-
https://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/files/original/5ff9cbac5d0a80bc7f3cbd983681109c.pdf
18a096d0db5840634a61297ea162cdee
PDF Text
Text
FOIA Number:
2006-0469-F (2)
FOIA
MARKER
This is not a textual record. This is used as an
administrative marker by the William J. Clinton
Presidential Library Staff.
Collection/Record Group:
Clinton Presidential Records
Subgroup/Office of Origin:
Speechwriting
Series/Staff Member:
Michael Waldman
Subseries:
14452
OA/ID Number:
FolderlD:
Folder Title:
Jesse Ventura [Binder]
Stack:
Row:
Section:
Shelf:
S
92
4
3
Position:
�Jesse Ventura
�JESSE
VENTURA
�http://www.salonmagazine.eom/news/1998/l l/06newsb.html
Salon Newsreal | Body slam
>rive O n e When The Onfy Person
fov Need to Impress Is Yourself.
• OFF YOUR CHEST
ALSO
TODAY
• MOTHERS ARCHIVE
Body slam
Jesse Ventura turned out turned-off voters on Election D
and upended the nation's political elite.
VIoney talks, but
voters talk back
By Ellen Miller
Reformers prevail in
billion-dollar
congressional
election
TABLE
TALK
Life in suburbia:
Discuss the benefits
and setbacks in
Table Talk's Social
Issues area
RECENTLY
Gone with the
windbags
By Gary Kamiya
The election took
some of the steam
out of the
Washington
Punditocracy's hot
air balloon
(11/05/98)
Mixed mandate
By Joan Walsh
Democrats owe their
victory to the left ~
and the middle
(11/05/98)
1 of 5
BY MICAH L. SIFRY | Even
Jesse Ventura, the Navy
Seal and professional
wrestler-tumed-talk radio
host, small-town mayor and
now, Minnesota's
governor-elect, seemed at an
uncharacteristic loss for
words when asked to explain
JESSE VENTURA
his stunning victory. "Ask
them," he told reporters, meaning the voters, on
the day after his upset election.
Looking at the voters is a good place to start.
Ventura, the Reform Party candidate, won the
three-way race against Republican Norm
Coleman and Democrat Hubert "Skip" Humphrey
III by a vote of 37 to 34 to 29 percent,
respectively. But the day before the election, the
Star-Tribune/KMSP-TV Minnesota Poll showed
him tied with Humphrey at 29 percent each, with
Coleman leading at 36 percent. What happened?
A huge surge of new voters, many of them newly
enthusiastic young people, showed up at the polls.
Minnesota allows voters to register as late as
Election Day, and at one precinct in St. Paul, 120
of the more than 600 people who voted were new
registrants. According to state election officials,
turnout was comparable to a presidential election.
Typically, about 53 percent of eligible voters
come out for a midterm election in Minnesota,
but estimates of Tuesday's turnout were running
1 1/6/98 11:00 AM
�Salon Newsreal | Body slam
A resounding moral
defeat for tEe
moralizers
By Richard
Rodriguez
American voters
refuse to bow before
the high priests of
scolding
(11/05/98)
Key race results
(11/05/98)
What it all means
Al Franken, Anne
Lamott, Camille
Paglia and other
Salon pundits on the
election results
(11/04/98)
Browse the
Newsreal Archives
become a
Salon
Magazine
Member
today!
Miciosofr/^JL.
HomeAdvtsor
Los Feliz = Trendy
Find your dream home!
Mortgage Calculator
SALON
EMPORIUM
Introducing a
2 of 5
http://www.salonmagazine.eom/news/1998/l l/06newsb.html
but estimates of Tuesday's turnout were running
at 60 percent and higher. Twenty-eight percent of
the people who voted for Ventura said they
wouldn't have voted at all if he were not on the S
ballot, according to exit polls. And it was
Ventura's mobilization of these "unlikely voters,"
as Salon reported a week ago, that made all the
difference.
The shape of Ventura's vote was as important as
its size. He did well with all age groups except
those over 60, and won a whopping 46 percent of
the 18- to 29-year-olds. (Note to MTV: Does this
mean Generation X agrees with the Ventura radio
ad where he declared, "The Rolling Stones and
Led Zeppelin are the greatest rock bands of all
time"?) He won strong pluralities from all income
groups except those making over $100,000.
