Without question, Jim Oberstar will long be honored as one
of Minnesota’s most effective members of Congress. He had an uncanny ability to
get things done and never shied away from what may have appeared to be an
impossible mission.
Early in my administration, we were beset with the problem
of a takeover of Northwest Airlines and a subsequent request for the state to
lend money in return for some long-term commitments. This came on top of trying
to deal with a multi-billion dollar deficit and passing a highly controversial
wetlands protection bill. Believe me, we needed friends, particularly on the
Democratic side of the aisle.
And help came. Shortly after the Northwest Airlines
takeover, we reached out to Congressman Jim Oberstar because it affected his
district and no one in Congress was more versed on transportation issues. He
responded and came onboard with full enthusiasm and an endless array of
solutions. Never once did he raise a partisan concern. No, he folded up his
sleeves, joined the team, and made the ultimate package a bi-partisan
effort. What was impressive was his
knowledge of the issues as well as the players involved. But at all times, his
focus was on keeping the 20,000 plus jobs in Minnesota and preserving Minnesota
as a hub. He was the Lou Gehrig of our lineup.
Later, in visiting Washington, I got to know him more as a
person. He was a genuine renaissance man. His education and intellectual curiosity was
first rate. After graduating from St. Thomas University in St. Paul, he
received his M.A. from the College of Europe in Belgium and was fluent in six
languages including French. But he was
also a top-flight historian. I suspect
he had a hard time making a career choice being torn between teaching at a
University or serving in Congress. From my experience, I can tell you he did a
lot of both.
One day, he took me on a tour of Congress and pointed out
where various historical debates occurred, the contents of the debates, and the
colorful stories that surrounded those historical moments. I was dazzled by his
brilliance and his retention of history.
Jim Oberstar was a superb example of the best in public
service. He understood that partisanship and political competition was a means
to attaining office but that the end goal was to develop good public policy. To achieve that end, he was willing to reach
across the partisan divide. I was honored to be his partner.
