September 14, 1998 - The DFL candidates for Governor took aim at Attorney General Skip Humphrey last night in the final debate of the primary campaign. Humphrey is leading in the polls, but his lead has shrunk a little. Now the other four candidates are looking for opportunities to bring him down further. Minnesota Public Radio's Martin Kaste reports: It's a rule of thumb in politics that if you're trying to identify the front-runner in a race, you should look for the candidate who's deflecting the most attacks. At the DFL gubernatorial debate sponsored by MPR last night, that person was Skip Humphrey. Ted Mondale threw the first punch by accusing Humphrey of being too ready to promise more tax cuts and programs than the state can afford.
September 15, 1998 - The polls opened at seven on this primary morning, when only twenty-percent of the electorate was expected to show up to exercise the franchise. Minnesota Public Radio's John Rabe spoke with voters outside three polling places this morning: a library in Uptown Minneapolis, an apartment building in North Minneapolis, and a fire station at Snelling and Selby in Saint Paul. John asked them WHO they voted for, IF they're thinking of the Clinton scandal, and WHY they came to the polls in the first place. Twin Cities voters speaking with Minnesota Public Radio's John Rabe this morning. Sun 28-MAY 08:56:39 MPR NewsPro Archive - Wed 04/11/2001
September 15, 1998 - Farm groups met with President Clinton today to urge quick action on what they're calling a crisis in the country's farm economy. Farm income is falling due to low prices as well as losses from drought, storms and plant diseases. Lawmakers want to provide a bail-out but have been unable to agree on how much to spend or how to distribute it. The House did vote today to use the budget surplus for farm aid rather than requiring politically impossible cuts in other government programs. Minnesota Farmers Union President Dave Frederickson flew to Washington today to urge the president and lawmakers to free up more money for loans: Minnesota Farmers Union President Dave Frederickso
September 15, 1998 - On this Midday, two former governors and two former chiefs of staff talk to Gary Eichten about the role of governor. Topics include the skills required, administration staff, understanding of state budget, and developing agenda. The guests also answer listener questions.
September 16, 1998 - After an exceptionally long primary campaign with an unusually large number of contenders, the DFL party has narrowed its field of gubernatorial candidates to one: Attorney General Skip Humphrey. Strategists for the Republican candidate, St Paul Mayor Norm Coleman, say now that they know who the opposition is, their campaign will intensify. Minnesota Public Radio's reports: Campaign workers say they've had a hard time focusing the voters' attention in the last few months, with seven major candidates vying for column-inches and air time. Now that it's down to three, Coleman strategist Chris Georgacas says the REAL campaign begins:
September 16, 1998 - Minnesota's race for Governor is now down to three major party candidates. Recent polls had predicted Skip Humphrey would win yesterday's five-way D-F-L primary. Humphrey, who has consistently had the highest name recognition, captured about 38-percent of the vote. Not surprisingly, Republican Norm Coleman - who faced token opposition - won his primary, and the Reform Party's Jesse Ventura - who had no opponent at all - also goes on to the November general election. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports... The man with Minnesota's most famous political name called his primary victory a very special night. In a race of the sons of favorite sons, however, the highlight of the evening may have been a
September 16, 1998 - The election primary for the State's top lawyer--Attorney General now sets the stage for a November race between a former commerce commissioner who wants to investigate the health insurance industry and an Anoka State representative who wants to fight juvenile crime. Both winners have different plans for the office that's largely fought consumer fraud under Skip Humphrey's direction for the past 16 years. Minnesota public radio's Elizabeth Stawicki reports.
September 16, 1998 - [Saint Paul FOR WEDNESDAY M.E.] Yesterday's election results have cast further doubt on the value of the DFL party endorsement process. Even with the support the endorsement brings, Mike Freeman couldn't beat Skip Humphrey. But he wasn't the only party endorsee to lose yesterday. Attorney General candidate Ember Reichgott Junge also finished a distant third in her race. In fact, only 2 of 6 endorsed candidates for statewide office prevailed yesterday. Minnesota Public Radio's Karen Louise Boothe reports; Mike Freeman emerged early on as the only gubernatorial candidate who promosed to abide by the party's endorsement process last June by not
September 16, 1998 - It's been only 24 hours since the primary election campaign ended, and already the general election campaign is shaping up as an old fashioned battle between business and labor. Minnesota Public Radio's Martin Kaste reports: Norm Coleman wasted little time taking his campaign straight to his core constituency -- business people -- and bringing along the best salesman to make the pitch: Governor Carlson: ((Carlson: My exp in politics has been this -- it's kind of like a first date -- the two parties sorta keep their distance and jockey around for awhile... and by the end of the date it's a wrestling match. I'd rather start the wrestling match right off the bat!)) The Governor addressed a friendly crowd of busin
September 16, 1998 - The state patrol arrested two activists this morning in the protest against the rerouting of Highway 55 in Minneapolis. Members of Earth First! and other groups have been camped (out) in the path of the proposed highway expansion for more than a month, but today marked the first arrests. Minnesota Public Radio's Mary Losure reports. Officers arrested two men who had chained themselves to heavy equipment. The bulldozers were sent there to remove water and gas connections to houses condemned to make way for the highway. Earth First! and other groups including the American Indian Movement, the Indiginous Environmental Network, and the Mendota Dakota have