Al Franken's victory means so much more than the 59th Democratic seat in the Senate -- it also means the return of Paul Wellstone's senate seat into the hands of a progressive Democrat.
I know it's not really rational to think about Senate seats in those terms, but I can't help it. We can't bring Wellstone back, but somehow it's satisfying to know that the Senate seat in which he once sat is now filled by someone who is committed to continuing the very mission for which he spent a lifetime fighting.
It's as if something that had been totally off-balance has now finally been set right, or at least as right as can be set.
So to honor Paul Wellstone, a true political hero, I thought it might be nice to put together a collection of videos from his past campaigns and appearances that I found on YouTube, including his famous 1990 campaign ads.
Enjoy!
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An introduction to Paul Wellstone from Wellstone Action:
1990 campaign -- Where's Rudy Boschwitz?
1990 campaign -- Fast-talking Paul Wellstone
1996 campaign -- Fast-talking Paul Wellstone, 1996 edition
1997 -- Paul Wellstone in Whitesburg, Kentucky on grassroots politics and the potential for change
2002 -- Paul Wellstone's 2002 floor speech on the Iraq war resolution: