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
May 6, 2002 - Senate Majority Leader Roger Moe -- the DFL endorsed candidate for governor-- plans to talk with reporters this afternoon about legislative business and his campaign for governor. The veteran legislator beat out State Auditor Judi Dutcher and State Senator Becky Lourey to win the party endorsement over the weekend. Republicans say DFL delegates could not have picked an easier candidate to beat. Minnesota Public Radio's Mark Zdechlik reports...
May 6, 2002 - Moe appeared at a DFL unity rally. He is not facing rivalry within the democrats.
May 8, 2002 - Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld announced today he's terminating the Army's $11 (B) billion dollar Crusader weapon project. The Crusader is a 40-ton, self-propelled, rapid-fire cannon that was to have entered service by 2008. The system was designed in Fridley, where United Defense Industries employs about 18-hundred people - 800 of them on the Crusader project. The Crusader system would have been manufactured in Oklahoma. Democratic Senator Mark Dayton, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, is in committee meetings today to finalize the defense spending authorization bill for 2003. He says the Rumsfeld's decision contradicts what he, along with the joint chiefs of staff and army commanders, have already told the Armed Services Committee:
May 8, 2002 - MPR’s Laura McCallum reports that Governor Ventura and his staff are preparing for the worst. If the government doesn't figure out a budget, then he will do it himself and call the legislature into a special session. He can also call a special session in September, during election months, which some see as a way to make the candidates look bad.
May 9, 2002 - The possible loss of hundreds of defense industry jobs in Minnesota has become a political issue. Yesterday, the Bush administration announced it's canceling development of the Crusader artillery system being built in Minnesota. Republican Senate candidate Norm Coleman is accusing incumbent Democratic Senator Paul Wellstone of not doing enough to help save the Crusader and the Minnesota jobs associated with the program.
May 9, 2002 - Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports that Governor Ventura re-entered budget negotiations as the legislative session heads into its final stages. Ventura called legislative leaders to his office to tell them what he expected in the proposed budget balancing plan, transportation financing package and bonding bill.
May 20, 2002 - MPR’s Cathy Wurzer interviews R.T. Rybak, Mayor of Minneapolis, on state capital stadium bill. Governor Jesse Ventura has 14 days to decided what to do with a Twins stadium financing plan that lawmakers sent him late Saturday night. The deal for a 330-million-dollar ballpark, requires a 120 million private contribution (facilitated by the Twins) prior to any bond sale. In addition, the team would pay ten million dollars a year in rent. Proponents of a new ballpark in Minneapolis were hoping the bill would allow a county to finance the local portion of the cost, but that did not happen. Rybak says because of that Minneapolis appears to be out of the running as a location for a new ballpark.
May 23, 2002 - More than 30 state legislators won't be returning to their seats in 2003…retiring DFL State Senator Doug Johnson of Tower is one of them. Senator Johnson talks about his 30-year career in the Minnesota Legislature.
May 28, 2002 - Senator Paul Wellstone formally launched his bid for a third term today. He toldd supporters much work remains a head of him in Washington from improving conditions for veterans to making health care, prescription drugs and housing more affordable. In seeking another six years in the Senate, Wellstone is breaking a self-imposed two-term limit.
June 3, 2002 - INTRO: This summer Minnesotans can expect to see and hear a lot of Republican Senate Candidate Norm Coleman and DFL incumbent Paul Wellstone as the two engage in a election contest that'll cost millions of dollars and COULD shift power from Democrats to Republicans in the US Senate. For Coleman support from voters in rural Minnesota could be critical. Polls have shown Coleman and Wellstone are running neck and neck statewide but that Wellstone enjoys a comfortable lead over Coleman in greater Minnesota. Not surprisingly, Coleman is campaigning aggressively outside the metro area, mixing farm policy with his broader campaign themes.