Toadfrog--there will be a meeting of the DFL Party Central Committee, which is 875 members, on Wednesday night to nominate a new candidate. That is required by law and by the rules of the party, which Jim Dixon provides a link to above. I am not suggesting that any conspiracy has occurred--that is your choice of words. The choice of words I would use are "back room deals" being made by the national Democratic party leaders, and forcing that "choice" on Minnesota voters. I don't know what exactly to call the "principle" (your word choice again) of allowing the deceased senator's family a say in the choice of the successor, but it obviously exists. Why else would the state DFL party chair state on Saturday that the successor to Wellstone would be chosen "according to the wishes of the Senator's family."

And here is what was VERY unseemly. Yesterday, Daschle held a press conference in front of Wellstone's campaign office, announcing that Mondale was the best candidate, before any public comment was made by the family, before a single funeral had taken place (they started holding them today), and at the same time the families were visiting the crash site where their loved ones were killed.

Here is the way the 10 PM newscasts on four networks looked last night in Minnesota, more or less in this order:

First, the video of the bus carrying family members of those lost in the crash, driving past the media pool stationed on the road outside the crash site.

Then, video of a makeshift altar made by the families at the crash site (one pool photographer from AP was allowed onto the crash site after the families had left, to film the wreckage). We are told the family members were there for about two hours.

Next, video of Wellstone's opponent, Norm Coleman, going in to one of the local news stations to appear on the Sunday morning political talk shows, giving roughly the following statement: "This is ONLY an election, for God's sake. We need to focus on burying the dead. Whatever amount of time God leaves us for campaigning, we will campaign vigorously, but now is not the time."

And finally, video of Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle standing in front of what people are now calling "the Wellstone Wall" (ie the sidewalk in front of Wellstone's office, where people are leaving their flowers, mementos, etc) announcing that Walter Mondale is a hero of his, a great candidate for the people of Minnesota, and he is sure the Senate, the national party, and the people of Minnesota would support him as candidate. But it is unseemly to be speculating at this time."

THAT is the series of events that many Minnesotans are appalled by. They are seeing the national Democratic party, the national news media, and some local DFL party hacks all engaging in partisan campaigning in front of Wellstone's office for the benefit of the TV cameras, while the Republican opponent is putting things in proper perspective for Minnesotans, who believe burying the dead IS more important than choosing the successor. Minnesotans are perfectly well aware that the choice needs to be made, but everyone was supposed to have agreed on Friday that nothing was to happen over the weekend. What emerged on network television was proof positive a lot of back room meetings were taking place, a lot of Democratic politicking was taking place in front of local and national news media, and the whole thing was a complete turn-off. No matter what people think of Wellstone (and no, not everyone in Minnesota loved the man by a long shot), there is a genuine expectation that the customs of funerals and decorum of the office be honored and respected. They really weren't here in Minnesota. People instead saw the media justifying their appalling behavior, by saying "the election is only a few days away, so we have to report this."

No. That is not true. But it does prove why people now dislike the media just as much as they dislike the politicians. Because they show such contempt for the rest of us, who know full well that respecting and burying the dead is the first priority, and is not and should not be relegated to the second priority just because of an election. No election is that important, no matter how badly the Democrats or Republicans or media hacks want us to believe it is. Elections aren't more important than allowing the families and friends of those lost, and the people of the state of Minnesota who lost one of their senators, to bury their dead.

Norm Coleman is right. At the end of the day, it really isn't about the election at all. It is about grieving the loss of eight people who were killed in a tragic accident. Elections come and go. But this is the only chance we get to mourn the dead--and there are many, many people in Minnesota going about the business of doing just that. Thousands of mourners are turning out at memorial services around the state, and an estimated 20,000 people are expected to attend the public memorial service tomorrow night. There is a reason why Mondale and Wellstone's family aren't commenting yet. Because it wouldn't be decent to do so. At least not in the eyes of most Minnesotans.

This is OUR election after all, isn't it? Aren't we supposed to be allowed to vote for the senate candidate who will best represent our interests, rather than the senate candidate the President of the United States or the Senate Majority leader says we should be allowed to elect? People here aren't that interested in the balance of power in the Senate and the House. They are interested in getting someone in office who will fight for them, rather than the party or the money contributors.