Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar abruptly ended her presidential bid on Monday, one day before her home state’s presidential primary, where she had been running ahead late last month.
Her decision is a blow to voters in this state who were excited to cast a ballot for a hometown candidate who represented some of the best Minnesota has to offer. But Minnesotans can still be proud that Klobuchar conducted a campaign with integrity, common sense and strong respect for the middle ground that so many Americans prefer.
Even when running behind better-funded and better-known candidates, Klobuchar refused to pander to voters. She told them hard truths about what was possible and how best to achieve the progress needed on so many fronts. In a race that started out with a field so large that debates were staged over two nights, Klobuchar managed to outlast many of the candidates. Her moderate message resonated widely enough to bring her a number of endorsements, including from the Star Tribune Editorial Board.
But after a surprisingly strong third-place finish in New Hampshire, Klobuchar began to trail badly, coming in sixth in Nevada and South Carolina. Then came the debacle of a planned rally in St. Louis Park on Sunday night that was thwarted by activists who took over the stage and prevented Klobuchar from speaking.
Activists are upset about a case Klobuchar prosecuted as Hennepin County attorney. Myon Burrell was tried and convicted of the 2002 murder of 11-year-old Tyesha Edwards. The case later was tried a second time and reviewed by the Minnesota Supreme Court. An Associated Press report recently raised questions about inconsistencies in the case. Klobuchar has said any new evidence should be reviewed, and last week Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman defended her handling of the case and said it “should not be treated like a political football.”
But protesters felt that wasn’t enough. They are entitled to make their concerns known and pursue options for overturning the conviction, but they went too far by preventing Klobuchar from speaking at all. Their all-or-nothing approach is what has contributed to deep polarization in this country. Mob rule is never good, no matter what side it comes from.
Klobuchar, true to form, is packing away her own disappointments and within hours was planning to join her presidential-race rival Pete Buttigieg in endorsing former Vice President Joe Biden at a rally in Dallas. It’s not easy to shutter one’s own campaign on a day’s notice and immediately begin stumping for someone else. Minnesota can be proud of Klobuchar for taking a hard blow but barely pausing in the fight for a larger goal.
