Minnesota Now

The 1950 film “Summer Stock” was Judy Garland’s last with MGM. She sang and danced to the song “Get Happy” while carrying the burdens of an addiction and a career in decline.

In a new book about the musical, fellow Minnesotans David Fantle and Tom Johnson tell the story behind Garland’s performance next to co-star Gene Kelly. And they introduce readers to folks behind the scenes, like producer Joe Pasternak, who tried to make films that gave people an escape from grief and trauma. The movie came out just a few years after the Holocaust and World War II.

David Fantle and Tom Johnson are returning to St. Paul to talk about their book, “Get Happy: The Making of Summer Stock” at the Twin Cities Jewish Film Festival. They joined MPR News guest host Nina Moini.

Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.

Subscribe to the Minnesota Now podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.  

We attempt to make transcripts for Minnesota Now available the next business day after a broadcast. When ready they will appear here. 

As President Joe Biden visits Minnesota, U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips remains on an introductory swing in New Hampshire in his bid for the presidential nomination. He has his first town hall meeting Wednesday in the Granite State and joined Cathy Wurzer on Morning Edition.

• 
  
  Biden heads for Minnesota to showcase rural goals amid global instability
  
  

The following transcript has been edited for clarity. Listen to the full conversation using the audio player above.

Well, I would have loved to see him face-to-face. And I would have given him a hug and expressed my gratitude, and then expressed the country's desire to pass the torch, to turn the page. 80 percent of the country, as he well knows, is looking for new leadership.

The president knows that over 50 percent of Democrats are looking for a different nominee. And the president knows that 83 percent of Democrats under 30 years old are looking for a new nominee.

The president also knows that he's trailing Donald Trump by nine points nationally, the president knows that he's trailing Donald Trump in five of the six battleground states. And the president knows that his approval ratings are at historic lows of 37 percent as of last week. And the president knows that his vice president is even lower at 33 percent. And the President knows that if Democrats don't win the next election, Donald Trump will be the president.

And that's what this is about, Cathy. It is a fundamental issue of the existential threat to the United States of America and democracy as we know it. And I would have thanked him for being the bridge that he promised to be. I would have thanked him for being the transitional President that he promised to be. And I would have thanked him for leading the country through difficult years. But I believe the president also knows the country's ready for change, and to pass the torch, and I'm presenting a bold vision for the future — a reunification or repairing, if you will — of the country, and demonstrating respect for all people, regardless of races, colors, religions and politics. And it is time for this country to move on. Because we are in crisis. We need bold leadership and it's time for a new generation. And that's what I would have said.

That's why I'm running Cathy, I just made that case a moment ago. That's exactly why an alternative Democrat needed to run. It is me now and Marianne Williamson are the two other options. Donald Trump will win the next election if it is President Biden versus Donald Trump. That's what the numbers are saying. That's what I'm hearing around the country. That's what members of Congress are beginning to understand. That's what James Carville, that's what Dave Wasserman, that's what David Ignatius — the great writers and pollsters and pundits in this country all know.

And it is a red alert. If… if Democrats want to see another Trump presidency, they have the choice to vote for President Biden. If Democrats do not want another Donald Trump presidency, they should have a choice. And all I'm doing is presenting a choice that I know America is looking for. My name recognition is low, my energy is high. My vision for the future — bold, and I'm starting to introduce myself to the country. I will be respectful. I will be thoughtful. I will be strong. And I will meet everybody where they're at. And that's how we're going to run a race.

And that's what Democrats do. We offer alternatives. We offer choices. And that's why we have primaries. And I also want to say, Cathy, Cornel West running as an independent, Robert Kennedy Jr. running as an independent, other groups contemplating running as independent candidates. That is dangerous. If Democrats wish to lose the election to Donald Trump, that's how you do it. You put up President Biden, you have third party candidates running.

We need to mobilize into a primary and let Democratic voters all around the country select who they believe is best positioned to win the next election. That's how things work in this country. Thank goodness.

I wouldn't get out. But I would certainly welcome others. In fact, that's what this is about. I believe Democrats should be encouraging participation. Why are we suppressing candidates? It's happening all around the country. Coronations instead of competitions. So my invitation is into this race still. If there are people who are prepared, of good character, who can present alternatives for voters to select, by all means still do it.

I'm glad Ron Harris has entered the race against me in Minnesota. I think primaries are healthy. And I'm encouraging others to look at it the same way. I don't think politicians should be protecting their power. I think people should be selecting those who they want to represent them in positions of power. And we are facing a crisis, not just because of domestic turmoil, international wars, we are facing a domestic crisis of suppression. And it's true. And I'm going to elevate that, because that is the case. And and it's dangerous, Cathy. It's very dangerous. And all I'm saying is people should have the freedom to choose. It's not rocket science.

These are always challenging questions for me, mainly because he's a personal friend. And I don't understand what he's doing. I guess we have that in our life, friends and family who sometimes do crazy things, and we try and understand why. But as far as the president goes, and as far as things happen out here, it is absolutely irrelevant. We're focusing on the things that the president is getting done.

