On Wednesday, we ran a montage of the most partisan and inappropriate clips from the so-called memorial service for Senator Paul Wellstone. We rolled a montage of shouted slogans from Wellstone staffer Connie Lewis and Senator Wellstone’s son Mark. Mark was clearly in shock, yet they put him up there to scream, “We will win!” at the top of his lungs over and over. There was nothing sacred at this event – unless all you hold sacred is politics and liberalism.
Up-for-reelection Senator Tom Harkin’s speech was equally inappropriate, with calls for every left-wing issue in such a way that divided instead of united. Former President Bill Clinton was laughing his ass off, just as he did at the Ron Brown memorial; only this time he didn’t turn off the laughter when the camera focused on him. Bill and Mondull received standing ovations and were mugging for the crowd. They hijacked Paul Wellstone’s soul and used it to push their political agenda.
SENATOR TOM HARKIN: (screaming crowd) For Paul Wellstone, will you stand up and keep fighting for social and economic justice? Say YES!
CROWD: YEEEEES!
CROWD: YEEEEES!
HARKIN: For Paul will you stand up and keep fighting for cleaner air and cleaner water, for a cleaner environmental for our children and our future! Say YES!
CROWD: (cheering wildly)
HARKIN: For Paul…For Paul will you stand up and keep fighting, for peace and understanding and to stop the exploitation of women and children around the world? Say YES!
CROWD: YEEEEES!
HARKIN: For Paul! For Paul, will you stand up, and keep fighting to end discrimination, based on race, gender, religion, ethnicity or sexual orientation? Say YES!
CROWD: (Screaming and cheering)
HARKIN: For Paul… For Paul, will you stand up and keep fighting for the poor, the homeless, and those left on the roadside of life? Say YES!
CROWD: YEEEEEEEEEES!
HARKIN: Now let’s all get on that bus together that, green bus, that bus of hope, and let’s keep it moving to a better America!
CROWD: (Cheers, whoops)
HARKIN: Keep — keep standing up! Keep fighting! Keep saying YES to justice, to hope! For people, for Paul!
CROWD: (pounding stage)
HARKIN: For Paul! Paul! Paul! Paul! Paul! For Paul!
Mondale wasn’t even announced as a candidate, but Wellstone friend Rick Kahn actually asked Republicans to stand down and stop campaigning – unless they came over and campaigned for Mondull, of course. You see, that wouldn’t be inappropriately partisan. This was a night dedicated to the memory of a man universally loved on a personal level. I said on Tuesday, “Would that we had a whole Senate full of Wellstones.” But how did they remember that legacy? By busing in a bunch of union thugs to boo and jeer and smear.