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
February 22, 2002 - Congress tries to persuade Governor Ventura to sign the budget.
February 22, 2002 - Congressmen try to serve Ventura a bill, but Ventura is nowhere to be found.
February 25, 2002 - Governor Ventura today vetoed a budget-balancing bill that he called "irresponsible." The bill uses one-time money and spending cuts to address a nearly two-billion dollar projected budget deficit. But that deficit grew even larger today, after a new revenue forecast estimated the shortfall at nearly two-point-three billion dollars. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum joins me now from the Capitol with an update on today's budget developments.
February 25, 2002 - U.S. Senator Paul Wellstone has revealed he has a mild form of Multiple Sclerosis. He says the persistent pain in his lower right leg that he and his doctors have attributed to sports injuries was diagnosed a month ago as "primary progressive multiple sclerosis." Despite the illness, Wellstone says he will continue with his re-election campaign for a third term in the U.S. Senate.
February 25, 2002 - A day after announcing he has a form of multiple sclerosis, U-S Senator Paul Wellstone resumed his normal schedule. His main public event today was a forum with high school students in St. Paul to talk about the importance of education. Wellstone said yesterday he has no intention of letting his condition affect his duties as senator or his campaign for re-election.
February 25, 2002 - Legislative leaders and Governor Ventura are expected to meet again today to try to resolve differences on a plan to balance the state budget. The governor must decide soon whether to sign the bill, veto it, or allow it to become law without his signature. Meanwhile, an updated revenue forecast showing a growing shortfall could be released as early as today. Joining us now is Minnesota Public Radio's Capitol Bureau Chief, Laura McCallum.
February 26, 2002 -
February 28, 2002 - Joining us now for more analysis is Steven Schier, professor of Political Science at Carleton College. --who do you think benefits most politically from the way this budget battle played out? --how will the battle affect Ventura's popularity with the public? --who is likely to be politically wounded by how it happened? --we could see Pawlenty, Moe, and Ventura running for Governor this fall... how does that affect the way this budget situation played out? -- Moving on to the US Senate race-- incumbent Paul Wellstone has announced he has Multple Sclerosis. How could either of the candidates use that to their advantage? -- President Bush is a Coleman supporter... what kind of influence could he have? -- How might Wellstone use the President's support for Coleman against Coleman?
March 1, 2002 -
March 4, 2002 - (to follow two chunks on Bush's speech) The President at this hour is attending a fundraiser in downtown Minneapolis for Senate Hopeful Norm Coleman. The event is expected to raise as much as one-million dollars for Coleman. Incumbent Democrat Paul Wellstone is one of 10 senators who voted against Bush's education bill. Recent polls have found voters split evenly between Coleman and Wellstone.