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Ron Brownstein: Mondale 'strongest pick' for Democrats
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Minnesota Democrats have until noon Thursday to choose a ballot replacement for Sen. Paul Wellstone who was killed Friday in a plane crash in his home state. CNN anchor Carol Costello talked with CNN political analyst and Los Angeles Times reporter Ron Brownstein Monday about the Minnesota senate race in the wake of Wellstone's death and its impact on the senate's balance of power. The following is an edited transcript: COSTELLO: It really does look like Walter Mondale is going to be the name put on the ballot. Is this a good thing for Democrats? BROWNSTEIN: Well let's start with the prospect of that. He hasn't said yes formally, but I think it's very unlikely that the state party chairman and the other party leaders would have gone out over the weekend and said he is our first choice if they didn't have a pretty good indication he was going to say yes because, of course, if he said no, you're left with anybody else that you publicly identified as the second choice, which is no way to begin a campaign in the final days. It is clearly the strongest pick the Democrats could make. Over the course of a long campaign, Carol, Walter Mondale might be vulnerable on some issues like his support for raising taxes in his '84 presidential campaign and other questions about whether he represents the past rather than a future. But in a short one-week race overshadowed by this tragic death of Paul Wellstone, his stature is going to be very formidable and it's going to make it tough for the Republicans. It was tough anyway. Wellstone had a lead over Coleman. COSTELLO: The memorial service for Mr. Wellstone and his family and his staff is going to be held today. We don't hear much about the Republican candidate in all of this debate, but the race is very close. What can the Republican candidate do to get the message out after this memorial service? BROWNSTEIN: That's very difficult. Norm Coleman, a former mayor of St. Paul -- a former Democrat, by the way, who switched parties -- the Republican nominee, was running a very strong race. He was one of the better challengers I had seen in the country, but he was still trailing in most polls. Wellstone had a small, but solid lead -- steady lead in most surveys. It's going to be difficult for Coleman. It's going to have to be respectful to the memory of Wellstone. Mondale, a revered figure in the state, was, of course, a vice president, so it will be hard for Coleman. He's going to have to make the case. I think the one argument is that he represents the future, Mondale is a reach back to policies of the past. Not an easy sell, especially in this atmosphere. COSTELLO: With the balance of power in the Senate, on a scale from 1 to 10, how important is this particular race to Democrats and Republicans? BROWNSTEIN: I'd say nine. I mean right now the Democrats really need to hold this seat. There are three vulnerable midwestern incumbent Democrats: Jean Carnahan in Missouri, Tim Johnson in South Dakota and Senator Wellstone was in Minnesota. They really need to hold this seat to maintain a very fragile 50 to 49 balance. It's one the Republicans really would want because it would give them a little margin of error in case they lose elsewhere, in New Hampshire, Colorado or Arkansas seats they now hold themselves.
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