(00:00:00) With news from Minnesota Public Radio. I'm Greta Cunningham Minnesota's National Guard troops are gearing up for busy days Governor. Jesse Ventura has mobilized guard members to provide security at the Minneapolis. St. Paul International Airport and about 1,000 guard members could end up filling in for state workers. If they go on strike Monday, Minnesota has about 12,000 National Guard members North Dakota National Guard soldiers are being stationed at the 8th commercial airports in the state Governor. John hoeven says the action is in response to President Bush's request to Governor's to deploy guard Personnel at airports to combat terrorism. We're stepping in and helping with security until the FAA and the federal government is up and running with their full security measures. Hoeven says at least two Soldiers with side arms will be stationed at airports to assist with security efforts Governor Ventura plans to take a first hand look at the devastation in New York City during a two-day trip next week Ventura and the Salvation Army Commander from Minnesota will bring along thousands of cards from Minnesota well-wishers of into her spokesman says The governor was moved by Heartfelt messages in the cards and decided to deliver them in person. More burns are scheduled for the Boundary Waters canoe area Wilderness today officials with the Superior National Forest. See the burn should last at least a few days prescribed burns are used to clear away down would brush and other fuels that can increase fire danger the forecast for Minnesota calls for mostly sunny skies. Statewide high temperatures today will range from 65 in the Northeast to 75 in the southwest. It'll be mostly clear tonight with lows from 35 in the north to 45 in the South right now in Worthington. It's sunny and 55 grammar a reports partly sunny skies and 51. It's sunny and Grand Rapids and 48 skies are fair and Moorhead and 57 and in the Twin Cities Sunshine a temperature of 51. That's a news update. I'm Greta Cunningham. Thanks Greta, six minutes past eleven o'clock programming on Minnesota Public Radio is supported by Teatro de la Jeune Lune 2001-2002 season featuring the original and production. tooth tickets and season subscriptions available at 6 1 2 3 3 3 6200 and good morning. Welcome to midday in Minnesota Public Radio. I'm Gary eichten. Glad you could join us. Well as you probably heard by now, Minnesota National Guard troops will soon be stationed at Twin Cities International Airport. President. Bush says the troops will help beef up security at US airports until longer term security improvements are in place. And he also says the presence of the Guard should help reassure would be Travelers that air travel is in fact safe discussions are continuing as to when the first troops will actually be deployed at the airport. Just how many will actually be out there and how long they'll be assigned to the airport a Minnesota Senator Mark Dayton is praising the president's action matter of fact, Senator Dayton sent the president a letter back on Monday suggesting the temporary use of guard and Reserve troops at airports. He has joined us today to talk some more about the decision to deploy the guard and some of the broader issues raised by the attack on America and how we respond to that attack. So we invite you to give us a call Our Guest this hour. Minnesota Senator Mark Dayton, and if you have a question or comment for Senator Dayton, the number to call would be six five one 2276 thousand 6512276 thousand outside the Twin Cities 1-800 to 42 to 8286512276 thousand or one eight hundred two, four two two eight two eight Senator. Thanks for coming in today, especially since you got bumped Yesterday by all the live (00:03:35) coverage. Well Gary, I have worries used to the unexpected these days. As I said you just before the show and NEP any peaceful evacuation these days seems tame (00:03:44) this National Guard call up for the for use at the airport's do you think it will actually improve security or is it more a question of appearance of trying to reassure people that things are under control? (00:03:58) I think it'll do both Gary and I think both are very important. I think the presence of guard's men and women will improve security and I think it will give people greater reassurance that every possible security measure is being Floyd also, very important when senator Paul wellstone. I met last weekend with the employer representatives of the Northwest Airlines groups. They pointed out that every day in the Minneapolis st. Paul Airport some 15,000 non passengers come in contact with planes Caterers cleaners other service Personnel, they don't go through security checkpoints the screen either and mentioned to the governor who I command for calling out the guards of swiftly to generation and Riyadh who heads the guard here in Minnesota and to Geoff hammil, the executive director of the Metropolitan airports commission the importance of having that kind of checkpoint security as well. So all we can do is everything that's humanly possible but it's essential I think not only for the security and safety of our citizens, which is our foremost responsibility, but it's also really an economic recovery measure for the airline industry and for all those other jobs, which depend upon the air travel (00:05:02) now part of the president's broader plan. He's talking now about more sky Marshals he's talking about some To the aircraft to make them more resistant to hijackings. He's talking about Federal oversight of the the airport security systems. Is that is that going to be enough to both to make the system safe or safer and to reassure the flying public (00:05:31) will be considering his proposals which I think are generally very good ones as well as others that we have 535 members of congress with ideas as well. And so I you know, I think it's going to be a composite of what goes through but you know, we're not going to have ever a perfectly safe system. We didn't before these tragic events. What we can do is make it a more secure than it was before and employ every possible measure layers of protection and defense has to how to prevent hijacking or to minimize the damage. If one occurs. I listen to the show that preceded us here and the guests Commenting that you know having a capability on a plane itself. I don't personally favor handguns, but I think Pilots armed with the pepper spray mace flight attendants armed with the pepper spray mace who can subdue someone who has an eye for who has some other utensil like that as well. As you know, use other measures Sky Marshal certainly, I mean, what we want to do is create as much uncertainty as possible in anybody's mind. Whose might undertake such a terrible Act. And the reality is we have other vulnerable points in our society as well. We're not going to seal off our borders. We're not going to be able to protect in a society as large and complex as ours from any possibility, but we just need to increase our vigilance wherever we (00:06:52) can it's got to say senator so much attention has been focused on their safety for understandable reasons, but it would seem like perhaps that's probably