When Ryan Harris finds his parents late Saturday night at Bobby Dodd Stadium, the three will talk about Notre Dame's season opener at Georgia Tech. But once football is out of the way, the Minnesota family may launch into a discussion of how President George W. Bush's approval ratings may affect mid-term elections or what the future holds in the Israel-Lebanon conflict.

Atypical post-game chatter? That depends on who's talking.

Harris enjoyed a progressive upbringing in Minnesota and attended Cretin-Derham Hall in St. Paul, a program that prepared him for future fame. But long before Harris showed signs of a future in football, he flashed a political promise that prompted some friends to call him "the future governor of Minnesota."

The path to politics for Harris started in grade school when he joined the Solidarity Kids Theater group, an organization run by a University of Minnesota professor. Not only did Harris act in plays focused on child labor laws, he often wrote them.

Aside from getting involved in student government in high school - Harris served as co-president his senior year - he did internships with Minnesota senator Mark Dayton and St. Paul mayor Randy Kelly, work that put the offensive lineman on both sides of the aisle.

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