[I doubt thgis will help. The event simply should not have happened.]

Posted on Wed, Oct. 30, 2002 story:PUB_DESC

BY ARON KAHN PIONEER PRESS

In the wake of the controversial memorial service for Sen. Paul Wellstone Tuesday, the head of the Wellstone campaign apologized Wednesday for the event’s sharply political tone.

"It was not our intent to inject that into the service," campaign chairman Jeff Blodgett said of comments made at the Tuesday night ceremony. "I take responsibility for that and I deeply regret it."

Blodgett said the event at the University of Minnesota was not scripted and the comments of individual speakers were not previewed. Organizers simply asked participants to speak from their hearts, he said.

"I regret if people took offense or were taken by surprise ... We are a hurting bunch here," Blodgett said, referring to campaign members’ sadness following the Eveleth plane crash that killed Wellstone, his wife, daughter, three aides and two pilots on Friday.

Blodgett said he'd spoken to campaign treasurer Rick Kahn, who gave one of the most partisan addresses, but declined to reveal their conversation.

"It probably would have been best not to get into the election," Blodgett said.

Some officials from local TV stations are said to be complaining that they were misled into televising live a partisan political rally.

"That was never the intention," Blodgett said.

-- Anonymous, October 30, 2002

Answers

"Not scripted"? Someone said that certain officials held up "APPLAUSE" signs at appropriate moments.

-- Anonymous, October 30, 2002

This story is absolutely amazing. My mother the yellow dog Democrat is outraged. When you consider that even dummy Al Gore knew enough to behave appropriately at a memorial service, refraining from yukking it up, the behavior of some of the other Democrats is beyond belief.

Both my mother and I have long considered Tom Harkin, Iowa's Senator, as a prime fool. (One of our grudges has to do with his helping Al Gore blindside Bill Bradley in a debate in Iowa, during their contest for the Democratic Presidential nomination. It had to do with a Senate vote which made it appear, falsely, that Bradley had been against flood relief for the Midwest, several years ago when there was huge flooding.)

-- Anonymous, October 31, 2002