In his bid for the presidency, Sen. Eugene McCarthy became a hero of mine by courageously taking an unpopular stand against the war in Vietnam. Few politicians have left such a mark on me since that time. But in the past dozen years, another Minnesota Democrat, Sen. Paul Wellstone, also became my hero.
Instead of moving to the safe center like most of his colleagues, Wellstone proudly remained steadfast in his conviction to pure liberal values, never compromising those idealistic principles. Even during a tightly contested re-election campaign, the senator ignored political pressure and courageously voted his conscience.
Wellstone was a diminutive man with a gigantic heart. He relentlessly led us down the path of fairness and righteousness, dedicating his career to being a champion for those without power. He was a bundle of enthusiasm, passion and energy, and his obvious joy for life could only be stopped by a fatal accident.
Sensing an uphill battle, I’ve been wearing a Wellstone button for nearly two years now. I will continue to wear it in his memory for the foreseeable future.
