November 13, 1989 - Bill Bradley, D-New Jersey U.S. senator and likely 1992 presidential candidate, speaking at Carlson Lecture Series held in Northrop Auditorium. Bradley’s address was titled "Thoughts on Hubert Humphrey's America.” Bradley talked about revitalizing citizen involvement at each level of political decision-making. Bradley, a Rhodes scholar, Olympic gold medalist and former professional basketball player, was elected to the Senate in 1979 at age 35. He received assignments to the Finance Committee, the Energy Committee and the Special Committee on Aging, and now chairs the Energy Committee's Water and Power Subcommittee and the Finance Committee's International Debt Subcommittee. In 1985 he became a member of the Select Committee on Intelligence.
November 21, 1989 - MPR’s Stephen Smith presents "Armed in America," an examination on gun ownership and gun control in the United States, and more specifically, in Minnesota. Program highlights topics of crime, protection and cultural impact of firearms.
November 29, 1989 - In remarks before an audience at the University of Wisconsin at River Falls, gaming commissioner Tony Boza referred to Native Americans as “totally blasted and destroyed people.” The remarks brought complaints of racism from the Minneapolis Urban Coalition. After meeting with the governor and human rights commissioner, Boza apologized for any misinterpretation of his remarks, saying he went to River Falls to fight racism in regrets any injury to Black or Native Americans stemming from his words.
December 6, 1989 - Archibald Gillies, speaking in Duluth, talks of U.S. policy, end of Cold War, and what the future holds.
December 6, 1989 - Jim Oberstar, Minnesota U.S. congressman (DFL), discusses various political topics, including Soviet Union, El Salvador, and legislative votes.
December 8, 1989 - Owen "Brad" Butler, the retired chairman of Procter and Gamble, speaking at Minnesota Meeting. Butler’s address was titled "Early Childhood Development: Whose Business Is It?" He talks about the impact of poverty and early education issues on American children. Following speech, Butler answers listener questions. 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 11, 1989 - Rozanne Ridgway, former assistant secretary of state for European Affairs, speaking to the Minnesota Women's Political Caucus on the status of women in determining U.S. foreign policy.
January 1, 1990 - MPR’s Chris Roberts reports on issues revolving around ESL langauge learning in the Hmong community. Roberts interviews eductators and advocates on the reasons behind the language problem, and the challenges that result.
January 8, 1990 - David Weissbrodt, professor of the University of Minnesota Human Rights Center, and Barbara Frey, executive director of the Minnesota Lawyers International Human Rights Council, discuss human rights. Topics include rights issues in Albania, Africa, China, Central America, and North Korea. They also provide details of their organizations. Weissbrodt and Frey also answer listener questions.
January 16, 1990 - Paul Loeb, investigative reporter and author, speaking at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. Loeb’s speech was titled "Hope in Hard Times: How Individuals Can Make a Difference in the World". Loeb reflects on the recent activism in Eastern Europe and laments that Americans have forgotten that such activism is part of our heritage and our future. He attacks our "culture of passivity" and talks about how we can overcome it. Loeb is working on a book about the lives and choices of today's college students, and he has been visiting colleges and universities across the country to determine what they think about voting, political activism and patriotism. Loeb has written the books "Nuclear Culture: Living and Working in the World's Largest Atomic Complex", and Hope in Hard Times: America's Peace Movement and the Reagan Era".