Former Gov. Andersen talks politics - of all things - at book signing by Howard Lestrud ECM Online Managing Editor He was at a Barnes & Noble Booksellers store in Edina promoting his third book, this one about speeches he has given over his many years of public life. How did former Minnesota Gov. Elmer L. Andersen, 94 years young, promote his new book, I Trust to be Believed: Speeches and Reflections by Elmer L. Andersen? He did it last week by giving an eloquent speech, fielding questions and by being one of Minnesota's most notable citizens. He also had the assistance of Minneapolis Star Tribune editorial writer/columnist Lori Sturdevant who read excerpts from the new book. Andersen has not let his fragile health stand in the way of doing something he likes to do best: talk to people about life and politics. During his 90-minute visit to the bookstore, Andersen took his audience on a path beginning with Minnesota's second governor, Alexander Ramsey and going forward to current Gov. Tim Pawlenty. Andersen also gleamed in a progressive spirit, talking about a possible special session of the Minnesota Legislature and peered into presidential politics. Sturdevant opened the evening reading from a speech Andersen delivered as governor in 1961 and one he delivered last year to the Minnesota Newspaper Association. The subject was essential services and the messages verbalized by Andersen were similar, emphasizing an Andersen premise that taxes people pay can be the best investment they can make. Andersen took the audience back to 1932, a year when banks were closing, people were losing jobs and people were losing their farms. Floyd B. Olson was governor of the state. That was also the year Andersen and Eleanor became married. Andersen humorously recalled asking his employer at that time if he could have some time off for a wedding trip. "'You're planning to do what?'" his employer asked. "I told him I didn't ask him for marriage counseling, I just wanted a week off," Andersen laughed. He informed those in attendance that he and Eleanor will soon observe their 72nd wedding anniversary. Using a line he created at a press conference earlier this year, Andersen said, "I guess it's going to be permanent." Using a keen memory to further trace history of the state, Andersen told of Gov. Olson implementing a new tax in the early 1930s, an income tax. This tax was dedicated to education for 20 years. Taxes got "pretty high" later in the 20th century, Andersen pointed out, but a proper tax bill was not "entered into" and "adopted" until education, highways, parks, public health and defense were addressed. Speaking about the possibility of a special session in ensuing weeks, Andersen said it is important to have prior agreement to calling committee chairs together on "their own time." Bonding and the deficit would first need to be addressed, he said, and anything else accomplished "would be a plus." Andersen said he had a special session during his term in the early 1960s. It was called to deal with reapportionment. Loving to interact with people, Andersen graciously answered every question posed before him. Questions covered the topics of campaign finance, Andersen's opinions on current Gov. Pawlenty and former Gov. Jesse Venturaand his opinion of President Bush. A question asking his opinion on President Bush was asked by a Mendota Heights third grader, Kelton Anderson. "Candidates today are being appraised by the amount of money they raise," said the former governor. "When people become more discerning that spending money is not a measure of a candidate, they will learn that people have the control," Andersen said. Andersen related a personal experience when he was a state senator in 1949. He was approached by a family that urged his support for mental health appropriations. "People often suffer because of inadequate resources," he said. Expressing disappointment about current costly campaigns, Andersen said, "As long as it has an effect, it will be hard to shut off." Prior to fielding a question about Pawlenty and Ventura, Andersen said there "is a fraternity among governors." Having said that, he did not shy away from the question. He said Pawlenty is "an exceedingly able person" but a governor who is "letting his personal ambition dictate his government decisions." Talking about Ventura, Andersen said he believed Ventura meant well but "he had a strange idea about personal income and used the governor's office to exploit his personal income." Andersen said Ventura's election was an aberration of people expressing resentment of two parties. "They came back rather willingly four years later," he offered. In assessing Bush's term in office thus far, Andersen said the Republican Party today has no resemblance to that of 50 years ago. "I find myself, most out of sympathy with President Bush," Andersen said. Andersen said he believes it is "out of character" to have a preemptive strike on Iraq. He said he personally questioned whether Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, was a world threat and had anything to do with 9/11. "Now, we are in a quagmire and don't really know what to do," he said. There's "an element of deceit" in the national administration today, Andersen believes. He said he hopes that there will be a return to the international goodwill that American can create. "We have scorned the United Nations and have to learn to live together. We have to accept one another's religion. I'm not very proud of what our country is doing right now. People have a way to judge and sense." Andersen said stability does exist with the United States Supreme Court assuring equal education and equal rights to all people. He said that stability must continue. "I would like someone else (other than Bush)" making future Supreme Court appointments, he said. Speaking directly to Kelton Anderson, the former governor, businessman and farmer, said, "By the time you grow up, there will be many opportunities for improvement. The wonderful thing about our country is in the power of the people, at the ballot boxes and through volunteer efforts. Kelton, you (and others) can make a difference."