Women were almost equally likely to vote for
him as men, despite his macho stance. About the
only group he did poorly with were people with
postgraduate degrees, who along with the elderly
strongly supported Humphrey, the only blocs to
do so.
It is also telling that Ventura's vote, rooted in a
majority of ballots cast by political independents,
leaned distinctly to the left. He won a full
one-third of Democrats voting, compared to 28
percent of the Republicans. And he got 44 percent
of self-identified liberals, compared to just 29
percent of conservatives. This shows that
Republican Coleman held on to more of his base,
mainly by bashing gays and harping on his
pro-life position, while Humphrey experienced a
near total meltdown in the face of Ventura's
working-class populism.
And the major party candidates had no idea what
hit them. On Election Night, as local reports
showed Ventura in the lead with half the votes
counted, Humphrey told people at his nonvictory
party, "We're just coming around the corners. I
think they're going to be showing a Humphrey
victory." Across town, Coleman was telling his
supporters to "keep the faith." A day later, Dane
Smith, the Star-Tribune's chief political reporter,
said that local Democrats and Republicans had
gone into hiding. "We can't find any of them
today," he told NPRs "All Things Considered."
"They're not answering their phones."
11/6/98 11:02 AM
�Salon Newsreal | Body slam
Introducing a
growing line of
Salon-inspired
products. The Salon
Blend of
shade-grown coffee
is not only delicious
but it helps to
provide important
habitat for
songbirds.
http://www.salonmagazine.com/news/1998/11 /06newsb.html
"They're not answering their phones."
In some ways Ventura is the inverse of Ross
Perot, about whom he has little nice to say (and
Perot has been tellingly silent about his win).
Ventura is sane, funny, self-deprecating,
grounded in the reality of average people's lives,
not a secluded billionaire surrounded by
sycophants. He's a patriot but not an antiforeigner
demagogue, a real libertarian who never tried to
buy a politician or get a government subsidy,
unlike Perot, who was a big donor to Nixon and
other Washington insiders. And instead of
preaching the politics of belt tightening as Perot
has, Ventura's tune is the good time rock 'n' roll
of a budget surplus.
Ventura's victory owes a lot to Minnesota's
progressive campaign finance laws, which limited
both of the major party candidates to spending
just $2.1 million each ~ keeping them from
drowning Ventura out, and giving him enough
money to get on the airwaves in the final two
weeks. " I hope that this will show people what
can be achieved when you can pare down the
influence of money on the political system," said
Todd Paulson, executive director for Minnesota's
Common Cause. "It's the closest thing I've ever
seen to a revolution."
Apparently, the revolutionary character of
Ventura's campaign has a lot of people freaked
out, especially media elites, who keep telling us
that there are only two flavors to choose from in
politics, Bland A and Bland B. And their
condescension has been open. Interviewing
Ventura, NBC's Tom Brokaw asked him if he
should be addressed as "Governor Jesse Ventura,
or Governor Jesse 'The Body' Ventura." You
could almost hear the snickers from the control
room.
The New York Times' front-page story on his win
couldn't resist poking fun at his roots in the
pro-wrestling business either. Robert Scheer, a
liberal columnist for the Los Angeles Times
who's lost touch with his radical roots, said on his
radio show on KCRW, "The people of Minnesota
should be spanked for letting this happen." Even
Hillary Rodham Clinton piled on with a
3 of 5
11/6/98 11:02 AM
�Salon Newsreal | Body slam
http://www.salonmagazine.eom/news/1998/l l/06newsb.html
disdainful reference to Ventura's "traveling road
show." This isn't an attack on Ventura's lack of a
detailed platform for what he will do as governor.
It's a nose-held-high sneer at someone who didn't
come up the conventional path, didn't go to an Ivy
League school, likes to party and doesn't
apologize for it ~ and whose success just proved
how narrow-minded the elites really are.
"The conventional analysis we're fed is that
people are happy with politics and they like the
politicians they have," says Patrick Caddell,
onetime political adviser to a host of maverick
Democrats ranging from Jimmy Carter to Jerry
Brown. "Jesse Ventura suggests that's not true.