the last thing that the next terrorist would Target there are so many other areas that seem Potentially vulnerable. Are we doing enough to protect those other facilities in America? (00:07:17) Well Gary, it's a good point. And of course hindsight is always 20/20 so we can look back and say we didn't do enough to protect are security and so now will it be something else the next time no one knows but I think there is a demonstrated a sufficient weakness in our error poured an airline security that we need to take these further measures it would be irresponsible not to do so, but I know that national law enforcement and security officials are looking at other other systems and other possibilities as well. What we learned on September 11th to terribly enough is that these people will stop at nothing and stoop to anything to carry out their evil schemes and they have no respect for human life innocent civilian life. So really it's the scope of whatever their imaginations and hopefully our anticipations could be and that's why we need to view this not as a protecting against a single sector but as a multi Faceted approach that starts with trying to eradicate the terrorist cells builds the kind of alliances with other countries and organizations throughout the world so that we'll have earlier detection and forewarning of these pots and then whatever additional security measures we can put a to protect our borders to Prezi to to find the people who are operating illegally in this country. Oh don't have the necessary authorization and then to hopefully be get better advance notice of these plots so we can intercept them before they occur. It's gonna have to occur on all those fronts and as the President says it's going to have to be sustained. This is going to have to alter our way of conducting our Affairs in this country and throughout this world for rest of our lives and Beyond if we're going to adapt to this kind of a new threat, it shouldn't disrupt people's lives. We'll get used to it will get better at it and just as the first President Bush articulated the idea the concept of a new world order the good that I hope will come out of this will be that we will have better alliances will recognize as a country the need for International relations the need for treaties the need for some of the things that this administration at the outset was turning its back on rejecting treaties of a various kinds. We can't just live our lives as United States of America removed from rest of the world. We need the rest of the world the rest of the world needs us and I hope will apply those lessons in a way that will ultimately produce some good out of this terrible tragedy. (00:09:34) Lots of questions listeners have lots of questions. I have lots of questions. Let me ask one more and then we'll get to some listener questions. There has been an increasing amount of debate. I think it's fair to say in this country as to just how wide this war on terrorism should be you do you just go try to find the people who are specifically involved in in the terror attack September 11th. Do you make a broader effort to make sure like the entire L Qaeda network is rounded up. Do you go after the states that Harbor terrorists that the US has decided is harboring terrorists. I guess that seems to be the flash point at this at this point in the discussion. Where do you stand on that? (00:10:24) Well, there are no simple answers. We don't know where these individuals were. These cells are right now. I think the president made a key point in his remarks that this applies to and it's not two countries or States has two governments. It's the individuals who make up governments who are from this point forward are protecting our harboring or aiding and abetting a terrorist activities. And that's why the appeal has been made to Afghanistan to Pakistan to other countries, which might have had previous involvement and may still have a current relationships with these individuals to put them on notice and say you're either for us or against us. I support that approach. We're not going to be able to identify every terrorist in the world in anticipation of their actions. What we want is a relationship. I believe we should have Relationship with every government in the world ideally and almost every government in the world practically so that we are all enlisted in this Mutual defense against these terrorist activities, which could threaten those some other country tomorrow their citizens. I mean, we can't have people going around the world just blowing up buildings and the innocent people in them regardless of any other considerations just because they happen to disagree with them. The world would would go into a terrible state of Anarchy and I think that's why we have a response has positively from other governments, which may not have viewed the United States. So positively in recent months or years and we got to capitalize on that. We have to make this a but only a Dragnet operation terms of getting those who are responsible for this and eradicating them but in a preventative way, we need to have just a set of relationships that will prevent as much of it as possible from occurring in the United States or anywhere else in (00:12:02) the world down the road. Is that mean that we invaded Iraq. (00:12:06) I hope we don't have to invade anybody. I hope we'll be able to flush Bin Laden out. The Afghan Taliban government seems to be fluctuating so somewhat but if they get him to voluntarily leave if they can flush him out that increases the likelihood that you'll be spotted and we can take the necessary military action where we go from there. I don't have the answer to that. I don't know that anybody does but I hope we can limit our military action to the right to place at the right time against the right people so we can match we can provide a maximum Devastation of those who are directly responsible for these terrible war crimes without as little damage as possible to our own military men and women who have to carry out these this use of force and to our citizens who every day in their lives here remain vulnerable as those did on September 11th, (00:12:59) Minnesota Senator Mark Dayton is our guest this hour again, if you have a question for Senator Dayton 6512276 thousand, that's our twin. The number outside the Twin Cities one eight hundred two, four two two eight two eight Margaret your first go ahead place (00:13:13) as a skittish flyer. I not feeling particularly reassured by having National Guard men in the airport and not on the airplane. How is the National Guard going to protect me in the actual airplane in light of the fact that gentleman was able to get on the plane with some box cutters and another man got through security with a 22 caliber gun in his pocket. Thank (00:13:39) you. Thank you Margaret. Well, I've flown five times since the September 11th and I felt safe and every one of them the Northwest flights operating out of the Washington Dulles airport in Minneapolis st. Paul in fact because there are fewer flights all of them operated exactly on time takeoff and landing and they were without incident but I understand how you feel Margaret