Jesse Ventura changes mind; endorses KERRY

[troublemaker]

ST. PAUL - Former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura has officially endorsed Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry.

The announcement was made during a 30-minute news conference at the State Office Building. The former Minnesota was there, but did not make any comments.

Just days ago, Ventura had said that he did not plan to support Kerry or President Bush this election year.

Also at the news conference was former Maine Gov. Angus King, who was the only other third-party governor during Ventura's years in office. He said Ventura changed his mind and decided to endorse Kerry.

http://www.kstp.com/article/stories/S3582.html?cat=1

[NewYorkerfromMass]

1. This is great. It has national significance too. eom

[Garth Newman]

69. Your Right

This is very good news. This could represent the tipping point that people need to finally make their decision. The Bush team must be very pleased with Jesse's decision.

[indigobusiness]

2. Well, there goes the neighborhood.

Oh, well...

[Merlin]

22. LMAO !

Very funny comment.
:-)

[indigobusiness]

32. I'll be here all week...

Be sure to tip your waitress...

[David__77]

3. Hopefully that helps among some of those MN independents.

This is not surprising. I thought he was wrong to side with the GOP during the aftermath of Wellstone's death. But I welcome his current support completely.

[JuniorPlankton]

4. Is he still popular in MN?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

10. He disappointed a lot of people.

I voted for him because the other two candidates were so lame and weaselly. (One of them, Weasel Norm Coleman, ended up with Wellstone's Senate seat, though he was unworthy to empty Paul's garbage.) He offered a refreshing alternative to the empty suits the major parties were offering. Unfortunately, after awhile he got pretty full of himself and seemed to be running the state mainly to benefit his own ego. Even so, I still hear people say they'd vote for him again because he's independent and "not a career politician." So I think the endorsement might help a little, and at least won't hurt. MN seems to be pretty solidly in Kerry's column now, anyhow.

[truthisfreedom]

36. it helps, though. gives me a warm fuzzy. jesse's ok, he's just not cut

out for politics. a bit inflexible, but i suppose that goes with the territory (pro wrestler).

[LiberalFighter]

49. Was that picture like that before? I just notice the idiot has shrunk

[HereSince1628]

42. Well you said that nicely

I would have said something more like Jesse the Body was an anti-intellectual jerk.

I lived in Minnesota during his governorship and I have nothing good to say about his governance.

[wellstone dem]

55. I would have to say

he didn't do badly with his judicial appointments. But otherwise he seemed in it for himself. Tax policies focused on how a proposal would affect him. And don't get me started on how he talked about and treated low-income people.

[Voltaire99]

47. Yes, I voted for him for the same reason

And he disappointed me, too, although I must say my expectations were low. In the end it was still satisfying denying Coleman and Humphrey, two utter hacks, the seat.

Ventura's paranoid crack-up--he left amid almost Nixonian levels of suspicion and mistrust--was a sorry sight, but as throughout his tenure there were plusses. His abuse of the corporate media was amusing, if self-aggrandizing. And he could be relied upon to say things that upset the average middle of the roader terribly, which is always refreshing.

[mzmolly]

19. Kind of, he has a sort of *cult* following. Interestingly enough

the polls were WAY off base when he won the election because of massive amounts of college students/young voters who supported him.

;)

[uncle ray]

38. i lived in MN then

and voted for ventura, i got the same vibe now, that there are a LOT of people who's opinions are not being reflected in the polls.

ventura didn't do bad as gov, it's the republicans and democrats that did him bad.

[Cha]

51. I just thought of something..in addition to Jesse's

"cult following" in Minnesota..there must be a lot of wrestling fans and sports fans out there who admire him:D

[amber dog democrat]

5. Thank you Jessie

You are there when it counts.

[jayfish]

6. Whats With The "Just For Men"...

beard? Anyhow, this is a good endorsement.

Jay

[troublemaker]

7. This is ENORMOUS (IMO) Ventura is the quintessential McCain independent

I think McCain/Tom Clancy/Anthony Zinni hawkish independents are a key demo.

And I will bet money that Sinclair was the last straw for veteran Ventura

[iamjoy]

75. Do These Things Carry Weight?

I mean, sure, it could make Kerry seem stronger. CW says the problems w/Kerry - too intellectual, too much of a politician, he's deep, but...Dubya's just a regular guy...

Well, you couldn't get much more un-political than Ventura. Ventura isn't deep. He's tough. His vote of confidence for Kerry has weight because he seems the total opposite of Kerry (I mean in style more than anything else).

But does anyone go, well if so-and-so likes this candidate, he/she can't be so bad?

[rockydem]

8. I was pretty sure he couldn't stand *

Ventura is a libertarian - he would hate *'s prattle about religion, etc...

Ventura is a proud athiest - a rarity amongst politicians.

[Quadrajet]

17. "Religion is a crutch for the weak minded."

"Religion is a crutch for the weak minded."

When he said that, it really opened my eyes. Finally, someone in office without any ties to religion. There's no way he could have sided with Bush.

I feel that the combination of Operation Truth and Jesse's endorsement will really help Kerry in the long run.

Thanks Jesse!!