The fact that he won is like a can opener. It says
to other people in other states: 'Why can't we have
people like this?' It's a dangerous example. His
candidacy represents a threat to the established
order, and so it's not surprising to see elites try to
marginalize him at every point."
One political leader who takes Ventura seriously
and respectfully is Paul Wellstone, the senior
senator from Minnesota, who has also run and
won two populist campaigns for office. (He is
also a longtime wrestler, albeit of the amateur
college variety.) "What I most appreciate about
his campaign and victory is the downright
anti-establishment part of it," Wellstone told
Salon in a phone interview. "The message was:
'Look,' you gatekeepers who supposedly decide
who can run, and who is viable and who is
serious and who can win, 'we're going to take you
on.' I like that. I also appreciate the political
reform part [of Ventura's message], which was
very much for real." When I told him Robert
Scheer wanted to "spank" Minnesota, Wellstone
replied, "That's ridiculous. That's a huge mistake.
That's the same elitism that looks down on
people, and gets liberals into big trouble that they
deserve to be in."
But he expressed some concerns about the
content of the governor-elect's program, noting
that populism has historically taken many forms,
not all of them friendly. After acknowledging
Ventura's opposition to corporate welfare, his
support for public schools and his
environmentalism, he pointed to some worries.
4 of 5
11/6/98 11:02 AM
�Salon Newsreal | Body slam
http://www.salonmagazine.eom/news/1998/l l/06newsb.html
"Please remember that during the campaign he
also said to students in higher education, in
community colleges, that if you're smart enough
to get to college you're smart enough to pay for it.
Community college students not needing help?
Jeez! And he also said that he doesn't see a role
for government to make child care more
affordable. He's also talking about massive tax
cuts while reducing class sizes. I'll be interested
in seeing how you do that, how you invest in a
commitment to children starting school ready to
learn."
I also noted Ventura's announcement during the
last weekend of the campaign that he opposed the
idea of requiring government contractors to pay a
"living wage," a hot issue in Minneapolis right
now. "If those are the policies," Wellstone said
with a growl, "I look forward to a vigorous
debate." But Wellstone was looking forward to
sitting down with Ventura's staff ~ they've
already called him to set up a meeting — and
working together on areas of common agreement.
In the meantime, the genie is out of the bottle ~
and the two major parties are going to have a hell
of a time stuffing it back in.
SALON | Nov. 6, 1998
Micah Sifry is a New York writer who is researching the
prospects of America's third parties, supported by a grant
from the Open Society Institute.
SALON | ARCHIVES 1 SEARCH | CONTACT US | SERVICES | SALON EMPORIUM | TABLE TALK
21 ST | BLUE GLOW | BOOKS | COMICS | ENTERTAINMENT | FEATURE I IVORY TOWER
MEDIA CIRCUS I MONEY I MOTHERS WHO THINK I NEWSREAL I URGE I WANDERLUST
5 of 5
11/6/98 11:02 AM
�MIDTERM VOTERS'
MOTTO: IT'S THE
ISSUES, STUPID'
By Michael Tackett
Washington Bureau
Novembers, 1998
%%%
WASHINGTON -- Voters in the midterm
election decided to reward pragmatism over
polarization, renew nearly every incumbent's
contract, and send a message that they
strongly prefer issues that hit them where
they live over saucy presidential scandal.
But in several important ways, their verdict
was mixed. They gave an impressive but by
no means overwhelming nod to
congressional Democrats, providing them
with a pulpit to preach that there is some life
in the party of Thomas Jefferson.
Democrats proved that they can be the
Republicans' betters in turning out core
supporters.
Americans signaled they favor the
results-oriented approach of Republican
governors in the North to the more
ideological-based campaigns in the South.
And they clearly preferred a positive
agenda on education, health care and Social
Security to one that emphasized President
Clinton's failings. Voters said they wanted
the president punished but not removed
from office, and they wanted it done
quickly.
In Minnesota, voters sent the most
perplexing signal by electing former pro
wrestler Jesse "the Body" Ventura, now the
pride of the Reform Party, over
establishment candidates. Ventura has
called his win a victory for populism, but it
also might be characterized as a victory for
a candidate that voters considered to be
�"None of the Above."
Overall, men voted more for the Democrats
and women voted in greater numbers for
Republicans than in recent years.
