Subcultural engagement for the 21st Century...
Barbelith is a new kind of community (find out more)...
You can login or register.

Senator Paul Wellstone killed in plane crash

Jack Fear

17:07 / 25.10.02

This just in. Here's the CNN link. Wellstone was a Democrat, and caught up in a vicious re-election battle.

Election Day is eleven days away, so it's unlikely they'll be able to get anybody else on the ballot. This is shaping up to another Mel Carnahan/John Ashcroft race, here.

But it's no joke: control of the Senate is very much at stake in this year's election, and it might all come down to who is chosen to replace Wellstone, should he be elected.

And who decides that?

If I'm not mistaken, that's the governor's job.

And who's the governor of Minnesota?

That's right: Independent, ex-pro wrestler, and outspoken jackass Jesse "The Body" Ventura.

Now this is gonna be interesting.

Ethan Hawke

17:20 / 25.10.02

This is a tragedy. Along with killing Senator Wellstone, his wife, daughter and several campaign workers, this crash has silenced one of the only outspoken progressive voices in the Senate. Wellstone was one of the few who voted against Bush's Iraq war resolution, and one of the most environmentally conscious Senators.

Are you sure Ventura gets to pick his replacement, Jack? A similar situated happened in Missouri in 2002, when the governor promised to appoint teh late Sen. Carnahan's wife (who's also in a tough reelection fight) should Carnahan prevail, which he did, unseating John Ashcroft. But this was a state law, not a federal one.

If Ventura does indeed get to pick, who knows what he'll do. He's a lame duck incumbent with libertarian leanings. Maybe he'll nominate himself. I can't see him nominating a republican after being snubbed by Bush.

Ethan Hawke

17:37 / 25.10.02

Doesn't say anything particular about any office but-

Statutes of the state of minnesota involving vacancies

Item 8 seems to apply here, and unless i'm reading it wrong, Jack, you're right.

Expect a court battle from Republicans.

Jack Fear

17:52 / 25.10.02

Missouri 2000 was a slightly different ballgame, because Mel Carnahan was himself Governor of the state at the time he died... but it was Roger Wilson, who had been Mel's lieutenant governor and who took the big chair when he was killed, who put forth Jean Carnahan as a replacement: and he did so in the days before the election.

So it is the sitting gov, and not the governor-elect, who names a replacement--and the replacement must be named on or before Election Day in November, and not before the start of the new term in January. Have I got that right?

Man, between this and the Torricelli debacle, it's a hell of a Senate race.

And what with Wellstone having been perhaps the foremost Progressive voice in thne Senate, and being outspoken in his criticism of Bush's Iraq policy, I suppose it's just a matter of time before conspiracy theories start swirling around his quote-unquote "accidental" death...

Ethan Hawke

18:07 / 25.10.02

Geez, I forgot all about the sitting-gov vs. elected gov debate - myDD.com is predicting that independent Tim Penny, about whom I know nothing, will edge out democrat Roger Moe in a a 4-way race.

This may all be a moot point, however, as the CNN link you posted above now says that the Democratic Party of Minnesota has until 4 days before the election to offer a replacement candidate.

I'm completely nervous about this election, as I think it would be devastating if the GOP regained control of the Senate - another wrinkle is that should Jean Carnahan lose, her replacement takes office immediately, quite possibly giving the GOP a short-term majority between election day and the opening of the new congress.

Ethan Hawke

18:10 / 25.10.02

Actually, check "quite possibly" above - regardless of other election results,if Jean Carnahan loses, the GOP definitely gains a majority in the Senate for the lame-duck period by virtue of Dick Cheney's vote.

that is, unless Senator Chafee of Rhode Island decides to pull a Jeffords-like switch, about which there are rumblings.

Persephone

18:29 / 25.10.02

Oh my God! This is terrible news!

Jack Fear

18:29 / 25.10.02

Innnnnteresting... it's the Democratic Party, not the Gov, who selects the replacement. Just as in New Jersey with Torricelli.

"According to Minnesota law, the Democratic Party could nominate a replacement candidate to run. State Democratic Party spokesman Bill Amberg said he was confident the party would be allowed to offer a replacement.

If Wellstone wins his election posthumously, assuming his name remains on the ballot, Gov. Jesse Ventura, an Independent, could either call a special election to replace him or appoint a Democrat in Wellstone's place."

FULL STORY here

Harold Washington died for you

19:13 / 25.10.02

Wellstone was the loudest and certainly most vital of the liberals left on the Senate. He will be missed indeed. R.I.P.

P.S. Yeah I have a few conspiracy ideas on this one. Plane crashes seem to be the new MO of the New World Order. Remember Ron Brown?

Baz Auckland

00:41 / 27.10.02

Last I heard, some groups were trying to get ol' Walter Mondale to run. Yikes.

Vadrice

22:49 / 27.10.02

There is WAY too much riding on this dead man right now.

I suspect cosmic foul play.

Jack Fear

15:24 / 30.10.02

Here comes the paranoia of the Left...

Ted Rall goes off!

Ethan Hawke

15:39 / 30.10.02

According to what I've heard - Rall is not only paranoid but factually erroneous - cockpit voice recorders and flight data recorders are NOT required in aircraft such as the one that crashed.

In today's Salon Premium, Andrew Sullivan predictably tees off on Rall and another guy who wrote a similar piece for The Nation. If I'd know Salon would hire Sullivan, I'd never have given them my money for a year's subscription. He's seriously gone off the deep end.

Jack Fear

15:44 / 30.10.02

I think Andrew Sullivan is fucking hysterical, actually: I just have to tune up my bullshit detector before I read him.

Solitaire Rose as Tom Servo

16:13 / 30.10.02

I was at the memorial last night in downtown Minneapolis...and it was a perfect tribute to a man who was pretty much thought of as the last true liberal...

Walter Mondale, who is a beloved figure here, will be stepping in and I really have very little doubt he will win.

Persephone

17:13 / 30.10.02

An evil ember in my heart glowed a little redder when I heard that Cheney was planning to attend the memorial and Wellstone's sons told him not to come.

It is just not right that this man is dead.

Add Your Reply