[demokatgurrl]

26. Optruth, unfortunately, doesn't get any publicity.

I only heard about on this site. They have a great site too but no one knows about it.

[Wind Dancer]

39. Fortunately, AAR has started advertising now!

[stevedeshazer]

50. Operation Truth is great

See the TV ad on their site, it's powerful.

http://www.optruth.org/main.cfm?actionId=globalShowStaticContent&screenKey=mediaCampaign&lnav=2

[crossroads]

74. Enjoyed the site... thanks.

:dem:

[cthrumatrix]

9. sincere thank you to Jesse..... :-)

[ochazuke]

11. Quick, send Jesse to Ohio to arm wrestle AHHnold

Seriously, this is a meaningful endorsement if he actually does something, like appear onstage with Kerry, or do ads for Kerry.

[truthpusher]

12. Not showing on CNN, MSNBC, Drudge, ABC or CBS yet

Let's make sure they don't try to bury this!!

[Auntie Bush]

14. It probably won't show up either. We gotta email them.

[mzmolly]

20. Blast it.

:hi:

[livinbella]

13. A pleasant surprise

[4_Legs_Good]

15. Cool! Maybe he and Arnold can have a smack down to see who

becomes President. I wonder who would win...

david

[jwirr]

57. I am not a Jesse supporter

since I am among those poor he always put down but between Arnold and Jesse I would bet on Jesse anyday. He is real.

[Downtown Hound]

16. I'm not a huge Ventura fan, but this is good news.

I don't have a problem with the man's positions on many issues, although I do disagree on some, but he just strikes me as being a camera ham. Like pro wrestling itself, he's all show and no substance. What the hell was he doing announcing for the XFL when he was supposed to be the governor of a state?

[Love Bug]

18. I wonder what changed his mind?

I'm sure we'll hear all about it. Jesse sure loves the spotlight.

[kostya]

21. Might have something to do with this about NG:

http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq/20083/

1st paragraph:
The real scandal about Bush and the National Guard is not what he did—or avoided doing—during Vietnam; it is the damage Bush is doing to the National Guard today through his utter mismanagement of the war in Iraq, thereby risking the security of Americans at home. So declared former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura at a recent event focused on transforming the reserve component of the U.S. military. Last week's presidential debate made it clear that John Kerry agrees. Kerry told our ill-equipped, overstretched, and over-deployed military reserves that "Help is on the way." Ventura’s ire—and Kerry's pledge to the troops and their families—bring into focus an important policy question, which underpinned the conference where Ventura spoke: Is the purpose of the Guard and Reserve to defend the American homeland or to augment the active-duty military wherever in the world it is engaged?

Kerry On!

K

B-)

[dansolo]

23. Ventura realizes the damage that Bush is doing

To all of our armed forces. He sees past the rhetoric. If anything would influence his support, this probably would be tops on the list.

[DinahMoeHum]

24. Well, Ventura IS an ex-Navy SEAL. No way is he going to endorse

chickenhawk pissants like Bush. And most especially not after that "Top Gun" stunt Bush pulled aboard an aircraft carrier.


:evilgrin:

[Chicago Democrat]

25. Ill bet it was the Operation Truth guys who won him over.

His endorsement on their website is a worthy listen.


http://optruth.org/main.cfm#

[Ruby Romaine]

27. Google news 14 hits only!

[lovuian]

28. Thanks Jesse !!! NOT!!! Tell that to Wellstone

!@#$%^

[MsUnderstood]

29. Lets send him to Ohio and let him wrestle

with the California Governor Arnold for who should be prez. I'd pay to watch it!

[aden_nak]

30. Some people may freak out, but this is a good thing.

Ventura plays to an audience that probably otherwise leaned vaguely towards Bush. He's certainly got the "macho persona" down to a degree that makes Bush look like a bashful bridesmaid by comparison. He's the kind of guy "you'd want to have a few beers with". And as much as that SHOULDN'T matter, apparently, to some people, it does.

[antigone382]

59. Between Ventura and Eminem

We may just get a good portion of the badass macho man vote. Not my favorite demographic, necessarily, but if we can get just a small percentage of them "in our corner" (pun shamelessly and unapologetically intended), I don't know how we could lose this election.

A link with the lyrics to Eminem's new anti-B*sh, anti-war song! He's using the "rebel yell" thing against the bushistas!!
http://www.juancole.com/

[lojasmo]

67. Are you talking about guys

with confederate flags and gun racks in their trucks?

Shame on you!

[demokatgurrl]

77. cute wolves. n/t

[0007]

31. Hunk Hogan sez Ventura is a lying stinking wimp that has bad morals.

Hogan sez a true champion would vote for Kerry

[Robeson]

34. He also said he wanted to settle this once....

...and for all with Venutura, in the ring, live next Tuesay, on pay-per-view!:silly:

[0007]

63. ......and the man below will be the judge

[elemnopee]

33. that flip-flopper

</sarcasm>

[goforit]

35. Every little bit helps!!!

[w4rma]

37. This surprises me considering, he dissed the Welstone family at their wake

Well, better late than never, I suppose. Bygones.