Democrats also were able to capture a
larger share of moderate and independent
voters.
"In part, this has to do with the fact that
Democrats won the credit game with
independent and moderate voters who had
given credit to President Clinton for the
economy," said Andrew Kohut, director of
polling for the Pew Research Center. "It is
strange that the party out of power (in
Congress) is the beneficiary of that vote."
"This is not a sweeping Democratic victory.
It's more like a Republican loss. There is
always this tendency to over-interpret the
outcome. The Republicans didn't have much
to say and the Democrats won the credit
game."
For the Democrats, the victories were much
needed. If, as many had projected, they had
lost 10 House and five Senate seats, they
could have been consigned to minority
status for the foreseeable future.
"The stakes were that the Democrats were
going to be on the defensive next year, cede
any chance of winning the White House in
2000 and be left wondering if they could be
competitive in all regions of the country,"
said Peter Hart, a Democratic pollster who
also conducts surveys for media clients.
"They got huge victories in California and
Washington and then the South," he said.
"In all of those areas. Democrats feel a lot
better . . . (but) for Democrats to overreact
to these results as a mandate" would be a
mistake. "It was more important that every
�office holder be put on notice: go back to
work and do your job."
Republicans were quick with intraparty
recriminations. There was talk of a
challenge to the leadership of House
Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) and about
a renewed focus on issues such as tax cuts.
"Republicans tried to campaign solely based
on the anti-Clinton sentiment," said Randy
Tate, executive director of the Christian
Coalition. "Democrats had an agenda, albeit
a liberal agenda. They talked about a liberal
approach to solving Social Security, health
care and education. But some agenda will
beat no agenda every time."
The votes of Christian conservatives
dropped off in 1998 compared with 1994,
when they were pivotal in fashioning the
Republican congressional landslide.
According to the Christian Coalition's exit
polls, only 54 percent of voters who
identified themselves as conservative
Christians voted Republican, compared
with the 67 percent who voted Republican
in 1994.
Democrats, on the other hand, received
huge support from African-Americans and
union members, who turned out in numbers
usually seen only in presidential election
years.
"What we have been saying throughout the
campaign, They have the money, we have
the people,' has been vindicated," said
AFL-CIO President John Sweeney.
"No message is no way to win elections,"
said publisher Steve Forbes, a likely
candidate for the Republican presidential
nomination in 2000. "Republicans should
have learned by now that you must give
�people compelling reasons to vote for you.
Mealy mouthed rhetoric is no substitute for
a muscular, substantive agenda."
Warning that Republicans were becoming a
party of "timid, office-clinging incumbents,
Forbes said: "The temptation will be to take
a defensive crouch. Do the opposite. Offer
an eye-opening, bold agenda."
While Forbes hopes to somehow meld
support from social and economic
conservatives in his party, others are
pointing to the landslide re-election of
Republican Gov. George W. Bush in Texas
as a template for a winning presidential
formula in 2000.
Bush, and to a lesser degree his brother
Jeb, who captured the Florida governor's
mansion, offered himself to voters as a
compassionate conservative willing to reach
out to forge coalitions that had otherwise
eluded his party. George W. Bush won a
record number of votes from Hispanics in
Texas.
But Forbes and Bush will find Tuesday's
results were just muddled enough to give as
many as a dozen within their party the push
to run for president.
"We are going to have a period here for
Republicans where we are treading water
for a while until a standard-bearer emerges
in the next year or so," said Ed Gillespie, a
Republican consultant. "We lack definition.
And somebody's going to come along and
emerge from a fairly open primary process
and give it definition."
�Yahoo - For Page Six - It's High Times for Jesse Ventura
'YX&OOlFINANCE
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/981104/high_times_l.html
Home - Yahoo! - Help
BUSINESS WIRE
' i NIWJ.»« lie Mil
What's Microsoft
ading at right now?