Well, you know, Cathy, a million Americans have given their life in defense of our country and its freedom. My father, among them, lost his life in Vietnam fighting for freedom. My role in this day and age, at this very moment, is doing the exact same thing as a representative in a government that is completely detached from the people that they are supposed to represent.

Gov. Walz is a friend of mine, too. I think his words, frankly, are absurd. And he knows it because he sees the same polls that I do. He knows the same risk that I do. He knows that President Biden is not well positioned to beat Donald Trump, Donald Trump is going to be the nominee of the GOP almost certainly. And I do not know how people of good conscience, people in positions of power, could look at what is going on, could listen to voters, if they chose to do so, and make any other determination than we are facing a red alert, we are sleepwalking into an election in which the future of American democracy is absolutely at risk.

And for Gov. Walz, or anybody else who makes comments like that, I do not understand how one could argue — as a Democrat mind you — how one could argue that having an alternative choice for Americans to select is bad for Minnesota, bad for the United States of America, and certainly right now, bad for the world. And Gov. Walz also knows that if I am not successful, I will wrap up my campaign, and I will give the same amount of energy, time and support to the eventual Democratic nominee, including President Biden, because that's how we do it in America in primaries.

What is happening right now, Cathy, is the political-industrial complex is showing America what it really is: a group of people who wish to protect their positions at the expense of the very people they're supposed to be representing. And when Democrats of all people start suppressing candidacies — of decent people, people of character, people of competency — we are literally destroying the very democracy that we are supposed to be building, and to which we have taken an oath to defend. And it is that important.

And I say to those who are saying those things, Cathy, look in the mirror, and then look at the numbers, and then look around at this country and what people are trying to say to our elected officials. And I gotta tell you, again, the beautiful thing about campaigning, Cathy, the most beautiful thing about getting out and meeting people, is the appetite for change. The anger at the institutions is much worse than I even imagined six days ago when I started my campaign. And if I have to take the arrows, and if I lose my career over this, I will have done what a million Americans before me have done, which is to literally put themselves on the line for the future of the country. If that bothers people…

Well, Cathy, believe it or not, we're going to win New Hampshire. And I do believe I will become the Democratic nominee because the good news is, still in this country, the great United States, voters make the decision. And despite what President Biden and the powers that be will try to do to prevent that, I promise you, if American voters are given that choice to vote, if they're given the choice, I believe they will make the right choice to defeat Donald Trump and start changing how our country moves to the future.

Because if we think that using the same people in the same process and the same tools that people like President Biden had been using for 50 years… President Biden became a Senator when I was 3 years old, Cathy.

Then that’s the case right there. If people listening right now think that the future will be made by doing the same thing with the same people in the same way, and it's going to work out just fine, I'd like to meet you. Spend 15 seconds with me, with what I have left. Thank you.

Listen to the full conversation using the audio player above.

A coalition of more than 40 corporate, civic and philanthropic organizations in Minnesota announced Tuesday that it’s received pledges of nearly $1 billion to help build wealth in Black communities.

The GroundBreak Coalition was formed after the murder of George Floyd to help close racial wealth gaps in Minnesota, by expanding opportunities for homeownership, entrepreneurship and commercial development.

The pledges announced Tuesday come from 10 foundations and financial institutions. They represent “a significant step towards GroundBreak’s goal of mobilizing $5.3 billion over the next decade to equitably expand wealth-building through an innovative approach shaped by community members,” the coalition announced in a news release.

Organizers said each dollar of that money can unlock $3 in private-sector capital for “aspiring homeowners, entrepreneurs and commercial developers.”

Financial tools and products from the initial money pledged are slated to be available to people in the region by the end of next year.

Speaking to a large gathering on Tuesday morning in Minneapolis, McKnight Foundation President Tonya Allen said the goal is to “reimagine how dollars flow in our region.”

“Fundamentally, it’s helping people realize their aspirations. Now, that might seem like a really simple statement. But a lot of times, we all come to this talking about how we want to close people’s gaps — as if people are deficits. Well, in actuality, the people we’re talking about are assets, and they have aspirations. And if we can help them achieve that, then we are all better as a result of it,” she told the crowd.

“When we change who the money flows to, with the focus on building wealth in the BIPOC communities, and starting with Black wealth-builders, we increase prosperity for everyone,” she said.

The GroundBreak statement said its efforts would include a new mortgage product “that would allow financial institutions to offer the same or similar special bank loans with flexible underwriting. For homebuyers, this means a set of banks across the region would expand eligibility for loans by adopting less stringent methods of assessing risk such as high credit scores and personal wealth.”

The coalition also aims to provide financial assistance to homebuyers, and to help homeowners cover emergency repairs. That money will be distributed through existing nonprofits, banks and community groups.

Kevin Bennett is senior program officer for the Minneapolis-based GHR Foundation. He said Tuesday the pledges of more than $1 billion mean “that these resources will start flowing abundantly, reliably — and most importantly, permanently. So that aspiring homeowners, small business owners, developers can pursue the type of transformation that we want in our community.”

