Not Your Sweetie

Dear Garrison Keilor (Salon Article: Minnesota Shame)

Dear Garrison Keilor

started writing you to thank you for the moving tribute to Paul Wellstone.
My first thought was: how befitting it is that such a man like him has
someone of your caliber and eloquence to do him justice.
Unfortunately, I arrived to this paragraph buried in your otherwise
wonderful article:
"

> Paul Wellstone identified passionately with people at the bottom, people in trouble, people in the
> rough. He was an old-fashioned Democrat who felt more at home with the rank and file than with
> the rich and famous. (Bill Clinton, examine your conscience.)
>

Now, I am one of those people at the bottom, in trouble, in the rough who
hobnobbed with Bill Clinton. So was Paul Welstone's cancer riddled friend
who got Bill Clinton's undivided attention at the end of a long day (at
Paul's request). Some Harlem residents would beg to differ with you.
For you to say that Bill Clinton doesn't care about people is to pander to
your attackers. For you to ask Bill Clinton to examine his conscience is to
say to your detractors: "Please, allow me to eulogize the dead guy, I'll
deliver you the live one instead"
So, Maybe after all, Paul Wellstone deserves better. He deserves to be
eulogized by nobodies like me or the ones at his memorial who will not sell
out Wellstone's party for the rights to a soap box.
Sincerely,