Paul David Wellstone was an American Democrat politician, academic, and author who represented Minnesota in the United States Senate from 1991 until he was killed in a plane crash in Eveleth, Minnesota, on October 25, 2002.
Born July 21, 1944 in Washington D.C., Wellstone was a professor at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, and a community organizer in Rice County prior to entering public office. Wellstone gained national attention after his upset victory over Republican incumbent Rudy Boschwitz in the 1990 US Senate election. In his 1996 reelection campaign, he defeated Boschwitz in a rematch. As a member of the Democratic Farmer-Labor Party, Wellstone was a vocal leader of the progressive wing of the national Democratic Party.
September 15, 1990 - DFL Senate primary candidates Paul Wellstone, professor of political science at Carleton College; and Jim Nichols, Minnesota Commissioner of Agriculture and a former state senator, debate and answer listener questions.
October 23, 1990 - MPR presents a Minnesota Senate debate with Rudy Boschwitz, U.S. Minnesota Senator (I-R); and Paul Wellstone, DFL challenger. The candidates participate in a wide-ranging discussion of the issues. Debate was moderated by MPR’s Bob Potter.
January 12, 1991 - As part of congressional debate on the authorization for war in the Persian Gulf, Minnesota's DFL Senator Paul Wellstone speaks on his view of not authorizing resolution. This was Wellstone’s first speech on the Senate floor.
August 29, 1991 - Remember the Boschwitz root beer floats? MPR’s Karen Boros walks the Minnesota State Fairgrounds and interviews politicians Arne Carlson, Dave Durenberger, Rudy Boschwitz, and Paul Wellstone about their interactions with fairgoers.
September 2, 1992 - On this special Midday program, MPR’s Bob Potter interviews U.S. Senators Paul Wellstone and Dave Durenberger. Wellstone and Durenberger also answer fairgoer and call-in questions.
December 14, 1993 - Dave Durenberger and Paul Wellstone, Minnesota’s U.S. senators, debate at Minnesota Meeting. The topic of debate is health-care reform. Durenberger is an advocate of managed competition in health care, while Wellstone is an advocate of a single-payer system. Minnesota Meeting is a non-profit corporation which hosts a wide range of public speakers. It is managed by the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota.
December 16, 1993 - Paul Wellstone, Minnesota U.S. senator (D), discusses his fact-finding trip to the former Yugoslavia. Wellstone also answers listeners. Later into program, a White House news conference with President Clinton, where he formally nominates retired Admiral Bobby Ray Inman to replace Les Aspin as Secretary of Defense at a news conference at the White House.
December 8, 1994 - Paul Wellstone, Minnesota U.S. senator (D), discusses the Bosnia situation and potential war in Yugoslavia. Other topics include political labels, balanced budget amendment, farm bill, and welfare reform. Wellstone also answers listener questions.
January 16, 1995 - MPR presents a special program in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Program presents a collection of various MLK Day speeches including Paul Wellstone, Sharon Sayles Belton, and Joe Kingman on behalf of Arne Carlson, at Concordia College. Also included is a Harry Belafonte speech at the MLK Holiday Breakfast, an interview with Yusef Mgeni, and Martin Luther King, Jr.’s "I Have a Dream" speech.
February 20, 1995 - Paul Wellstone, Minnesota U.S. senator (D), discusses the Senate. Topics include cuts, balanced budget amendment, social programs, and endowments. Wellstone also answers listener questions.