[ Business | US Market | By Industry | IPO | AP | S&P | International | PRNews | BizWire 1
Wednesday November 4,3:42 pm Eastern Time
111 Get free real-timenotes now. j
q
1
Company Press Release
For Page Six - It's High Times for Jesse
Ventura
Ready, e*TRADE @ |
jRelateaiQuote^i;.:!:;/^
" -+4.64
iWpo§|
17 +13.09
\\ +1.64
delaV^?i6fmins->?disclaiimer:=' "l--
NEW YORK-(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)~Nov. 4, 1998-HIGH
TIMES, The Most Notorious Magazine in the World, got the scoop on
Jesse Ventura, the newly elected governor of Minnesota in what was
apparently the only story done on Ventura's campaign in a national magazine at that point. In High
Times' November '98 issue (you know, the one with the cover of Bill Clinton smoking a joint), the
former champion wrestler waxed on about his views on medical marijuana and hemp. Some tidbits from
the exclusive interview?
'T think it's utterly despicable that you have law enforcement and politicians telling us what people can
or cannot use in the matter of pain, their own health. All the indicators that it (marijuana) helps people
with chemotherapy and cancer, and AIDS, are there."
Regarding industrial hemp, which Canada is now harvesting although it is illegal to grow in the United
States, Jesse told HIGH TIMES: " We're not educated. The minds of average people are being filled with
perversion from the DEA and from law enforcement that this plant is somehow the Antichrist or
something. People don't realize that it's a very multifaceted plant, that it should be used rather than
eradicated. I can' understand why every environmentalist wouldn't get on board for it. I've suggested
industrial hemp and legalizing it. I challenged the attorney general to lead the charge in decriminalizing
this so we can look at this as an alternative energy source, a clothing source, a paper source—everything
it can possibly be used for."
HIGH TIMES, the premier journal of the counter culture, is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 1999.
For more information on HIGH TIMES, please contact Mike Edison, Publisher, at 212/387 0756.
Contact:
JODY MILLER
(212) 431-5227
Related News Categories: entertainment, government, publishing
Search News
Help
Copyright © 1998 Business Wire. All rights reserved. All the news releases provided by Business Wire are copyrighted. Any
forms of copying other than an individual user's personal reference without express written permission is prohibited. Further
1 of 2
11/6/98 11:19 AM
�Jesse Ventura Victory Indicators
http://www.jesseventura.org/victory.htm
Jesse Ventura For Minnesota Governor
Home Page
Victory Indicators
Site Contents
Information From Voters That
Adds To Our Belief
Jesse Ventura
Will Win The Election By A Landslide
If you have a story to share, e-mail it to
jesseventura@jesseventura.org.
"I had a call this evening from a poll as to who we would vote for Democrat
or Republican. After telling them that I planed to vote for Jesse the pollster
informed me that Jesse seems to be running way out front and a lot of
people were going to vote for him.... He also stated that he and his friends
planed on voting for Jesse. Good luck Jesse. A lot of people are pulling for
you."
Bill & Mary Knack
South Saint Paul
One of our secretaries at work who knows I'm involved in Jesse's campaign
came to me and said, "You know Jesse's going to win don't you?" I asked
why she thought so. She said "Because I'm voting for him and I got 10 of my
friends to vote for him, and each of them are getting 10 of their friends to
vote for him."
Diane Drewry
Lino Lakes
Thank you so much for the e-mail, however, I am an employee of a US
House of Representatives member, and since this is my work account, I
cannot get these messages. My husband signed me up without knowing
this. Please take me off your e-mail list. But GO JESSE! You have our two
votes, we are really excited about the possibility of getting someone in the
governor's seat that is not relying on daddy's name recognition or is not a
party jumper. Best of luck!
Name provided but not published here for obvious reasons.
GO JESSE!!!!!
Finally for the first time (how refreshing) someone who isn't riding on their
family name or is not influenced by corporate money- THANK YOU JESSE
for supporting the PEOPLE!! THANK YOU JESSE for taking off the rose
colored glasses and for seeing things the way they are!!! For the first time in
a long time you have given me a reason to vote!!!!!!!! You have 100% of my
vote!!!
lof3
11/6/98 1:12 PM
�Jesse Ventura Victory Indicators
http://www.jesseventura.org/victory.htm
Sincerely,
Michelle
News organizations reported that Jesse's booth at the State Fair was far and
away the most popular political booth at the Fair. That's true. We sold over
$26,500 worth of "Retaliate In 98" T-shirts and distributed over 47,000
Ventura/Schunk brochures. No other political booth came close to this kind
of activity.
