Drinks With Doug

We Still Miss You, Paul

Saturday's weather: moist and rainy; strong winds giving way to a cool heavy damp air. If you were shooting a movie, today would be a "sad day" sky.
Saturday's drink: none.

No link today other than this video. It was six years ago today that Paul, Sheila and Marcia Wellstone went down in a plane crash in northern Minnesota, ending their lives. Also on board were Tom Lapic, Mary McEvoy, Will McLaughlin and the two pilots; they also all died.

I had the great honor of working not once but twice for Senator Wellstone here in Washington DC. I was far from the best staffer, but he always saw the good in what I and all our staff did.

Don't mistake: Paul had a temper. Every senator does. And I think the thing today that might make him angriest is if I just threw up my hands, said "We Miss You Paul" and left it at that. No, there's no leaving it at that with Paul. If you're sad about something, go do something about it. If you're mad about something, fight to fix it. If you miss someone, pick up their work and carry it forward.

In my time there was no other figure in the U.S. Senate like Paul Wellstone. I always used to say: "If Paul didn't exist, they'd have to invent him." Truth is Paul invented himself, never stopped giving what he had to help others, and never ever lost faith that people are good and that collectively we can do better by each other.

The Wellstone/Domenici mental health parity act finally passed this Congress, albeit attached to the $750 billion bailout bill. Whatever, it's done and it would have never happened without Paul and Sheila, and their work carried on by sons David and Mark.

I still miss you, Paul. And today your memory reawakens all those things I know I need to do. I hope it does for others, too.

And that's a pretty damn good legacy.