and that's why it's the usage of airplanes and air travel has dropped quite drastically since the September 11th the some Is coming back the national Guardsmen and women are meant to increase the security at checkpoints and the fact and and and also the reassurance to passengers that people with the improper devices weapons. Whatever are not getting on the planes and I think the more successful they can be the the more in fact safer planes will be the Air Marshals are a different category of individuals. They have special training. There are some Sky Marshals now that are being deployed and they are as rapidly as possible training others obviously requires a great deal of skill and experience and expertise so that they take make the appropriate response to a situation where the indiscriminate use of a handgun for example, a weapon can pierce the fuselage and cause rapid decompression and itself cause a loss of control for the pilots. So it's an area where the president's proposed in Congress is ready to gear it up as rapidly as possible, but they'll be a transition period now and that's the period we're dealing with carry your question. (00:15:06) Not so much of a question and good morning, Senator and Gary Moore injector being on this morning. I just got back from a tour from Minneapolis to St. Louis st. Louis the Kansas City Kansas City of Phoenix Phoenix to San Diego and Back Again visiting a number of clients of mine and I went through security and all those places and I have to say I was fairly disappointed with the level of security that I found. I only had to produce my my photo ID twice and not once was my baggage checked checked through and only once did I see a person persons baggage set aside for being checked and I certainly didn't expect that. I didn't expect to be able to sail through like I did. I really appreciate having a little better security starting out here. (00:16:06) Well, I think I think your point is very well taken Terry. There's a considerable inconsistency. Now my experience Minneapolis airport has been the much higher level of security and checking than before September 11th in the same at Washington Dulles, but that's been the report around the country the inconsistency and that's something that needs to be (00:16:23) addressed. What about racial profiling or it be it official officially sanctioned or unofficially practiced either by the security folks or by passengers who are scared to get on a plane with people of various ethnic (00:16:39) backgrounds. Well the single incident which occurred which has been reported that I'm aware of it involving three people of Errors Arab nationality who are two of them were American citizens who were lawfully getting on the plane is something that I certainly deplore I think In this highly emotional and charge time of its human that somebody would overreact to passengers or crew. Hopefully these additional security measures will reassure people that whoever's getting on that plane with them is somebody has gone through something better than what Terry just described is gone through the kind of thorough check of all carry-on luggage and the like so that the he or she could not have a weapon on board. So I think the better our security gets in the more visible our security is to everybody the less they'll be that kind of Panic or (00:17:31) over-reaction. You think it's fair for security people to say we do not have the time to search down to the last instant everybody who wants to get on a plane will do the best we can but we need to focus our search and given the fact that all the hijackers were of Middle Eastern descent and many of the people have been arrested since then our our Middle Eastern descent. It makes only Good sense to Target people of Middle Eastern descent for our special attention. (00:18:06) I don't think anybody or any group of people should be targeted for asserts that goes beyond anyone elses. I think it should be thorough and if there's any reason to believe that it needs to be more thorough those considerations ought to ought to be legitimate ones the first flight I took out of Dulles the they asked the before the went through the X-ray screening if I had any razor blades or Swiss Army knives and so I deposited my little Gillette razors and my little Swiss Swiss army knife, which is about an inch and a half long well penknife and and then I went through the security and they saw my nail scissors on the X-ray and so I gave those up as well. I'd say that was a quite a thorough screening and I had identification identify myself as United States Senator, so I don't think I didn't object to that. I felt that's that's the job that they needed to do, and I don't Anybody else should react accordingly it no matter who they are whether a pilot is another instance reported or someone else. I mean if we want the airplanes to be absolutely secure we got to subject ourselves to that level of scrutiny and know ahead of time. We got to leave certain things behind that we might have carried before but I don't think that means that only certain people get their subjected to that level of scrutiny and to my knowledge is not occurring that way it should (00:19:20) not Marty are question. (00:19:23) Good morning Senator. Thanks for taking my call. I'm wondering what your views are relative to Michael foster homes recommendations on Bayou Pierre ristic threats, especially relative to building up a supply of smallpox or Anthrax vaccinations. I'll hang up and listen. (00:19:43) Thanks Marty. Well, I have a very high respect for mr. Osamu will used to be with the state of Minnesota. And now it has has far greater expertise than I do. So whatever his recommendations, I'm not familiar with them directly, but I'd I will familiarize myself because it's Area that frankly I need to learn a lot more about and we need to be another one of those areas of concern about do you think it (00:20:05) as part and parcel of our oh, I don't know Homeland defense if you will we need basically a crash emergency program to beef up our Public Health System, (00:20:16) but we were briefed last week by the secretary of agriculture and veneman mean it's not as though we're ignoring these areas before it's not as though we won't beat them up further, but in terms of what emergency measures what we need to have in reserve and he dotes or other others, I again if it's if it's viewed by the experts so that we need those in Supply the and in reserve than we definitely shouldn't undertake that again. We can't we can't assume anything anymore. And so we need to be as maximally prepared as we possibly can be and that includes a bio terrorism as well as nuclear as well as other men weapons of mass destruction (00:20:57) Thurston your question. (00:20:59) Thank you, Senator Dayton for appearing on this program. I want to know if we can extinguish some of the possible cause for these terrorist attacks. It seems to me that more and more are being bred in the Middle East by the actions of Israel. Every one of those settlements is founded on land that was confiscated from Palestinians. They were booted out into refugee camps where they live 19 and 22 a flat or intend and a dozen