Posted on 12/02/2001 4:59:12 AM PST by codebreaker
To hear the political buzz in Minnesota-and that is all it is-Gov. Jesse Ventura is giving some thought to trying to unseat Sen. Paul Wellstone next year instead of seeking re-election.
Governor Ventura, a famously vocal independent, usually has a comment on just about everything.
But of his political future, he has said nothing definitive, refusing not only to address the Senate rumour but also to say whether he will run for a second term as governor.
Remember, too: Jesse's not a libertarian, although he appears to be. He's much more socially liberal than he is fiscally conservative. Sure, he'd be for tax cuts and other fiscally conservative things, but as with most social liberals, they view the right to kill the unborn and butt-slam their buddies over lower taxes, etc.
I absolutely guarantee you that Jesse would caucus with the Democrats.
You guys think Wellstone is bad, and I certainly tend to agree, that he is more of an 'honest' liberal than the rest of the RATS, but that is almost an oxymoron. And that 'honesty' just means he doesn't mask his fundamental oppositon to almost every tenet of the American notion of individual liberty with reciprocal duties of citizenship, and of capitalism and free enterprise. His 'honesty' does not get anything other than sheltered coverage in the local media from the 'Red Star' to 'Channel 4-Karl Marx'. Dislodging him will be difficult, as Wellstone doesn't have to answer the tough questions (although he 'honestly' is more than happy to, his career is protected by these local yokels who run interference for him). Ventura would definitely be worse, as he runs conservative, and then is basically worse than most RINOs. He would definitely be FAR LEFT of Trent Lott. He may well make this run because (1) It is do-able, and will not involve a dust-up over his record as much as a another term as governor and he can run on his still lingering popularity (although the evidence is he has dropped 25 points in the last few months). And...you may have difficulty believing this but it is true: (2) Jesse fears the conservative christian GOP gubernatorial candidate Brian Sullivan, who is precisely aimed at taking the governship back from him, as he is not a 'politician' but a self-made millionaire who runs schools, among other things, and KNOWS the issues, and is unflinching at the 'culture war' implicit in their clash. Unlike Jesse, virtually everyone is favorably impressed personally with Sullivan. Never underestimate the power of charm and grace. And Jesse's record is blowing apart, when it is explained what kind of tax cuts we could have had instead of the feeble excuses for what we got, plus a demented choo-choo project that will move nobody but criminals to and from the Mega Mall--and stymied all major road projects, and perpetuated Hillary's Profile of Learning curricular disaster in the schools. Nothing to brag about.
That alone separates him from all D's and most R's...
I agree, but my point is that one can have a constructive argument with an honest liberal as opposed to a Fabian socialist.
Bring back HHH!
Oh, I don't know, maybe not zealously push for Hillarycare, the rollback of welfare reform, tax hikes, and income redistribution of every description like this "honest liberal" does. The Republican, Norm Coleman, isn't some Jeffords/Chafee type, anyway.
And to say that Liddy Dole is no different than Wellstone makes even less sense than the idea that Dubya was no different than Gore! Times may change, but the Buchananuts stay the same; it may come as a thunderous shock to you Jethro, but there are other issues besides immigration.
The universal defining characteristic of a Senator, regardles of political persuasion, is a huge ego. Jesse would fit right in.
Hasn't stopped McSHAME, that loser.
I know what you mean. I sometimes admire him for that, although I disagree with about 99% of what he says are his priorities. He's certainly a lot more honorable than John McSHAME.
Think what you want of Ventura...he was a SEAL.
Overall, I agree with the opinions he's expressed on issues from welfare to gun ownership. It seems to me the guy has a great deal of common sense. Perhaps he got his views from his days as a Navy Seal.
I say we give this man a chance.
Just the thought of the fireworks that would spring up between McInsane the anti-gun Republican and Ventura the vocal pro-Second Amendment opinionator is well...fascinating.
If he runs, I hope he wins.
If he runs, I hope he wins
Actually during last years Presidential campaign Ventura was quite deferential to McCain and Gore. Ventura is no conservative, but a loud mouthed buffoon.
Anybody who calls an abortion the same thing as an appendectomy doesn't have it all upstairs.
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