPR’s Gary Eichten interviews Roy Grow, political science professor at Carleton College, about Walter Mondale’s successful tenure as U.S. ambassador to Japan.
November 8, 1996 - MPR’s John Rabe interviews Walter Mondale about his decision to set down as U.S. ambassador to Japan. Mondale reflects on his tenure, and what lies ahead for next ambassador.
November 12, 1996 - A Midday discussion with the man who has been nominated to be the new Speaker of the Minnesota House…Phil Carruthers, DFL state representative of Brooklyn Center. Listeners call in with questions.
November 19, 1996 - Jim Walsh, music critic for the St. Paul Pioneer Press, provides commentary on release of Prince three-disc album Emancipation. The three hours of music contains all new material created over the previous year. It is the first record for artist since he left Warner Brothers music label.
November 26, 1996 - Midday’s Gary Eichten speaks with newly re-elected U.S. Senator Paul Wellstone, whose in the studio to answer questions about issues that will come up in the next session of Congress. Wellstone also answers listener call-in questions.
December 12, 1996 - MPR’s Elizabeth Stawicki reports on Minnesota Supreme Court decision that State can commit convicted sex offender Dennis Linehan to a state hospital. The Court had to decide whether the government can lock up a person based on what the person may commit in the future. The ruling upholds Minnesota's Sexually Dangerous Person's law, a law that incarcerates sexual predators who've served their prison terms but who the court considers too dangerous to set free.
December 30, 1996 - A year-in-review Midday program about key issues in the field of biomedical ethics. Guest Arthur Caplan, former University of Minnesota bioethicist and now director of the Center for Bioethics at the University of Pennsylvania, discusses assisted suicide and answers listener questions.