As the election draws near, demand for Jesse stuff is stronger than ever.
T-shirt sales continue at a brisk rate and bumper stickers seem to evaporate
no matter how many we order. On Tuesday, October 13, 10,000 Ventura
bumper stickers were delivered to Jesse's campaign office. All but 200 were
gone by Saturday night. Stickers are being distributed by mail, at events
where Jesse appears, and to campaign office walk-ins.
Lawn signs are equally popular but at this late date in the campaign, no new
ones are being ordered. That's not stopping people from showing their
a/UJ
support for Jesse. We're now receiving reports of homemade lawn signs
/ J
popping up around the state.
<5
•0^
Doug Friedline
Jesse's Campaign Manager
I heard my friend (Nick Kesler) delivered the lawn signs for the
Maplewood/No. St. Paul area, so I called him up and told him to bring me a
sign. He came over after he got done with work and put one up. Then, we
were talking for only about 5 minutes, and a van pulled up in my driveway.
They asked," Where did you get that Jesse sign?" Nick immediately stated
that he delivers them to this area. Nick asked how many they wanted. I
heard them talk about how many they needed for their neighbors and such.
They finally requested 6 signs and 6 bumper stickers. There's six more
families of voters for Jesse. Seeing this, it's a definite bet Jesse will win.
Steve Bottari
Maplewood, MN
Jesse's supporters have been advising the campaign of unscientific polls in
which Jesse is included. These polls ask the standard horse race question
("If the election were held today, would you vote for...") or some variation of
it. We are told that Jesse was number one in two unscientific polls
conducted on line. One was sponsored by AOL. The other was sponsored
by Channel 4000. Jesse also number one in a recent call-in poll sponsored
by KSTP-TV Channel 9. In other words, Jesse is the winner in at least three
unscientific polls that we know of. While the polls themselves are unscientific
and rely totally on self-selecting people who choose to participate, it is still
the case that more Jesse supporters are showing up than Humphrey or
Coleman supporters. While all voters have the same opportunity to
participate, the Ventura voters are the ones producing victories for Jesse.
Jesse's Webmaster
2 of 3
11/6/98 1:12 PM
�Jesse Ventura Victory Indicators
http://www.jesseventura.org/victory.htm
I am a student at Minnesota State University, Mankato. Jesse came to
Mankato to do some radio spots as well as talk to the students at MSUM. He
was also going to have lunch with my friend and I as well as others. We got
into the Students Union and he had so many people wanting to talk with him
we didn't even make it in to eat. This shows there is a lot of young Jesse
supporters out there!! VENTURA IN '98!
Andy Dessner
Mankato, MN
Copyright © 1998. All rights reserved. Prepared and paid for by the Jesse Ventura For Governor Volunteer
Committee 7060 Valley Creek Plaza #115-101, Woodbury, MN 55125.
Office: (612) 585-0102 Fax:(612)585-0315 Toll Free: (888) 868-3537
3 of 3
11/6/98 1:12 PM
�Poll Shows Jesse's Support Doubles
http://www.jesseventura.org/pollinfo.htm
Jesse Ventura For Minnesota Governor
Home Page
Jesse's Support Doubles
Site Contents
October 19, 1998
Message To: All Jesse Net Members
RE: Jesse's Poll Numbers Double!
The Minnesota Poll published new data tonight (10/19/98). It shows Skip
Humphrey at 35%, Norm Coleman at 34% and Jesse Ventura at 21%. The
September 23 Minnesota Poll showed Humphrey at 49%, Coleman at 29%
and Ventura at 10%.
In other words, compared to the previous poll, Humphrey lost 14 points,
Coleman gained 2 points, and Ventura's support more than doub ed. While
Humphrey is slipping badly, and Coleman stagnates, Jesse is hot! With just
two weeks to go to election day, Minnesotans are clearly moving toward
electing Jesse Ventura as their next Governor.
Jesse's strength is especially remarkable because while his opponents have
spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to advertise their campaigns, Jesse
has spent very little. He is just now getting ready to launch a statewide ad
campaign that may very well propel him over the top.
For details about Jesse's $310,000 statewide ad campaign and the innovative
grass-roots loan program he has developed to finance it, see:
http://www.jesseventura.org/loaninfo.htm
The Ventura campaign has been skeptical of polls from the beginning.
