For the past week I have felt the closeness of today - the anniversary of the death of Paul Wellstone, his wife Sheila, his daughter Marcia, driver Will and staffers Tom and Mary. I remember when Paul was first elected to the senate, I knew one of his staffers Bea -- and everytime I would travel to DC for business, I would stop by, sometimes with a purpose to discuss some policy or bill, but mostly what kept me coming was just a moment to say, have some soup in the senate cafeteria with friends, and enjoy the view watching as Paul and other staffers and whoever else would dash in and out of the office, down the hall, the elevator moments....Paul made me so glad to have him as my senator, and when I left MN - I still stopped in and was even more glad to have him be our senator for our country.
I was fortunate to just have a tiny glimpse and encounters with Paul Wellstone personally, but what I was more fortunate to have, what we were more fortunate to have was him as a teacher, as an activist, as a Community Organizer (remind you of someone!), as a politician, as a Senator, as a PERSON. He mentored us along in our thinking, he challenged us to think, to be brave enough to take a stand, to engage.
So on this morning of his death tears run down my cheeks as I take a moment to feel the loss, remember what touched me about who he was -- honor all the people, especially the young people, who have attended the Wellstone Camps...honor the people that everyday carry on Paul and Sheila's legacy.
I hope that this election can be different than the one right after Paul died, we couldn't win it for us for him. We have another opportunity to win this election for for us, for him.
"The future will belong to those who have passion,
and to those who are willing to make the personal commitment
to make our country better."
Paul Wellstone
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