A Disgraceful Vigil

Many of our readers will remember the funeral that the Democratic Party staged for Paul Wellstone after he died in a plane crash shortly before the 2002 election. Democrats from around the country attended, and the event quickly became a political rally. It was televised nationally, and most viewers were repelled by the crass partisanship on display. Wellstone’s campaign manager apologized, but the damage was done, and days after the funeral Norm Coleman was elected to the Senate over substitute candidate Walter Mondale. Last night, the City of Minneapolis–the Democratic Party–held a “vigil” for the victims of Robin Westman’s attack...