to a single room and so on and so on and so on and the second part of my question is whatever happened about that 851 million dollars that they requested of us to defray the expenses of leaving South Lebanon where they had no business being in the first place. (00:21:51) Oh Thurston, (00:21:53) you know (00:21:54) people can say that someone else is to blame for actions from what I understand Asama Bin Laden first of all grew up in a wealthy very wealthy Saudi family and his hatred is directed first and foremost to the United States of America for its presence in Saudi Arabia for its ironically, I guess for his support of his own Freedom Fighters during the Afghan war a stand against the the old Soviet Union and and for various other alleged offenses. So I don't believe it's accurate to say that this is a an ancillary of our support of Israel. Should we do more as a nation and as a world to try to alleviate the this severe poverty and and homelessness and other deprivations that breed radical Sentiments of all kinds absolutely. Yes, and I support the president back the letter I wrote him on Monday. In addition to proposing the airport security the also encouraged a True Food For Peace A greatly expanded food for peace program involving the Afghan refugees. If we can show that we are going to be far more concerned and better able to take care of the basic needs of the citizens of Afghanistan the Taliban government, which is a horrendous record and is failing massively then we can truly be part of winning the hearts and minds of those citizens as we should have should be doing anyway. So when I talk about a new world order, it really does depend upon providing with all of our resources far more help and assistance to the impoverished of peoples of the world than before and that will inner to our benefit no question, but I'm not going to let anybody say well the reason that you know that that anything justifies the kind of terrible Acts were committed in this country on September 11th. (00:23:41) Do you think as time passes as we get further away from the shock of September 11 that people would be as open to suggestions that well we really ought to And more of our treasure on on foreign assistance there. I hope so Gary. I (00:23:56) mean we can't do that alone as the president pointed out of the speech. I assume he's correct. We're the largest source of humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan of any country in the world right now, but can we do more should we do more in can we be spearhead these efforts through the United Nations other International relief organizations as well as their own I would say absolutely. Yes, and the president's Point has been over and over this is going to have to be a sustained effort and I don't think that means sustain militarily nearly as much as it means sustained diplomatically and it means sustained in terms of creating and effectuating this this new world order (00:24:30) Melton your question, please (00:24:32) yeah. Thank you for taking my call. Hi Santa Milton hurry today. I'm doing good. I just wanted to show you on a situation where you said you can you can tag a certain group of people because of where they come from, but from the evidence will see in what happened on September 11. It was it was clear that All the people that were involved in the situation of people of Middle Eastern descent. Yeah much. I agree that you can unfairly Target people but I think it's fair enough to concentrate your effort in certain era when the evidence presented itself in in that direction (00:25:05) and I would agree the extent that as the FBI and others right now, we're tracking down this web of activity United States that they're they're focusing on those for whom there are no known connections. They've also identified some were people of Middle Eastern descent were engaged in trying to get licenses for things that they determined or unrelated. So we have to approach it objectively. You can't just say anybody looks a certain way is going to be a targeted as a suspect respectively, but you know, it needs to be a balance of the (00:25:31) two. What would you suggest to minnesotans who are concerned about this issue? They they see, you know, their friends or people. I don't even know but fellow minnesotans being harassed simply because the way they're dressed the way they look and he can't go around beating up people who are harassing. Somebody else but what would you suggest the average Joe and Jane Addams worried about this? What should they (00:25:55) do? I think they should call the their local law enforcement officials immediately. I went to an Islamic school and Fridley short time ago, which were the students there. These are Elementary as secondary students were being harassed threatened by some some just I think very irresponsible minnesotans to simply because of their religious beliefs and background. They were no threat to anybody fact they were very frightened themselves as were their parents understandably. So, I mean, we cannot use this as an excuse to become the very kinds of evil that we the poor elsewhere in the world that cause these events. I mean, we cannot divide ourselves among ourselves and do so indiscriminately and use this as a pretext for the worst kind of prejudices that other people have certain a few more people. I hope might hold so I think any responsible Citizen and part of the vigilance that is incumbent upon all of us is to if we see those axes to report them immediately and to speak Against them as I have (00:26:51) Minnesota, Senator Mark Dayton is our guest this hour if you'd like to join our conversation, give us a call six five. One two, two seven six thousand 6512276 thousand outside the Twin Cities 1-800 to for 22828. Now you if you call right now you're going to get a busy signal don't so don't call right now. You'll just get frustrated trying a few minutes as we clear. Some lines would like to get your question on the air and we'll get to some more listener questions and just a couple minutes programming on Minnesota Public Radio is supported by eagle lab dedicated to improving cleaning and sanitation standards for leading Hospitality Healthcare and food processing customers worldwide on the web at Ecolab.com. Hi, it's Linda said oh Casper this week. We have a look at the candy kingdoms of Mars and her she's a world of Secrets and Intrigue and then Jane Stern. We're going to tell you a little bit about the pharmacies of New Mexico where you can find homemade tortillas and great hair scrunchies where else but on the splendid, Table to show for people who love to eat Saturday at 1 and Sunday at 6 a.m. On Minnesota Public Radio K. No W FM 91.1. Sorry about that Lynn. Say we invite you to support Minnesota public radio's commercial free community service by becoming a member today very very easy to do click and join it, Minnesota Public Radio dot-org. We thank you in advance. And now with some headlines got a Cunningham bruh. Thanks Gary. Good morning. President. Bush says the u.s. Is in Hot Pursuit of terrorists, but he's not saying much about possible military plans. Bush also says he and his military planners have taken note