Republican Campaign Activities Tuesday Reportedly Upset Family

POSTED: 9:21 a.m. EST October 29, 2002 The family of Sen. Paul Wellstone has asked Vice President Dick Cheney not to attend a public memorial service tonight in Minneapolis.

Family members reportedly were upset by Republican campaign activities Tuesday.

Wellstone, his wife, daughter and five others were killed in a plane crash last Friday. While his Republican challenger has suspended his campaign until after the service, other Republicans have criticized Walter Mondale, who Democrats will likely ask to run in place of Wellstone.

White House spokesman Scott Stanzel said Cheney had planned to attend the service but the plan was changed after conversations with the family.

Meanwhile, about 20,000 people, including former President Bill Clinton, many Senators and politicians from several parties, are expected to attend Tuesday's memorial service.

Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin is among the speakers.

He said he'll offer some "very personal" remarks, focusing on Wellstone's legacy, and what he meant to the Democratic Party and the Senate.

A Wellstone spokeswoman said the service will be a populist event. She said the theme will be "Stand up, keep fighting."

Before Wellstone died in a plane crash on Friday, the last sitting U.S. senator from Minnesota to die in office was Hubert Humphrey, who died of cancer in 1978.

In addition to Wellstone, the service will memorialize his wife and daughter, as well as three aides and the two pilots who died in the crash.

A private funeral was held for Wellstone and his wife Sheila Monday in Minneapolis.

No Early Answers Expected In Crash Probe

Federal officials say the investigation into the plane crash could take months.

The lead investigator said the plane is too heavily damaged to tell right away whether de-icing equipment was operating properly.

Pilots at the Minnesota airport where the plane was headed last Friday say the amount of ice was no more than normal. The plane went down about 2.5 miles from the airport in Eveleth. The landing gear was down and the flaps were lowered properly.

Investigators are still studying inspections records and plane parts for clues.

-- Anonymous, October 29, 2002

Answers

At least they all went together . . .

-- Anonymous, October 29, 2002

The Queen has a tradition of never flying with her children so that if something happened, direct succession would be ensured and disruption to the status quo would be minimized. In certain circumstances, I still don't think whole families should travel on the same plane, train, or whatever.

-- Anonymous, October 29, 2002

I think in retrospect that Cheney was relieved he wasn't allowed to attend that extravaganza.

-- Anonymous, October 30, 2002

Yep, and many sorry they did. Just saw Ventura on TV, highly pissed. Said he left halfway through and the Dems should apologize for such as booing Trent Lott. There is a report that he intends now to put an Independent in Wellston's slot for the 5 days before the election.

-- Anonymous, October 30, 2002