MINN: Body Of Former (Liberal Republican) Governor To Lie In State

St. Paul (AP) Gov. Elmer L. Andersen will lie in state Thursday, a rare privilege afforded fewer than a dozen Minnesotans in the past.

His casket will be in the Capitol rotunda from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. for the public to pay its respects.

The bodies of former governors Orville Freeman, who died last year, and Harold Stassen, who died in 2001, were also placed in state at the Capitol.

Andersen died Monday night at age 95. The liberal Republican served as governor for one term in the early 1960s and later served on the University of Minnesota board of regents.
http://wcco.com/localnews/local_story_322124020.html

Liberal Republican?? Oh yeah... that would have been the 60s

Republicans of that era would be equivalent to Democrats today. It's how Minnesota got to have such a great quality of life. And now today's Republicans are dismantling everything with glee.

I'd like to know.

Paul got to lie in state as well.

"I am more fearful for the state of this nation than I have ever been -- because this country is in the hands of an evil man: Dick Cheney. It is eminently clear that it is he who is running the country, not George W. Bush."



http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/101704X.shtml
Why this Republican Ex-Governor will be Voting for Kerry
by Elmer L Andersen (age 95) October 13, 2004

snip...

Liberal Republicans of my era and mind-set used to have a humane and reasonable platform. We advocated the importance of higher education, health care for all, programs for children at risk, energy conservation and environmental protection. Today, Bush and Cheney give us clever public relations names for programs -- need I say "No Child Left Behind? -- but a lack of funding to support them. Early childhood education programs and overall health care are woefully underfunded. We have not only the largest number ever of medically uninsured in this nation, our infant mortality rates, once among the lowest in the world, have worsened to 27th.

As taxes for the wealthy are being cut, jobs are being outsourced if not lost and children are homeless and uninsured, this administration is running up the biggest deficit in U.S. history -- bound to be a terrible burden for future generations.

This imperialistic, stubborn adherence to wrongful policies and known untruths by the Cheney-Bush administration -- and that's the accurate order -- has simply become more than I can stand.

Although I am a longtime Republican, it is time to make a statement, and it is this: Vote for Kerry-Edwards, I implore you, on Nov. 2.

Wikipedia entry for Elmer L Andersen
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elmer_Lee_Andersen

It's real, open and friendly- unlike the demonic grimaces of the Corporatists in power today.

You can tell Mr. Andersen was a real republican, one with whom I still probably would have disagreed on a number of subjects, but with whom I could actually have conversed and found *some* common ground. Too bad there aren't enough like him left.

I hope his family is doing as well as can be expected given the circumstances.

politicos - one said he spent time with Andersen very recently and they met with (I think it was) the King of Norway. Andersen, even at age 95, asked about Norway's healthcare system, wanting to know if there were aspects we could import to Minnesota, for the common good.

Another told of Andersen being a wealthy business owner (Fuller Company) who in the 50s was watching out for his employees and providing benefits.

I didn't know much about him until this week - but from everything I've heard and read, he was a statesman and we desperately need people like him to step up and get elected.

Agreed I did not know much about the guy at all either. I wish I did. Minnesota has a long line of progressives and we need to put Minnesota back in the hands of progressives! 2 years!

On the local news in West Michigan, they said Anderson was the first graduate of Muskegon Junior College, now Muskegon Community College.

he once referred to "liberal Republicans" as those who believe lethal injections should be delivered on comfy mattresses.