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In the early days of the COVID-19 crisis Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, like many Governors around the country – Democrat and Republican – rose to the challenge and prescribed detailed steps that were intended to “flatten the curve” and buy time for our health care systems to absorb the predicted tsunami of COVID-19 cases. But […]

On May 21, 2003 as Chairman of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations I convened a hearing on the SARS titled, “SARS:  How Effective Is The State And Local Response?” On July 30, 2003 I held a follow-up hearing title “SARS:  Best Practices for Identifying And Caring for New Cases.” SARS, or Severe Acute Respiratory […]

It’s time to re-open America. Carefully and with commonsense. But there’s no question that the time has come to get our economy growing again. Throughout the nation the American people in swaths of tens of millions have answered the call of their government, health care officials, law enforcement and other local, state and national leaders […]

After the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor America sprang into action. In doing so it ultimately helped defeat Japanese aggression and topple the Nazi regime that wished to establish a 1,000-year rule over the people of the world. But, along the way, our nation made decisions that we came to regret. We placed nearly 120,000 Americans […]

In the best of times Governors like Minnesota’s Tim Walz, New York’s Andrew Cuomo and California’s Gavin Newsom and I would stand miles apart on major public policy issues. But these are not now the best of times. Hopefully with strong leadership in Washington and that of other Republican and Democratic Governors across America, we […]

The year was 1957 and few could have foreseen the devastation that would be brought upon a community by a man named Walter O’Malley. So much so that 63 years later it pains me to write his name. I was 8 years old and Walter O’Malley was moving my beloved Brooklyn Dodgers to Los Angeles! […]

I began my first campaign for Mayor of St. Paul in 1989. The venerable George Latimer, Mayor for the previous 14 years, had decided he would not run for re-election. I was 40 years old, committed to the notion that St. Paul was the place I would raise my family, and I wanted to expand […]

The last 72 hours have been extraordinary ones in American government and politics. On Monday, we saw the Iowa Democratic Party literally self-destruct as Democratic candidates for President and their allies in the one-party media nearly imploded with rage at the failure of the party to do the one thing it was supposed to do […]

There’s not been a modern-day American President who has not hoped to broker peace in the Middle East between Israel and her Arab neighbors. President Donald Trump has joined that list of American Presidents who believe they have a bold enough vision to bring the warring factions of the region together. The Israelis, Saudi Arabi, […]