of the lessons learned by Moscow and its fight against Afghan Rebels. He says the u.s. Fight against the terrorists in Afghanistan might not even have a conventional component Bush met with Jordan's King this morning. He says he's pleased with the cooperation America is getting from Jordan and other meetings countries in the campaign against terrorism. President says Jordan and the US are united a top Bush Administration official says US forces have conducted. Missions in Afghanistan the official says the work of us and British forces comes in advance of potential military action. The official denies reports that the forces are looking for is some a band Laden Transportation. Secretary Norman Etta says Reagan National Airport near Washington DC will definitely reopen it's just not clear when that will happen Reagan National is the only major airport in the country that hasn't reopened after the September 11th terrorist attacks. There are concerns about how close it is to the Pentagon the White House the Capitol and other Washington DC landmarks in Regional news. The Pembina North Dakota Municipal Water System is still shut down today. That's because State Health officials still are testing for contamination. The State Health Department's environmental. Chief says preliminary tests show. Nothing unusual long time WCCO radio broadcaster Maynard Spees has died. He died last night in a nursing home in New Hope. He was 88 space was wcco's Farm director from 1952 until his retirement in 1978. No funeral plans have been announced. Forecast for Minnesota calls for Sunshine State wide high temperatures today ranging from 65 in the Northeast to 75 in the southwest right now in Grand Rapids at sunny and 52 Worthington report sunshine and 64. It's partly cloudy in Duluth and 49 and in the Twin Cities partly sunny skies a temperature of 55 degrees Gary. That's a look at the latest news. Thanks Greta 25 minutes now before noon. This is midday on Minnesota Public Radio. We are continuing our coverage this hour of the attack on America the response to that attack a Minnesota Senator Mark Dayton is our guest this hour again. All of our lines are busy. So don't call right now, but jot the number down and give us a call in a couple of minutes. We'd like to get your question on if you're in the Twin Cities. The number would be 6512276 thousand outside the Twin Cities one eight hundred two four two two eight two eight. Brian your next go ahead, (00:30:43) please. Good morning gentlemen morning morning Brian. I'm going to try to say this as positive as possible. And I want to say, you know get that out front. We have a problem that we're facing this kind of sticking out like a sore thumb and that woman that spoke a little while goes is almost an example of it from where the problem pops up and I want to talk about there's nobody should be discriminated against there's no doubt that the people from the Middle East should not be discriminated against but there's a problem there. The problem is is the people that we have here either as guests or that are living here have for a long time and including now made statements that are anti-semitic and that's kind of funny because there's some medic but the fact is they're made statements against Israel and because they do that and they make these negative statements they end up having a do unto others you have do unto you kind of a problem because they are seen now because of those statements of being of the same or similar ilk of the kind of people that were we saw do on the 11th. We also know that there was people that that have supported them economically, maybe not know. Being at all there was supporting these people over there. Believe me. I'm not saying they did but the fact is that people the United States are scared and we have to change from doing things that are against all people and it doesn't matter if you're a Christian or a Jew or a Muslim. It doesn't matter if you're black white or yellow but we've got to start somewhere. Maybe this is where we can start and I'm putting it out there to the the Muslim brothers and sisters to say if you really believe that your Americans and you really believe that you want to be part of our society. Then you really believe that you shouldn't hate another person. I am saying that from anybody on the other side to that person that spoke don't say things against other people try to find a problem now Senator, how do we do that? (00:33:04) All (00:33:04) right. Boy, that's an answer to take a lot longer than this program. But you're adding your admonitions a good one too. Don't hate other people especially based on just some some perceive you who they are get to know find the common Humanity the all these religions that are at war with one another and monotheism's which mean we all believe in one God and I don't I don't understand how one group of people can believe God is on their side wants them to annihilate the other people group of people who believe that God is on their side and want to do the same. We we've just got to go beyond that as a human race as Gandhi said an eye for an eye until whole world is blind (00:33:43) Kevin your question. (00:33:44) Yes. I don't know. It's not my truck driver and I'm I like drywall over the country and stuff like that and I like to know in the transportation business like they put the ferret guided tours and said that the transportation business should be on alert. Well, how come an utterly scale asset do I see any stepped up enforcement? I don't see any extra police presence at on a highway. In fact in a lot of states that it goes across to a nighttime schedule literally closed. I mean these people that that run produce and you have to produce at a Florida to California and Boston Markets out of California and stuff. Sometimes you'll see some of these Muslims come out of these trucks. I mean everybody like three or four drivers and then trust me what is happening here. Why isn't anybody doing anything to stop that? (00:34:32) Well, why shouldn't they be in the (00:34:33) truck? Well, you know that the law says, you know, you can have like two people driving a truck and stuff like that, but you can't have a bunch of passengers in the vehicle. Okay. All right and things like that, I don't see any stepped up enforcement anywhere and anywhere and yet thanks Kevin. (00:34:58) Where are you? You're more of an expert that I am Kevin and I would guess those enforcement resources are stretched as thin as they are. They're applied state by state so that you know, you're going to have those inconsistencies. But but you don't your points well-taken, we're vulnerable in a lot of (00:35:14) areas and sapper man was on the other day saying that older Americans should be drafted subject to a draft to help with Homeland defense issues. I suppose like that where you'd have some folks may be at a at a weigh station that would otherwise go unmanned or undermanned because security forces are stretched too thin I think that's a good idea. (00:35:35) Well, I don't know if Vance was contemplating that he'd be put on the weigh station somewhere in Kansas or Nebraska checking vehicles, but I think the spirit of wanting to join