[jackieforthedems]

40. Thanks, Jesse!!!

Glad to have you with us!!! :yourock:

[NVMojo]

41. YAY!! Ventura ain't an idiot!!

Good news to hear he decided to do this. Must care about the future.

[davidinalameda]

43. I like Jesse

the guy has integrity

[proud patriot]

44. Thank You Jesse

he belongs to operation truth and I'm so thankful
for his statements .

[BUSHOUT]

45. Someone in GD claims there's a Jesse ad out. True? n/t

[nonconformist]

46. Excellent!! nt

[stevietheman]

48. Turning some heads

I think that Jesse's endorsement will at least make some undecideds, independents and true conservatives take a second look at Kerry.

[rocktivity]

52. Ventura's been off my list since after Wellstone's death

but I appreciate his "flip-flop."

:headbang:
rocknation

[Wapsie B]

53. Say what you want about Jesse.

He's still light-years better than the worthless piece of shit they've got in there now.

[MADem]

54. Wow, a TRIFECTA

There are people who like Jesse for his independence, and his ability to piss people off. Others like him for his wrestling and movie career, still others like him for his affiliation with SPECOPS military--though a SEAL, the DELTA FORCE, RANGER, GREEN BERET types like him because that's a "club" of sorts.

This is a plus for our team. If Jesse Ventura can 'flip-flop', then flip-flopping must be a GOOD THING. He's doing his part to CHANGE THE PARADIGM!!!!!

[rocktivity]

68. Ding Ding Ding! MADem, you're our grand prize winner!

If Jesse Ventura can 'flip-flop', then flip-flopping must be a GOOD THING. He's doing his part to CHANGE THE PARADIGM!!!!!

That's EXACTLY why I put "flip-flop" in quotation marks--I wasn't being negative. It's a VERY good thing that Ventura, like Bruce Springsteen, changed his mind about staying neutral in such a crucial election year. I'd give him props even if he'd endorsed Bush after saying he wouldn't endorse anyone.

:headbang:
rocknation

[Demeter]

Hell Has Officially Frozen Over

And a whole month ahead of time!

[Demeter]

56. dupe

[BadMatt22]

58. Gotta love ventura...

...he has always been a clear thinker. I truly believe he would have been reelected in '02 if he ran.

/proud voter of ventura '98

[Thegonagle]

71. I only wish! Gov. Pawlenty (R) has been a disaster for higher education,

"lower" education, and public transportation. (He doesn't care about transportation. Case in point: he presided over a 6 1/2 week bus strike, one of the longest in Twin Cities history, with no encouragement for either side to settle the strike, despite pleas from Minneapolis and St. Paul mayors to please help get the busses running again. Suburbanites were largely unaffected by the strike, but the impact within the cities was huge.)

Jesse Ventura, and even our previous republican governor, Arne Carlson, were more moderate and much better for MN than what we have now. Pawlenty is clearly "one of them"--an extremist right-winger who doesn't give a damn about education, health-care for the needy, the arts, the environment, people without the means, or desire, to own cars, or anybody who doesn't already have it made.

[Thor_MN]

72. You mean Tim Pawlenty isn't Dick Cheney in disguise???

I always thought that when Dick was "in an undisclosed location" he was making appearances as Timmay. Sort of a "Clark Kent" disguise for a super villian.... I don't know that I have ever seen them together....

[AlFrankenFan]

60. Dang

Kerry's reelin' 'em in!

[troublemaker]

61. I heard that he said he would answer questions about it in L.A.

Any idea what thats all about?

[lojasmo]

66. Heh, his "endorsement" was given by somebody else.

Here's a pic. When asked to make a comment, Jesse shook his head, pursed his lips, and pointed to the guy at the podium.

[Carolab]

62. He wasn't much of a governor

but, then, nobody would "play ball" with him either.

I still like him (voted for him, too)--GO JESSE!!!

[MAINELEFTY]

64. Maine's Governor King (the other guy in the video) was

worse governor than Ventura and just as conservative, opposing every environmental issue that came along during his seemingly endless tenure. Like any sleazy politician, he was always the first to get his face in front of the camera to try and take credit for environmental legislation that actually passed.

On the positive side, he did have an excellent quote recently where he said, "Anyone under the age of 35 who votes for Bush ought to have his head examined."

[Mr_Spock]

65. Who's that creepy looking red-neck in the picture?? Ventura?? No!!!!!!!!!!

Has he reverted to being the loud mouthed red-neck that we all knew he was all along?? He looks creepy in that picture - ewwww!

[meti57b]

70. Thank you, Jesse!!!

[crossroads]

73. Is this good or bad for Kerry? LOL... Just kiddin... n/t

:shrug:

[Deja Q]

76. Jesse usually did things for Jesse.

As far as I'm concerned, it's just as possible that there'll be just as many people scurrying to Shrimpyshrub* as they are to Kerry. :-(

Still, a (albeit former, because it was too much for the wrestler to handle) 3rd party candidate does have some positive weight.

Let's hope it helps. The repuke media is saying how * has a small lead, and Herr Karl Rove, Dickless Cheney, at al, are all hyping bullshit about *'s stable, consistent performance. :eyes: