In the name of his father

WASHINGTON - It was only two years after the death of Minnesota's Democratic U.S. Sen. Paul Wellstone, and presidential hopeful Howard Dean was telling audiences that he was from the "Democratic wing of the Democratic party."

David Wellstone thought it was "opportunistic." That was his father's line and it made him mad. Now U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich is running for president, branding himself as a "Wellstone Democrat" -- a label David still thinks might be inappropriate.

The Wellstone legacy has become so intertwined with progressive politics, its origin is all but forgotten. The "Democratic wing of the Democratic party" has been kicked around by Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd, small-town Iowa state Rep. Ed Fallon and other Democrats nationwide. Paul Wellstone's name and some actions are being used to channel the inner liberal of the country's most prominent Democrats.

When Dean used the adage, David promptly asked the campaign to stop. He has not called on the Kucinich camp to do the same, but he does not feel the Ohio Democrat fully represents what his father stood for.

Support in demand

David is in touch with all of the campaigns and "they all want our support," he said, but David said he is far from getting behind anyone.

"Everyone wants to invoke the name," Wellstone said.

Many who were close to Wellstone question Kucinich's ideological and political proximity to the former senator. He has told reporters that the two-term senator was his political idol, but those remaining in the Wellstone camp, dispersed across the country and often distanced from the trenches of partisan politics, are squeamish about Kucinich invoking their former boss's name.

"There's a lot of politicians that would be a closer fit to my father in terms of the full character," David said. "Dennis is doing his thing and firing up folks and I think he's just trying to play to what his base is. My dad had a broader base, that's all."

Wellstone, much like Ronald Reagan and John F. Kennedy, are posthumous heroes of their causes. The progressive left looks toward Wellstone as the Republicans do toward Reagan.

Sam Kaplan, a Democratic financier and close friend to the Wellstone family, said he still thinks about Paul Wellstone and draws a bold line of distinction between the Minnesotan and Kucinich. While watching a Democratic debate a few weeks ago, he was shocked by former Alaska Sen. Mike Gravel and Kucinich's tendency to attack candidates.

"Paul would never do that," Kaplan recalled. "I'm not sure Kucinich wants to accomplish things or he's just making statements."

When asked what the two have in common, Kaplan seemed stumped.

"He is short," Kaplan said. "I guess that's significant."

Kaplan, who supports Barack Obama, said that he thought the label "Wellstone Democrat" has evolved to denote someone who is against the party. The former senator's strength, those close to him say, was his ability to successfully collaborate with Republicans on legislation while keeping progressive ideals intact. He wanted to listen to the other side, and did so calmly, those close to him remembered. Others say a progressive agenda coupled with engaging speech makes a "Wellstone Democrat."

'People's Democrat'

Kucinich, conversely, is considered wholly unelectable by most Democrats and rarely looks for conservative support. But Kucinich's own definition of the label is pretty clear and skirts all such criticism. In an interview this week, the congressman gave a concise description of a "Wellstone Democrat."To be a people's Democrat," he said in a phone interview from New Hampshire. "Someone who is free, independent and willing to take stands on the odds. Someone who stands for public interest. Someone who stands up to leaders tearing apart the Constitution."

Kucinich said he has always endeavored to keep Wellstone's spirit alive in Washington and did so after the Interstate 35W bridge collapsed by introducing bipartisan legislation to rebuild the nation's infrastructure.

"That's the kind of approach that Wellstone would use," Kucinich said. "I worked with other Republican members on a broad range of initiatives. I think Paul was right on that. The American eagle needs two wings to fly."

Bill Lofy, a former Senate intern for Wellstone, former campaign staffer and current communications director for Wellstone Action, said he does not see Kucinich having the ability to join with conservative members of Congress as well as Wellstone did. Lofy said that to earn the title, a politician needs to have a strategy to implement ideals while reaching out to every member of Congress.

"Labels are ultimately meaningless," said Lofy, who also wrote a biography of Wellstone. "Whether you call yourself a Wellstone Democrat or not, are you speaking to the issues that he spent a career fighting for? What it really comes down to is fundamental messages. In reality, those are reflected by John Edwards."

Edwards' actions mirror Wellstone

Indeed, some of Edwards' policies and actions seem to mirror those of Wellstone. Wellstone embarked on a poverty tour in 1998 that followed the model of Robert F. Kennedy's in 1968. Edwards did the same this year. The former North Carolina senator also has made mental health parity a part of his campaign, something for which Wellstonians still fight ardently in Congress.

Those who were close to Wellstone and his ideals said they see Kucinich as a fringe candidate with little chance to succeed. But many of them refuse to publicly latch on to any campaign despite invocation of Wellstone's name or policies.

"Paul was such a unique individual and I think those of us that worked for him felt that we were on a journey," Lofy said. "He talked about taking a journey together. For a lot of us, that journey had ended. It's impossible to create that magic regardless who the politician is."

Right now, David Wellstone refuses to throw his name behind any candidate.

"My dad was so much bigger than just being a liberal lefty politician," David said. "No one gets me excited about politics like my dad, put aside he was my father."

He added, "It's hard to get involved. [Other candidates] may have integrity, drive, passion, the ability to campaign and intelligence, but it's hard for anybody that was involved with my dad to work for somebody else."

Jake Sherman • 202-408-2723