Gov. Tim Walz called the effort “transformational.”

“It’s essential to our survival as a state, both morally and economically, that you’re successful,” he told the crowd Tuesday.

“If this does not happen, we will continue to deal with the issues that we’ve dealt with. We will continue to spin. We will continue to wring our hands and talk about our homeownership rates being some of the highest in the nation’s — until we desegregate the data and they’re not.”

The 10 banks and foundations who pledged the $926.75 million announced Tuesday include Bremer Bank, Bush Foundation, GHR Foundation, Huntington Bank, M.A. Mortenson Companies Inc., Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies, McKnight Foundation, Pohlad Foundation, Securian Financial and U.S. Bank.

If you haven’t heard his name, you’ve definitely heard his music: Minnesota native Dan Wilson is a musician and lead singer in the alternative rock group Semisonic, who hit it big with 1998’s “Closing Time.”

But as a songwriter, Dan has also written hits for dozens of artists, including Adele, The Chicks, Taylor Swift and Phantogram.

Semisonic will release their first new album in over 20 years Friday. It’s called “Little Bit of Sun.”

Dan Wilson joined MPR News reporter Nina Moini to talk about it.

Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.

Subscribe to the Minnesota Now podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.  

We attempt to make transcripts for Minnesota Now available the next business day after a broadcast. When ready they will appear here. 

Did you make it to work okay today? Hundreds of people got into accidents during our first snow of the season. We check in with MNDOT on why the first flakes always create a mess on the roads.

Mary Lou Falcone’s PR career in classical music took off in St. Paul. Now she’s putting herself in the spotlight to shed light on caregiving and Lewy Body Dementia.

Nearly $1 billion will be going to close the racial wealth gap in the Twin Cities. We hear more on the major announcement.

And Minnesota musician Dan Wilson joins us ahead of the release of his first album in 20 years.

A new coalition has raised nearly $1 billion to create wealth-building opportunities for Black homeowners, entrepreneurs and commercial developers. It’s called “GroundBreak” and it is made up of more than 40 philanthropic, private and public institutions.

“It means that these resources will start flowing abundantly, reliably, and most importantly, permanently. So that aspiring homeowners, small business owners, developers can pursue the type of transformation that we want in our community,” Kevin Bennet, senior program officer for the Minneapolis-based GHR Foundation, said during a public announcement Tuesday.

The coalition grew from the murder of George Floyd, which brought to light gross inequities for Black people in Minnesota. The $1 billion investment aims to go beyond grants to transform financial systems that have long disadvantaged Black people.

MPR News reporter Nina Moini spoke with McKnight Foundation President Tonya Allen, who is helping leading this charge.

Mary Lou Falcone was a talented singer and then a publicist for some of the biggest classical musical stars of our time, like conductor Gustavo Dudamel and opera singer Renee Fleming. She has advised institutions like Carnegie Hall, the Chicago Symphony, the New York Philharmonic — the list goes on. She started her public relations career with the Saint Paul Opera back in 1974. And she returns to Minnesota this week to share her own story.

MPR News Host Cathy Wurzer spoke with Falcone about her new memoir, I Didn’t See it Coming: Scenes of Love, Loss, and Lewy Body Dementia, which details her journey of caregiving for her husband, the artist and pioneering rock ‘n’ roller Nicky Zann. He died of Lewy Body Dementia in 2020.

If you like wearing sweatshirts and jackets over your Halloween costume, you won’t mind Tuesday's forecast. For the rest of us, Minnesota proves to be the worst place in the world for trick-or-treaters, with temperatures expected to drop as low as 15 degrees in parts of the state.

A few inches of snow overnight and into the morning snarled traffic across the state, causing over 300 crashes and spinouts on Minnesota highways. MPR News guest host Nina Moini talked with Anne Meyer of MnDOT for details on Halloween road conditions.

Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.

Subscribe to the Minnesota Now podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.  

We attempt to make transcripts for Minnesota Now available the next business day after a broadcast. When ready they will appear here. 

The Minnesota Hockey community is mourning today after a former standout with the UMD men's hockey team died in a freak accident during a game overseas. We remember Adam Johnson.

And we hear from Palestinian Minnesotans, who are waiting with a sense of dread for news from Gaza as the death toll continues to mount.

The head of the Sahan Journal news organization announced today he is stepping down. We talk with Mukhtar Ibrahim about the decision and what comes next.

And we catch up with Minneapolis musician Mike Kota, named one of First Avenue's best new bands of 2022. We hear a bit of her new EP out next month.

Minneapolis singer-songwriter Mike Kota has had an exciting year that started back in January when she was featured in First Avenue’s Best New Bands of 2022 concert.

This past spring and summer, she opened for Hozier and Shakey Graves. Kota’s new EP, Turning a Corner, comes out Nov. 13. She joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer to talk about it.

Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.

Subscribe to the Minnesota Now podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.  

We attempt to make transcripts for Minnesota Now available the next business day after a broadcast. When ready they will appear here.