February 10, 2004 - Governor Tim Pawlenty is in Baghdad, Iraq today... at the invitation of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. Pawlenty's office says he is traveling with a group of governors from both political parties. He started his trip on Sunday... with a briefing at the Pentagon. Joining us on the line is Leslie Kupchella. That is Leslie Kupchella, a spokesperson for Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty. Pawlenty is making the trip to Iraq along with the governors of Hawaii, Idaho, Louisiana, New York and Oregon. Before leaving for Iraq, the governors toured the memorial at the Pentagon dedicated to the victims of September 11th.
February 11, 2004 - Governor Tim Pawlenty wrapped up a two-day trip to Iraq today (WEDNESDAY). Pawlenty and five other governors spent a second day in Baghdad at the invitation of the Bush administration. Pawlenty says he leaves Iraq convinced that President Bush was right to go to war against Saddam Hussein's regime. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports...
February 11, 2004 - Governor Pawlenty has plans for another full day in Baghdad today for the second part of his two-day trip to Iraq. Pawlenty is one of six American governors picked by the Defense Department for a surprise visit to the country... the first visit by governors since the occupation began in April. Pawlenty says the group wants to visit troops stationed in Iraq and learn more about the U.S. mission. Joining us now for a political perspective on the trip is Steven Schier, political science professor at Carleton College in Northfield.
February 16, 2004 - What compells someone to run for president? Host Gary Eichten and his guest explore the characteristics of the men who have served as commander in chief.Guest: William Doyle, president historian and author of "Inside the Oval Office: The White House Tapes from FDR to Clinton."
February 18, 2004 - A speech by William Ouchi, education researcher, professor of management at UCLA, and author of "Making Schools Work: A Revolutionary Plan to Get Your Children the Education They Need." He spoke recently at a Minnesota Meeting event in Minneapolis.
February 24, 2004 - MPR’s Cathy Wurzer interviews Kevin Odegard, a Minneapolis musician involved in the South Minneapolis re-recording session of Bob Dylan’s “Blood on the Tracks” album. Odegard discusses the experience and book on the subject, titled “A Simple Twist of Fate.” Segment includes music clips.
February 24, 2004 - Governor Tim Pawlenty says federal concerns won't prompt him to shut down a state website that provides consumer information on Canadian pharmacies. The Food and Drug Administration sent Pawlenty a letter yesterday (MONDAY) calling the website "unsafe, unsound and ill-considered". Attorney General Mike Hatch says the FDA doesn't have any grounds for legal action against the website. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports...
February 24, 2004 - Photographer Jim Brandenburg reflects on his friend, Paul Gruchow, who died on February 22nd, 2004 in Duluth. Gruchow was 56 years old. Brandenburg worked with Gruchow at the Worthington newspaper and later collaborated with him on several books. He says he was inspired by his friend and co-worker.
February 24, 2004 - Gruchow made countless appearances on Minnesota Public Radio. In October of 1997, he was a guest on the Midmorning program. He spoke about how the natural environment impacted him as a person.
February 25, 2004 - Author and Pulitzer Prize-winning correspondent, Judith Miller, on the threat of biological warfare. She is the author of "Germs: Biological Weapons and America's Secret War".