Campaign leaders point out that when Jesse was elected as Mayor of
Brooklyn Park in 1990, he won by a landslide. He soundly defeated his two
major party opponents because people who don't normally vote, showed up to
vote for Jesse.
These "unlikely voters," are usually screened out or underweighted by the
pollsters. They may be unlikely to vote for a Democrat or Republican, but they
are very likely to vote for Jesse Ventura. Ventura supporters know this and
therefore don't put much stock in polls.
Nevertheless, Jesse's rise in the Minnesota Poll is worthy of note. Even if
broken, a scale is consistent with itself. The poll clearly confirms the indicators
of victory we have been seeing on the campaign trail for months.
Here are some talking points to share with your friends and neighbors
regarding the strength Jesse is showing as election day approaches.
Point 1. The argument that a vote for Jesse Ventura is a wasted vote is dead.
With the momentum Jesse is now showing, the money that is flowing into his
campaign, and the statewide ad campaign that is already hitting the airwaves,
Jesse is a clear contender to win. A vote for Jesse Ventura is a vote for Jesse
Ventura. It is also an opportunity to vote against the career politicians who
have the gall to say that unless you vote for one of them, you are wasting your
vote.
Point 2. The math is fun to do. If half of the undecided votes go to Jesse, and
the other half split between Humphrey and Coleman, and if Jesse pulls just a
few points from each of those two, Jesse will win the election.
I of2
11/6/98 1:15 PM
�Poll Shows Jesse's Support Doubles
http://www.jesseventura.org/pollinfo.htm
Point 3. Success feeds on success. Humphrey is slipping. Coleman is
stagnate. Jesse is hot. We expect Jesse's newly demonstrated strength to
fuel a new surge of support for him. People have already risen up in numbers
that astonish veteran political observers. Now that Jesse is clearly on the
come, we expect new people by the thousands to enter the game in support
of Jesse.
Point 4. We believe Jesse's support is actually stronger than the Minnesota
Poll indicates. Most polls are weighted heavily in favor of the registered voter
or likely voter. Jesse's support base is very strong among unlikely voters.
Many thousands of Minnesotans have given up on politics altogether and quit
voting a long time ago. With Jesse presenting a clear alternative to the career
politicians, these unlikely voters are ready to "drop the remote to get out and
vote." When Jesse was elected Mayor of Brooklyn Park in 1990, voter turnout
soared. All indications are Jesse is doing it again in 1998.
Point 5. Voter turnout is a major factor in this year's race. Nationwide,
Democrats and Republicans are staying away from the polls in record
numbers. Voter turnout is very, very low this year. Jesse's voters are coming
to the polls on election day. We're coming because we have a winning
candidate, and because we can't wait to cast a vote that will send the state's
two most prominent career politicians packing. Jesse Ventura gives us the
opportunity to not only elect a great Governor, but to send the message loud
and clear that we have had it with the duplicitous, self-serving antics of the
two major parties. Yep. We're coming to the polls on November 3rd. You can
count on it!
The term "indicators of victory" was used above. Some of these indicators are
now listed on Jesse's web site. See the page at:
http://www.jesseventura.org/victory.htm
Copyright © 1998. All rights reserved. Prepared and paid for by the Jesse Ventura For Governor Volunteer
Committee 7060 Valley Creek Plaza #115-101, Woodbury, MN 55125.
Office: (612)585-0102 Fax:(612) 585-0315 Toll Free: (888) 868-3537
2 of 2
11/6/98 1:15 PM
�Campaign Reform Helped 'The Body' Slam
Rivals
By Jon Jeter
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, November 5, 1998; Page A41
MINNEAPOLIS, Nov. 4—The first time James George Janos reinvented
himself was 23 years ago, when he broke into professional wrestling and
needed a catchy stage name to put fans in the seats. The name "Jesse"
appealed to the outlaw in him. He plucked Ventura from a map of
California.
Jesse "The Body" Ventura has been reinventing himself ever since. As a
professional wrestler, a bit actor in action movies and a radio shock jock,
he has always managed to put fans in the seats. But he clearly outdid
himself in Tuesday's gubernatorial election.
