Al Franken: “when my wife Frannie and I decided that I should run for the Senate, we were greatly influenced by the example set by…”

“when my wife Frannie and I decided that I should run for the Senate, we were greatly influenced by the example set by Senator Paul Wellstone and his wife Sheila. The Wellstone example serves as a constant reminder of what public service is all be about. It is about helping others. It is about giving a voice to those who otherwise might go unheard. It is about making the law more just and more fair, especially for those who need its protections the most. Frannie and I have a personal responsibility to carry on the Wellstones' legacy. We all do. And you know what, I think Paul and Sheila would be proud of what we are doing here today. We are on the verge of reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act. Paul and Sheila were extraordinary people. An unlikely couple, Sheila was born in Kentucky to Southern Baptist parents. Paul was born here in Washington, the son of Russian-Jewish immigrants. But love and fate--they work in mysterious ways--brought Paul and Sheila together. Sheila's family moved to Washington, where she and Paul became high school sweethearts. Paul went to North Carolina for college, and Sheila went back to Kentucky. But a freshman year apart was more than they could bear. Sheila moved to North Carolina to be with Paul. They got married. A year later they were proud parents. They eventually would have two more children. The Wellstones were a big happy family. After Paul earned his Ph.D.…”