"[Bush] let highflying bankers and high risk deals go through without much scrutiny."

Barack Obama can "generate a sense of national purpose." - Senator Amy Klobuchar at Columbia.

Amy Klobuchar, the first-term democrat representing Minnesota in the U.S Senate, has a last name so unrecognizable that the student affairs staff that makes the big signs for events mispelled it. However, on-their-game CPU staff caught the error and brought in a new sign at the buzzer, just as Senator Klobuchar was entering Lerner to speak to Columbia students last Sunday.

What could a heartland rep like Klobuchar have to say to some East Coast ivy league Columbia students? A lot.

First, she was funny. She told stories about her husband's adventures as the first man in the senator's spouse club - he got to attend Sen. Jim Webb's wife's baby shower -, another tale of audiences that fainted at her previous speeches, and about her fear that Al Franken - who is running for Minnesota's other senate seat this year - will steal her title as the funniest freshman senator if he wins.

Klobuchar had a heavy dose of anger with the Bush administration. About the ongoing financial crisis, she said that Bush "let highflying bankers and high risk deals go through without much scrutiny." She urged the importance of electing more Democratic senators to overcome filibusters and vetos, citing bills on stem cell research, drug prices, and infrastructure as areas where the GOP has stalled majority legislation.

On the election, she praised Obama for his leadership style and his willingness to ask the people for sacrifices. She contrasted stories of Obama asking Detroit autoworkers to raise fuel efficiency with Bush's mantra after 9/11 that Americans should go shopping. Obama, she claimed, had the ability to "generate a sense of national purpose."

The Q&A was interesting, albeit a little too one-sided and friendly for CubPub. Asked about the upcoming ROTC debates on campus, Klobuchar disagreed with Columbia's current refusal to host ROTC programs. Asked for her thoughts about Sarah Palin, she said that the most troubling part of the Palin pick for her was not experience or background, but her agreements with John McCain.

While CubPub would have liked more debate and some different opinions - but knows how unlikely that is -, we enjoyed the event and look forward to bringing you some video footage.