A7
Tears and CheersThousands attend memorial for senator, others killed in crash *
By Pat Burson
STjFPCORlU:SPON'D£!lT
Minneapolis-It was a night of
wars and cheers, cfremembranc-
es of lives lived and too soon lost,
of looking back and planning for
the future.
More than 20,000 people gath-
ered last night for the memorial
service for Sen. Paul Wens tone,
his wife, Sheila, daughter Marcia
Wellstone Markuson and three
campaign staffers who perisbed
with them Friday when their
plane crashed. Many lined up out-
side the Williams Arena hours be-
fore the service started. The
14.600·seat arena and an over-
flow room seating 5,700 were
filled.
Sen. Tom Harkin (Dvlowa), the
sole politician to speak, called
Welistone his friend, a man of in-
tegrity and principle and a "true
DFL [Minnesota Democratic
Partyl liberal." Harkin said Well-
stone constantly reminded Demo-
crats "that everyone should have
the chance to reach his or her full
potential in our society."
Harkin threw off'his suitjncket
and brought the crowd to its feet,
urging them to get behind the is-
sues Wells tone believed in, includ-
ing investing in education and
health care, lighting for veterans'
rights and family farmers, and
tearing down the walls ofdiscrimi-
nation.
"This is the Paul Vellstone lega-
cy," Harkin said. "He empowered
people and lifted them up and
gave them hope for a better life.
Now we must continue Paul'sjour-
ney for justice in America."
The theme of the evening,
"Stand up. keep fighting," became
the anthem for the faithful, who
vowed to carry Wellstone's Legacy
into the final days of the Senate
campaign.
The crowd erupted with cheer-
ing, foot-stomping and waving
at the beginning of the service
when former Vice President
Walter Mondale, who is expect-
ed to be named tonight during a
meeting of the DemocrnticState
Aft PbOI.O
Gov. Jesse Venlura
satutes durIng Ihe
nalional anlhem at
!he start of the
service for Sen.
Paul Weifslone,
below. AI fell,
David Wellslone
and his brolher
Mark, righI, sons of
Ihe senator.
Central Committee as Well-
stone's replacement on the
Nov. 5 ballot, entered the
arena.
Mondale will oppose former
St. Paul Mayor Norm Coleman,
who was hand-picked by the
White House, 41 one of a hand-
ful of races observers say could
tip the balance of the Senate.
Thunderous applause greet-
ed the entrance of former Presi-
dent Bill Clinton and his wife,
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton
(D-N.Y.) and former Vice Presi-
dent AI Gore and his wife, Tip-
per. Followed a parade of sena-
tors including Edward M.
Kennedy (D-Mass.) and Majori-
ty Lender Tom Daschle
(D-S.D.).
Missing was Vice President
Dick Cbeney, who had offered
to came but was asked not to by
Wellstone's family. They feared
that the accompanying security
restrictions would disrupt the
service, according to a White
House official who asked not to
be named. Health and Human
Services Secretary Tommy Th-
ompson represented the Bush
administration.
Some at tho service booed Sen-
ate Minority Leader Trent Lou
(R-Miss.) and Minnesota Gov.
Jesse Ventura
Most of the speakers were
friends or colleagues of the WeU-
stones. As tho evening went on,
the service seemed to shill; into a
campaign rally when Rick Kahn,
Wellstane's campaign treasurer,
stood before the podiuruand chal-
lenged everyone in tbe arena, in-
cluding elected officials in both
the Democratic and Republican
parties, tocontinue the late sena-
tor'slegacy.
" ... We can and will achieve
great victories in Paul Well-
stone's name," he said, as a uni-
fied chant of "Wellstone! Well-
stone!" echoed throughout the
arena.
MondaJe's face appeared on
the overhead screen, and the
crowd cheered.
Banking on Wellstone's LegacyBy Ken Fireman
"S!UNOTONBUREAU
Washington - Democratic leaders, searching for
an edge at the close of a fiercely contested midterm
election, are hoping the emotions generated by Sen.
Paul Wellstone's death will ripple beyond Minnesota
and give their candidates a boost in the battle for con-
trol of Congress.
Three prominent 'Democrats - Senate Majority
Leader Tom Daschle of South Dakota, former Vice
President AI Gore and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton
of New York - have pointedly invoked WeUstone's
name and political legacy in recent campaign appear-
ances across the country.
"I think there is a new chemistry out there," Dasch-
Ie said Monday at a rally for Sen. Tom Harkin
(D-10wa). "There is so much more energy than there
was two or three weeks ago. I think part of the rea-
son for that is that people lament Paul Wellstone's
such as Daschle, Gore and Sen. Edward M. Kennedy
of Massachusetts. z
Most neutral political observers say this emotional ~
tide boosts Democratic prospects of holding Well- "'
stone's seat but is unlikely to have great political im- ~
pact outside Minnesota. They suggested that party ~
leaders were trying to create a "Wellstone factor"
largely because their previous attempts to national- ~
ize the election around economic issues have been un- l:i
successful. .~
"It takes too many steps for the average person to
got from Wellstone's tragic death to voting Democrat- ?l
ic in their local districts," said Larry Sabato, a Uni- 12
versity of Virginia political scientist who is tracking m
the campaigns. "It's II bridge too far." J)
But several observers said the win-one-Ior-Well- ~
stone theme could be useful in energizing the party's
Democrats hope
for edge in election
passing and want to do this in part for him."
Gore, campaigning for a Democratic Senate candi-
date in Maine, told a rally: "If Paul VeUstone were
here he'd say, 'Vote Democratic and stand up for the
little guy.'" Clinton, stumping for New York Demo-
cratic gubernatorial nominee H. Carl McCall, assert-
ed a connection between McCall and Wells tone's
"unique voice in American politics."
The outpouring of emotion over Wellstone's death
in a plane crash Friday reached a crescendo last
night in a memorial service attended by thousands of
Minnesotans - as well as top Democratic leaders See CAi'l'IP AIGN on A37