in and and As Americans is a very patriotic spirit that has been forthcoming. We see it in the contributions of people to blood banks to relief efforts in the like exactly how we can individually and collectively Be the best deployed, you know, we're not involved right now. Thank the Lord in a Homeland defense is going to require every one of us to become a newfound militia, but I think we should can each look within ourselves and say how can I participate in a way that the response to this emergency and then carries a Beyond and I'd go back to what we said earlier. I'd like to see people reach out to those of other faiths or nationalities of find people who are unfairly and and I think wrongfully being made to victims or scapegoats for these actions in their neighborhoods communities and find a way through there through their Church through any charitable organization or through their own individual efforts that they can extend the hand of fellowship and light a lot of candles that way a lot of younger folks and their parents for that matter are concerned (00:36:45) that about the possibility of a draft the reinstitution of a military draft. You see that down the (00:36:51) road. Well my 17 year old son asked me that question last Sunday, so it's on his mind and obviously a lot of people like his age and A lot of parents. I don't see that happening. I've not heard a word of that even conceptualize in Washington the can't rule anything out and reservist have been called up to fill in some of those gaps, but the the military efforts so far to find requires really highly specialized forces in limited numbers rather than even the kind of culpas necessary to conduct the Gulf War, but it doesn't rule anything out but I don't think there's any likelihood of that the present time (00:37:24) Victor your question. (00:37:26) Hi. Thanks for taking my call. I have a suggestion for a completely different approach to Afghanistan. And I think this kind of Builds on the food for peace idea that you mentioned a few minutes ago Senator. Basically, what I was thinking about was that if we gave large amounts of foreign aid to all of the countries the border of Afghanistan under the condition that they set up very comfortable habitable safe temporary camps for Afghan refugees and actually encourage Afghani citizens to leave the country for those camps one of the short term wealth the short Benefits I think would be that it might further isolate the Taliban from their own people potentially reduce. The possibility of Civilian casualties case there is military action with the country more empty of people that might make it easier to find terrorists and it would also address the severe humanitarian crisis the currently exists there and it'll long term it might show people in the region. The best of Americans said of the worst that I think they've seen so far and possibly reduce the forces that we give rise to a new generation of (00:38:26) terrorists. Well, I agree with you Victor in terms of the need to step up this Everett and I was encouraged I had a meeting this week number of other Senators with the Secretary of State Colin Powell in which he said that these efforts were going to be greatly expanded us and international and let's hope they produce the results. You describe (00:38:44) Andrew your NAX go ahead Place. (00:38:46) Good morning, Jenna how you doing? Just fine where Andrew I'm actually more of a comment than a question. I'm actually a Minnesotan now living in New York City, and I actually was working on the 39th floor of the Trade Center of the day before. And between that and the fact that my mother who lives in Minnesota, her boyfriend is from Pakistan and has been harassed. I would just like to comment on the fact that I think we as minnesotans New Yorkers and even further still citizens of the United States really need to make an effort to step forward and embrace our global economy and really represent ourselves in a manner, which we can be the leaders in all of this in in in helping people from all different cultures rather than trying to as other callers had been saying cause conflict from with people from other religions and other races and things and also the fact that as far as this whole business about attacking the countries that may be harboring these terrorists that we as the United States are also one of those countries, and we need to be aware of that fact and the fact that we need to take care of all people in the world and and further still just be responsible rather than just blindly accusing. People who we may not fully understand I'll hang up and listen. Thank (00:40:01) you. Okay, (00:40:04) it was his own comment of agree with most of them God you got out alive. You know, one thing I wasn't aware until I went up to New York City and entered the Trade Center site mayor Giuliani said that 25,000 people were evacuated successfully from the to try hours of before they collapse we of course mourn the 55 or 5900. They don't even know yet those who perished but incredible credit goes to the relief efforts at the time and others who helped that many people get out safely and alive (00:40:37) this weekend. Apparently a number of folks are supposed to get together in Washington to essentially protest military proposed US military action as a as a response to the attack you think They're suggesting alternate approaches. What do what do you think about that? You were opposed to the (00:41:02) Vietnam? I was supposed to be a dumb war and That Was Then This is now I view this one very differently, but most importantly in our country. The great strength of our democracy is that people have a constitutional right to express their views as long as they do so peacefully and lawfully and so I support the absolutely the right of people who have that point of view to two per to participate and speak speak their minds. I've been proud to be a supporter of the president and the in actions taken so far. I think this is a totally different situation from certainly Vietnam or others that I've experienced directly. We were attacked. Uh, no, you know, just in the most awful kind of way. I having viewed the devastation in New York and at the Pentagon site, I mean, it's just horrific what I was done as a passenger on an airplane. I can only imagine the horror of getting on a plane going about your life or your business and finding yourself a subjected to that kind of a I study and ultimately lose your life the families that Bob torricelli senator from New Jersey says there were their children's school children in New Jersey right next to New York City where that the end of that school day, September 11th of the children weren't picked up there. Both parents had perished in the World Trade Center. So, I mean this Devastation was uncalled for it was criminal a war crime and I support military action targeted toward those people who committed it and carried it out and planned it. I don't know what people can protest when we haven't done anything yet. But again if people want to go to Washington Express, whatever point of view my view they should do so as long as I do so peacefully and lawfully, (00:42:32) I think the argument