Iowa can be a cold place in the winter. People up in Minnesota seem so numb to the cold and OK with the idea of 40 below, but to us Iowans, we're always whining about how cold it is. For some reason on a cold Friday in November of 1999, Iowans in the Des Moines Convention Center were just plain fired up.

As the head of the Students for Bradley at the University of Northern Iowa, a bunch of us took a bus trip down from Cedar Falls to cheer on Bill at the Iowa Democratic Party's Jefferson-Jackson dinner. Bill Bradley was on Al Gore's tail, challenging him and winning over anyone from farmers in Denison to black preachers in Davenport, and I was Bradley's number-one fan. In the middle of it all was this lame party gathering I went to where all the party hacks slap each other on the back and tell each other how really great they are.

Most of the evening was ho-hum. Bradley spoke first in his wonkish, (although inspiring) monotone. Gore was just plain mad--stomping on the podium and screaming in his best pseudo-populist pitch--making the Bradley supporters nervous that Al was winning over the crowd. That was until Paul Wellstone walked into the room.

Being the bright-eyed political nerd that I am, I got all excited, because I had heard so much about him, so I motioned to the other Students for Bradley to try to get a photo with him. As we gathered closer, one of Bradley's aides leaned into his ear and spoke loud enough so that I could just barely catch what he said to him:

"They were impressed with Gore's speech, Senator. We need real fire and brimstone stuff here. Fire and brimstone."

And good lord, Paul marched right up to that podium, and boy did he ever bring the fire. I'm not sure exactly what he said--something about how the Senate was cutting congregate meals, cutting Head Start, cutting after-school programs. He talked about universal healthcare and fully funding special education. He talked about how we should be moving forward, but we were falling behind. He pretty much just yelled a lot and flapped his hands. But Paul Wellstone had me--a 21-year-old college senior--in tears.

And three years later, he still does.

About a month later, on another cold Saturday night, I had the profound privilege of driving Sheila Wellstone around in my piece-of-crap 1985 Lincoln Town Car to an event at the Waterloo, Iowa, Public Health Clinic. These are people, usually Bosnian refugees and Mexican meatpacking workers, who have no place else to go for healthcare for their children. Sheila listened to these doctors, she took notes and she urged them in her subtle North Carolina twang to support Bill Bradley. I sat next to her in my suit, wondering why I was a college student there on a Saturday night listening to healthcare policy issues. But I know now.

In the parking lot, walking toward the car, she told me how Paul was planning on offering a bill the next session, which would provide universal health care to all Americans. I thought then how cool it was to be there with her--such a progressive woman married to such a great guy. I was inspired.

And four years later, I still am.

My question to you is, Who will continue to fight for us? Who will be there for us when our most vulnerable ask us for help? Who will be there to inspire us to act--young and old--when there is injustice in government? My answer is simple. There will not be just another Paul Wellstone. There will be a thousand times a thousand Paul Wellstones. And why?

Because there is a kid who went to school today in Minneapolis without eating breakfast first. Because there is a teacher in Stillwater who has to battle underfunded classrooms. Because there is a farmer in Little Falls who wants to maintain her way of life. Because there is a steelworker in Virginia who wants to have a job next year. Because our issues, our PEOPLE-FIRST ISSUES, still matter.

Now here I am in Stillwater in a lonely campaign office. I'm just some displaced Iowan typing at my computer in tears over a man I only talked to once in a hallway for three minutes. I'm in tears over all the Wellstones--a hot couple I handed a bottle of water to after the unbearably hot Lumberjack Days Parade.

BUT I'M STILL INSPIRED, PAUL! I CAN STILL HEAR YOUR EMOTIONAL VOICE OVER BOOMING LOUDSPEAKERS, SENATOR! I CAN STILL SEE YOU FLAPPING YOUR HANDS AND YELLING--FIRING UP SOME NOW BOILING IOWANS.

Here's one of those Iowans who'll never give up Paul Wellstone's fight.

PHIL JAMES

***

The tragic passing of Senator Paul Wellstone, his wife Sheila, and their daughter Marcia is an unspeakable loss for the people of Minnesota and our nation.

Today, the United States Senate, and the Progressive Caucus, lost one of its most passionate and dedicated members. Paul was a dear friend and unparalleled public servant. Paul was a compassionate man who fought tirelessly for the people of Minnesota and for the greater good of our nation. Paul's passing leaves a void that will be difficult to fill. Working people, farmers, the sick, and the mental ill have had no greater champion than Paul Wellstone.

Today is a sad day for our nation for we have lost one of our great public servants.

My heart is with the families of Paul Wellstone, his staff members, and the pilots involved in today's tragic accident.

REP. DENNIS KUCINICH

***

About eight years ago, I was in Wellstone's office in DC to get a picture of him with my 12-year-old nephew, who's from St. Paul. Wellstone asked what I did, and I mentioned that among other things I was a contributing editor to The Nation. He said, "I'm working on an article called 'What is to be Done?'--do you think The Nation would be interested in publishing it?" I said "yes," and quickly called Katrina from the nearest phone. The Nation was important to him--and of course he was immensely important to us.

JON WIENER

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