Over the decades, MPR has presented the many different perspectives of Minnesota politics and politicians. This collection is home to a multitude speeches, interviews and debates on the issues of the day. Important topics of civil rights, environment, crime, budget, legislation, and campaigns are addressed.
Click on link to these well-known figures to see audio segments directly related to them: Michele Bachmann Arne Carlson Keith Ellison Hubert Humphrey Amy Klobuchar Eugene McCarthy Walter Mondale Tim Pawlenty R.T. Rybak Jesse Ventura Paul Wellstone
October 2, 1998 - The three major-party candidates for governor met yesterday in Brainerd for the first debate of the general election campaign. The League of Women Voters had billed the event as a debate of rural issues, but the candidates ranged over most of the contentious issues of the '98 campaign.
October 5, 1998 - The DFL and Republican candidates for governor are trading accusations over private school vouchers. DFLer Skip Humphrey says Republican Norm Coleman is trying to hide his plans to siphon off public money to private schools through--what he calls -- a "voucher scheme." Coleman says Humphrey is ignoring his real position in to gain political mileage.
October 6, 1998 - Minnesota Republican Senator Rod Grams introduced a plan today to phase out Social Security over the next 40 years, and replace it with IRA-style personal retirement accounts. Grams says IF his "Personal Security and Wealth in Retirement Act" becomes law, the plan would be mandatory for people under 25, but optional for those 25 and older.
October 6, 1998 - Tomorrow marks the beginning of a major public service campaign on the Internet, designed to help people find information about the fall elections. The project, called "Web White and Blue",indexes more than 45 web sites that provide political information to voters. As Minnesota Public Radio's Jon Gordon reports, "Web White and Blue" offers more proof the 'Net is maturing as a medium for politics.
October 6, 1998 - Norm Coleman says he's the ONLY gubernatorial candidate capable of reining in state spending and lowering taxes -- and today he brought in the Veto-King, Governor Arne Carlson, to back him up.
October 7, 1998 - MPR’s Amy Radil reports on the gubernatorial candidates Skip Humphrey, Norm Coleman, and Jesse Ventura debating at Hibbing High School in the Iron Range. They tailored their messages to the audience by taking on subjects like tourism, recreation and education in northeast Minnesota and invoking the image of a favorite son.
October 21, 1998 -
October 22, 1998 - MPR’s Mark Zdechlik reports Jesse Ventura's political opponents are criticizing the Reform Party candidate's suggestion that Minnesota should consider legalizing prostitution. Ventura claims some news organizations are misquoting him, saying he supports legalized prostitution and drugs.
October 26, 1998 - Today is the start of the last full week of campaigning before the November 3rd election. The polls show DFLer Skip Humphrey and Republican Norm Coleman are about neck-and-neck in the race for governor, with Reformer Jesse Ventura threatening to come up from behind. The three major-party candidates met for a televised debate over the weekend, and if that encounter is any indication, this campaign promises to get a lot more hotly contested and negative during the final days.
October 28, 1998 - MPR's Mark Zdechlik caught up with Ventura at a rally at the University of Minnesota. Reform party candidate Jesse Ventura announced plans for a statewide get out the vote blitz in the final days before the election. Zdechlik interviews numerous potential voters.