Almanac: At the Capitol

Harold LeVander (12/22/07)

Yes ... LeVander spelled backwards is red navel. Knowing that helped some Minnesotans to spell his name properly. Harold LeVander was our state's 32nd Governor. The sales tax originated under his watch — and over his veto — but he should also be remembered for creating the State Human Rights Department and the Met Council. Here's LeVander in an old piece of film talking about his heartfelt belief in the citizen-politician.

Harold Stassen Was an Original (12/10/07)

Our state's youngest-ever county attorney ... and the nation's youngest-ever governor ... barely forty when he almost won the Republican Party's nomination for president ... the last-surviving signer of the United Nation's Charter ... Stassen lived a full life. In 1995 on the 50th anniversary of the founding of the UN, Harold appeared on Almanac and told a great story about the role his wife Esther played in breaking a diplomatic stalemate back in 1945.

Elmer Benson (10/25/07)

Elmer Benson was a radical. There's no other way to put it. Benson was appointed to the U.S. Senate in 1935 by his long-time mentor Floyd B. Olson. In 1936 he jumped from the U.S. Senate to the Minnesota Governor's office when Olson made a run for the Senate. Benson was a Farmer-Laborite with a heavy dose of radical populism. As governor for one term, Benson proposed higher taxes on the wealthy and called out the National Guard on behalf of striking workers. Benson lost re-election in 1938 and lived almost another half century. In the early 80s Benson was featured on the KTCA program "Nighttimes." In the excerpt from this show, Benson talks about — among other things — his strong dislike of J. Edgar Hoover.

Ventura's Guests (10/09/07)

There was never a dull moment when Jesse Ventura was governor, in part because of the company he kept. We have dug out of the vault some highlights of Ventura interacting with Donald Trump, Willie Nelson, Harry Belafonte and Eartha Kitt. Take a look.

Capitol Update - April 30, 2007 (04/30/07)

Base Instincts

Did You Know? (04/27/07)

Even the governor found himself engaging in some bathroom humor this week.

Who Is that Masked Man? (04/27/07)

Republicans took over the House floor for animated debate about the House Tax bill. One of the strangest moments came early afternoon when state Rep. Ron Erhardt of Edina donned a mask.

The Index File (04/27/07)

We have a new Minnesota history question for you and some comments about last week's show. Then we end the program with a clip of music by Kim Richey.

First-Termers Panel (04/27/07)

When the 2007 legislative session began, we picked a group of four first-term lawmakers to check in with from time to time during their rookie season. Democrats Patricia Torres Ray and Kathy Brynaert sit across the couch from Republicans Bill Ingebrigtsen and John Berns.