at one of the arguments is that by responding to this violent act with violence, then you just perpetuate the cycle of violence and on and on it (00:42:42) goes well with this these acts were committed against the United States with no provocation accept whatever people want to point to indirectly, you know, these 6,000 of many Americans who Their lives were not participants in any world military action. They were living their normal lives. And I mean these actions are so unspeakable. I can't believe that anybody in the Civilized world can support them being undertaken for any purpose whatsoever. And and what we said to governments around the world is, you know, we want those people responsible for this. We're not looking to make war on any country. We're not looking to make war on any government. We want the people who carried out these terrible acts against this innocent civilians in our own country. And if we're not about our own National Defense and that kind of extreme situation, I don't know what we would be about Susan your (00:43:34) question. Thank you for taking my call. Yes. I'm in favor of federal government support and administration of airport security. I flew this to to prove consistency throughout all all airports where they could have training and support and not have the support dependent on Airlines and individual airport. Where were the financial ability of various airports could be considerably different I flew to and from California this past weekend with a wonderful flight experience yet. I left Minneapolis airport with no problem and they found two nail clippers in the Sacramento Airport amongst my bag and I thought well, they probably should have found them in in Minneapolis. And I thought the federal oversight over all of this security would prove consistent and then the funding would be there for all airport small airport. Around the country and large (00:44:37) one Center agree with you Susan and I will (00:44:40) support the federalization of these employees with a user tax of two dollars or so per airline ticket to pay for them. I think that's the direction of Congress will go (00:44:49) you think the president has gone far enough. I mean, he's talking about Federal oversight of the system but not not wear these people would be actual federal employees and all the rest. (00:45:00) I'm willing to consider both proposals, but I tend to side now with the congressman Jim Oberstar who point out yesterday we doc we don't contract out our law enforcement. We don't contract out our National Defense. We need to provide these essential public services and we can have a better more as do Susan's at a more consistent airport to airport security system will have better Personnel. If we make these federal jobs career jobs and train people accordingly. (00:45:26) Have we gotten to a point where the Pentagon is pretty much got a blank check whatever it wants its going to get here for a while. (00:45:34) Well, that's that was certainly A concern Gary the the authorization of military force which the Congress provided an almost unanimously. I supported it. The Senate was unanimous the house only one dissenter right after the September 11th attacks was not according to the the the legal experts that we used open-ended or a blank check which was one such a concern. It was specifically focused framed around the reaction to the events that occurred on September 11th. Forty billion dollars of which can be used for military build-up as well as emergency aid to New York and the like certainly pays pays for a lot of a lot of license but I don't think further Appropriations will be immediately forthcoming for those purposes and we'll see what's needed to conduct to this effort and see how it unfolds. Nobody at this point including the president has been asking for additional funding for further military buildup at this point, you know the president Under his administration Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld Secretary State Colin Powell of stressed The Diplomatic efforts the building of alliances, whatever military deployments are underway have been very site specific and limited. We not engage militarily at this point in time. Nobody. I don't know what the plans are very few people probably do and even those people I think would be the first to say these are going to be subject to a step-by-step revision and review depending on what occurs but at this point, I don't think anybody views that they have a wine shop check nor as Congress provided one. (00:47:12) I think it was Senator Senator a torricelli who suggested that it's time for the Congress to conduct a full-scale inquiry into actually what happened on September 11th, what happened in the sense that we didn't know about it that that there may have been appears to be a massive intelligence failure. (00:47:32) Well, I think the intelligence of leadership would admit that there was a drastic failure to anticipate any of these attacks, especially with people are operating the country for a year of prior to their being committed. I think it's a little premature right now because these are the very intelligence communities that we need right now to be gearing up these additional efforts to be sweeping the country for any remaining terrorist cells to be developing the network necessary with the their counterparts around the world to increase our vigilance and to protect us from from future such events so though, I don't think we want right now to have them worried about bureaucratic ass covering. But certainly we in within the next year need to undertake whether it's under a new committee or existing committees a very thorough review and I know that will be undertaken there (00:48:22) have been some members of Congress who suggested that CIA director George Tenet might be a nice fellow but he's just not up to the job. What have what have you been hearing? (00:48:31) I'm not on Intelligence committee on the armed services committee. I don't never met mr. Tenant. I'll leave that decision to the president and others who know him and his capabilities better than I (00:48:42) do lino your question for Senator (00:48:44) Dayton. Thank you. My biggest fear is bioterrorism. I want to offer a scenario and request that the senator immediately call for a simulation analysis to be done designed to assess the capabilities of our Minnesota national public health and pharmaceutical systems. Here's the chilling scenario assume there's a new drug resistant virulent deadly disease is Airborne passed through the lungs a suicide terrorists is given that deadly disease they wait until they have symptoms that appear to be a common cold. They board a plane and get off in Minneapolis. They walk around the airport coughing as they go then they go to Mall of America walk around the theme park until they become ill enough to drive in their rental car to a big hospital where the way around the waiting room until they're admitted. That's the end of the scenario. Okay. (00:49:33) Well if there were such a disease learn a lot, you know, not to minimize the threat which would be enormous because we saw in the annals of civilization of for example, when Europeans