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
November 14, 2002 -
November 15, 2002 -
November 18, 2002 -
November 19, 2002 - INTRO-- The next governor of Minnesota is hard at work these days preparing for his time in office. Tim Pawlenty named his first commissioner last week, appointing Dan McElroy to the post of Finance Commissioner. Pawlenty is making the transition to the governor's seat on a shoe-string budget, after the Legislature last session stripped funding for transition. The state has since come up with ten thousand dollars for him to use. Gov.-elect Tim Pawlenty joins us now.
November 20, 2002 - Minnesota interim Senator Dean Barkley says he accomplished all he wanted to during his short time in Congress. Barkley won funding for a 10-million dollar community center expansion that will serve as a living memorial to the late Senator Paul Wellstone. He also negotiated for the state to receive a continuation of its welfare waiver, and helped pass the Homeland Security Bill. The Senate will officially adjourn on Friday, but the work of the 107th Congress is complete. Political analyst Steven Smith says he thinks overall Barkley's done a pretty good job. Steven Smith is director of the Weidenbaum Center on the Economy, Government and Public Policy at Washington University in St. Louis.
November 27, 2002 - MPR’s Cathy Wurzer interviews Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak about Tyesha Edwards shooting. Two men, ages 21 and 23, are in custody in connection with the shooting.
December 3, 2002 -
December 6, 2002 -
December 6, 2002 - MPR’s Tom Scheck reports on the expensive Minnesota's U.S. Senate race.
December 9, 2002 - At noon today on our Midday program, we'll air a new historical documentary, "Powerline Blues." It's the story of a mass movement of farmers who tried to stop a high voltage transmission line in west central Minnesota in the late 1970's. The struggle caught the attention of a young Carleton College professor named Paul Wellstone. He later co-authored a book about it, Powerline: The First Battle of America's Energy War. In this report, Minnesota Public Radio's Mary Losure looks at how the protest helped shape the man who went on to the US Senate as a champion for the little guy against the power structure. Listen today at for the new documentary "Powerline Blues" -- It will air at 12 noon on MPR's midday program.