MN Sen: Now Jesse Ventura hints as an Indy run

[Sam Spade]

http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=510978

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. -- Former Gov. Jesse Ventura said he "may" file the necessary papers to run for the U.S. Senate in the November election.

If he doesn't, his former campaign manager will.

Both are hinting at a run against Republican incumbent Norm Coleman and likely Democratic candidate Al Franken this fall. The only question seems to be: Will it be Ventura, or the man who helped him become governor?

Ventura's former campaign manager, Dean Barkley, now works as a bus driver and gardens as a hobby.

"Ear to the dirt, listening to the pulse of the people," he joked Thursday.

But Barkley, who was appointed to the Senate for 62 days after Paul Wellstone died in 2002, said he is serious about going to Washignton again.

"I don't like either of the candidates out there," he said. "And if no one else will do it, I will."

As for Ventura, he refused to answer questions Thursday from reporters who showed up for his public book signing at Mall of America.

"Are you running for Senate?" a reporter asked.

"You're the media," Ventura mouthed before taking a question from someone else.

He eventually talked about his plans anyway.

"Now you're asking me to stop my latest quest, which is surfing," he said when asked about running for office again.

Ventura told the crowd that "none of the above" would be a better choice than Norm Coleman or Al Franken.

"I may go down and file," he added. "I will be 'none of the above,' and if I win, I'll go to Washington."

The Humphrey Institute's Larry Jacobs said the timing just might be right ... again.

"If it's Ventura, all bets are off," he said. "Voters are angry. And they're not very happy with the parties and the candidates in front of them."

He noted Ventura beat Coleman once before: Coleman was Ventura's Republican opponent when Ventura was elected governor, as an independent, in 1998.

Barkley said he and Ventura will talk to each other and then decide which one of them will run. He said they'll make the decision sometime before the filing deadline of July 15.

"Jesse's got first dibs," Barkley said.

As for Ventura's refusal to talk to the local media, he explained he felt he was treated unfairly when he was governor, and by not commenting now, "then it doesn't make you money."

He added: "And by stopping you from making money, that makes my heart feel good."

[Meeker]

Eh... I think Minnesota is mostly done with their little Independence Party experiments unless it's a very legit candidate (see Tammy Lee). He'd probably get the core 5-6%, maybe some Republicans who aren't happy with the national party right now, a few younger Democrats... not much basically. I'm very skeptical he could crack 10%.

If there had been a bloody Democratic primary fight that would've been helpful, but alas no.

Then again... this is Minnesota.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Eh... I think Minnesota is mostly done with their little Independence Party experiments unless it's a very legit candidate (see Tammy Lee).

And even Lee's success had more to do with her opponents (one having tons of baggage, the other having an (R) next to his name) than herself. She wouldn't have done anywhere near as well if any other Democrat had won that primary.

Anyway, Ventura is now an irrelevant joke here.

[Meeker]

Does Minnesota view the Ventura Administration as sort of a one-night stand with a really fat girl back in college that they try not to think about anymore?

That's the impression I'd always gotten from Minnesotans

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Does Minnesota view the Ventura Administration as sort of a one-night stand with a really fat girl back in college that they try not to think about anymore?

That's the impression I'd always gotten from Minnesotans

Yeah basically.

One of my professors gave an amusing story once. He had a class the morning after Ventura was elected and overheard two girls talking. They had been joking about how they might vote for Ventura on Monday (but might not vote) and supposedly had gotten drunk Tuesday, then showed up and voted for him anyway. Now they were talking with the typical post-drunken evening regrets. Kind of funny. They weren't the only ones most likely.

[Ban my account ffs!]

Well, he did say that people use Religion as a crutch, wants to legalize marijuana and prostitution... but was to the right of most Republicans on fiscal issues...

Minnesota has always had an independent streak... but I don't think Ventura embodies this very well.

[WalterMitty]

lolz @ 'enlightened'  minnesotans for electing this bozo governor.

[CollectiveInterest]

Ventura's accomplishments stack up well against other one-term governors.

He PO'd Garrison Keillor and the MPR crowd, but they can be a bunch of self-important windbags themselves.

[HardRCafé]

He PO'd Garrison Keillor and the MPR crowd, but they can be a bunch of self-important windbags themselves.

MPR?

[Brittain33]

He PO'd Garrison Keillor and the MPR crowd, but they can be a bunch of self-important windbags themselves.

MPR?

Minnesota Public Radio?

[Mr. Morden]

Ventura's on Larry King Live right now, and just reiterated that he may very well jump into the race, but suggested that he won't make up his mind for sure until just before the July filing deadline.

He also said that he wouldn't spend any more $ on his campaign than the annual salary of a senator ().

[Keystone Phil]

Ventura's on Larry King Live right now, and just reiterated that he may very well jump into the race, but suggested that he won't make up his mind for sure until just before the July filing deadline.

He also said that he wouldn't spend any more $ on his campaign than the annual salary of a senator ().

Yeah, this is hilarious.

[Mr. Morden]

Ventura is showing up everywhere now.  He was just on a panel with Pat Buchanan on the Dan Abrams show.  I wonder what they were talking about off camera.  The 2000 election maybe.....

[Bluegrass Cruiser 420]

Ventura is showing up everywhere now.  He was just on a panel with Pat Buchanan on the Dan Abrams show.  I wonder what they were talking about off camera.  The 2000 election maybe.....

Ventura must be born and thinks that on nearing the 10th anniversary of his being elected governor that even just flirting with an Indy run for the Senate is good way to celebrate.

[Fritz]

Minnesota will not make the mistake of electing Jesse Ventura to office again.  If he does run, it won't be taken seriously.

[SPC]

Ventura's on Larry King Live right now, and just reiterated that he may very well jump into the race, but suggested that he won't make up his mind for sure until just before the July filing deadline.

He also said that he wouldn't spend any more $ on his campaign than the annual salary of a senator ().

That only makes sense. Why pay anything more than a senator's salary over the course of six years to win a six-year senate seat?

[King]

This reminds me... was HHH3 a joke (he was the D who finished third behind Ventura and Coleman in 1998)?  If not, why didn't they replace Paul Wellstone with him instead of Mondale? 

[DownWithTheLeft]

Fmr. Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura will be a candidate for senate

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/07/jesse-ventura-t.html

[Brittain33]

From that post... apparently he's giving the same non-committal answers he's always given.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

[CPT MikeyMike]

Does he still have that ugly ass skullet?

[Sam Spade]

I don't see that in this statement at all.

Which means it gets put along with the other Jesse thread.

[Mr. Morden]

This part of the interview is hilarious:

You must be logged in to read this quote.

I'm sure that'll be the number one issue on the minds of voters.

[Verily]

This part of the interview is hilarious:

You must be logged in to read this quote.

I'm sure that'll be the number one issue on the minds of voters.

I don't know about you; I regularly call up Frank Lautenberg for protection when I go out late at night.

[ilikeverin]

HP.

Minnesota will not make the mistake of electing Jesse Ventura to office again.  If he does run, it won't be taken seriously.

How did I miss this?!  Hello Fritz! (even though this was in May)

[YRABNNRM]

He was on MSNBC this morning. What a horrible, miserable man.