came to this country and carrying smallpox and other diseases to which Native Americans had no build up resistance that there were these these terrible epidemics and I'm not an expert on the subject and it would it differ to those who the simulation you describe would no doubt be a serious problem with it, whether it was conduct whether that occurred because of a terrorist or other occurred because of somebody innocently unknowingly bringing in such a disease and that's where mad cow and some of these other. So again, I think your points well-taken. I'd have to defer to the public health authorities in Minnesota, but I'm sure and I know the agricultural officials in the state and the federal government have a look at this and continue to scrutinize it constantly as it relates to Satan on terroristic. Actions, but certainly it's something we had to look at from the terrorist threat as well David your (00:50:35) question. Yes. I'm not so fearful of the as the previous caller scenario would suggest however, you know, I did make a decision. I wanted to vaccinate my boy for smallpox and was dismayed to realize I can't get the vaccine anywhere and my question is why the government doesn't really sit because as I'm understanding I can fly to Europe or even Russia and get my child vaccinated so I you know, I'd like to hear the Senators response. I would also like to ask them why the disparity why is it that I can fly to Europe and get this vaccine, but I can't get it here. (00:51:11) I can't give you an answer David. I was not aware of that. If you can leave a phone number the station her I'll find out and get back to you. There are there is a (00:51:20) limited amount of vaccine available that we have access to and there has been some talk of at least getting Frontline Public Health people, maybe some police and fire the folks who would have to respond to an emergency least get them vaccinated with the limited Supply we have does that seem like the kind of thing? That would be it makes some sense in this situation (00:51:45) Gary. I don't have the expertise to give you a qualified answer why we don't have that why somebody cannot on their own initiative get that kind of vaccination whether it's a supply issue or whether it's a fear of something else. I'll find out the information. I'll get it back to you as well as today. But if I get his phone number justice department (00:52:03) wants to make some changes in in law so that it would make it (00:52:09) easier. They say for (00:52:11) investigators to investigate and counterterrorism. They want the increased electronic surveillance little more power to detain people from what you've heard. So far the proposals do you think those are good ideas or do they trample too much on civil liberties? (00:52:27) I think we'll have to give very very careful scrutiny to what does being I did not support the confirmation of John Ashcroft as the Attorney General. I would prefer there somebody somebody else in that position. I'm certainly willing to look at whatever is being proposed. But I want to make sure we don't go back to having gone through the nixonian error where threat to this country was used as an excuse to perpetuate all sorts of violations of First Amendment and other constitutional rights. I'm going to look at it very very carefully and I'm going to credit my father with the the suggestion. I think that whatever whatever we do ought to be sunsetted after two years we ought to just provide a limited Authority if it can be and this is not a blanket to for things that I would oppose but I think even things that a stretch the the ability of government to you know to tap phones to investigate people's emails on the like we ought to put a sunset on and make them come back and account for what's been done and assess it that way once these security measures are Kind of big government measures get put in place are very hard to root (00:53:34) out. You said you were not all that happy with John Ashcroft very briefly about the other Bush advisors a colon Powell Donald Rumsfeld the Dick Cheney. (00:53:45) I think I think they're very experienced team of the three. You just mentioned I would rate very highly. I think it's a very fortunate in addition to the president who has shown an admirable qualities throughout the last few weeks that he has the this kind of experienced a tough season team and as an American, I hope and I pray for their success, we all depend upon their success (00:54:06) and finally Senator. I know you have proposed a congressional gold medal for Thomas Burnett jr. From Bloomington and the other members of passengers on flight 93 that didn't end up as a missile. It was crashed instead is that likely going to happen or (00:54:21) the I think it'll be I think it'll happen unanimously it certainly deserved incredible heroism and the from all accounts that plane was headed back to Washington probably either the capital of the Else wherever one of the landed they saved a lot of lives at their own expense. I think it's incredible (00:54:36) heroism chatter. Thanks for coming in today Precinct you Gary Our Guest this our Minnesota Senator Mark Dayton and thanks to all of you who called in with your questions those of you who tried to call in and didn't get through. We apologize. What we do urge you to do is to log on go to our website, Minnesota Public Radio dot-org get up on the soapbox and have your say we'd like to get your comments on on these issues. Again. Our website address is Minnesota Public Radio dot-org but after station identification, it's off to Washington. For more coverage when you're looking for an update on the news, log on to Minnesota Public Radio dot-org headlines are updated several times an hour. There's audio from your favorite MPR shows and you can respond to the issues on the MPR soapbox. It's all in the new section of Minnesota Public Radio dot-org. You're listening to Minnesota Public Radio. Partly cloudy Sky 55 degrees at Kenner wfm 91.1 Minneapolis. And st. Paul Sunny to partly sunny through the afternoon should hit 70 degrees today clear skies are forecast for tonight with an overnight low in the mid to upper 40s and tomorrow even little warmer than today. Sunny skies tomorrow with a high temperature in the middle 70s. (00:55:50) This is a special report from NPR news. I'm Neal Conan in Washington for several days. After this month's terrorist attacks. The nation paused big-time Sports took a break. The new television season was delayed Comics took time out slowly. The nation is returning to some form of post terrorism normalcy and that includes the (00:56:10) return of political ads (00:56:13) leadership and experience as attorney general Mark early made the Safety and Security of our families and our schools his top priority. (00:56:23) It's got our great nation will meet this Challenge and we're going to move forward (00:56:27) building our economy improving our (00:56:29) schools and making sure that Jersey safe because that's how we've always done it. We've come back stronger than ever this hour finding the right note after the Attacks of September the 11th, and of course, we'll bring you any updates live first though this news