With little more than a gift for gab, $400,000 in cash and a
throw-the-bums-out populism, Ventura electrified Minnesota's electorate
and ambushed two major party politicians to become the nation's first
Reform Party governor.
"We shocked the world," a downtown billboard read here today. "New
Governor?" another asked. "Ventura a Guess." An eatery added a "The
Body" sandwich to its menu. Ventura was the talk of the town, here and
elsewhere, someone who has remade himself into one of America's
preeminent political iconoclasts.
"I guess a lot more politicians are going to start going to the gym now,"
President Clinton said today in reference to the 6-foot-4, 260-pound
Ventura.
"In 1964," Ventura himself said, "Muhammad AH beat Sonny Listen for the
heavyweight championship. In 1980, the United States Olympic hockey
team beat the Russians. Dreams do come true in America."
Ventura's celebrity, tough-guy image and shoot-from-the-hip theatrics
played a big role in his success. Nearly 63 percent of the voters in this
state went to the polls, rivaling turnout in a presidential election year. But
Ventura's surprising win was more than folkloric. It offered real lessons on
campaign finance reform and demonstrated the possibilities that come with
decoupling money from politics.
That is what Minnesota sought to do nearly a decade ago when it enacted
�reforms to limit campaign spending while providing third-party candidates
with a public subsidy if they receive at least 5 percent of the vote in the
state's September primary. That, as much as anything, got Ventura's
cash-poor campaign into the game once he received 10 percent of the vote
in the primary, political scientists, pollsters and party officials said.
And, by limiting both major party nominees - St. Paul Mayor Norm
Coleman (R) and political scion Hubert H. "Skip" Humphrey III (D) -- to
$2.1 million in campaign spending, the rules prevented them from running
away with the campaign with a blitzkrieg of television ads.
That essentially leveled the playing field for a third-party candidate and, by
creating a three-way race, allowed Ventura to win with less than a
majority. Unable to saturate the airwaves with political ads, the three
candidates were forced to rely more on televised debates to define
themselves and their opponents to the voters. In that forum, Ventura
clearly shined, appealing to blue-collar workers and young people with his
candor, compassion and anti-establishment pronouncements that gradually
chipped away at his opponents' poll numbers.
Because of the statefinancelaws, the three gubernatorial candidates here
spent less than $5 million combined. Minnesota is a relatively small state of
about 4.5 million people, but that figure still pales in comparison with the
estimated $13 million spent by Gov.-elect George Ryan of Illinois.
"There's no doubt that this couldn't have happened without Minnesota's
campaignfinancelaws," said Steven Schier, a political science professor at
Carleton College in Northfield. "By qualifying for the public subsidy, Jesse
got just enough money to keep pace with Humphrey and Coleman."
In addition, when Ventura was finally able to buy radio and television
spots, he hit home runs with comical, irreverent ads that used the theme
from "Shaft" as his campaign song; portrayed Ventura as an action figure
battling Evil Special Interest Man; and featured Ventura posing as Rodin's
"The Thinker."
To produce his television ads, Ventura hired William G. Hillsman, who was
a consultant in the 1991 campaign of Minnesota Sen. Paul D. Wellstone
(D), a college professor at the time whose comical commercials helped
unseat the Republican incumbent, Rudy Boschwitz.
Those ads helped Ventura upend the notion that he would be a fringe
candidate, a spoiler whose down-with-government, libertarian views
would largely siphon votes away from Coleman. Initially, Humphrey, the
son of the late vice president and revered U.S. senator, insisted on
�Ventura's attendance at all debates, apparently convinced that Ventura's
candidacy hurt Coleman.
In the end, however, that ploy hurt Humphrey more than Coleman.
Thirty-three percent of all Democrats voted for Ventura; a quarter of the
Republicans voted for him.
"He was able to energize a lot of people," said Tony Sutton, executive
director for the state GOP. "A lot of young people who typically don't turn
out to vote came out to vote just for him."
A high school graduate, Ventura seemed to capture the imagination of
people who consider themselves "Average Joes," said political scientist
Schier. That, he said, is the fundamental flaw with both Republicans and
Democrats here, who seem out of touch with the electorate. Neither party
has sent an endorsed candidate to the governor's mansion in 12 years.
"The mainstream voter was able to connect with Jesse in a way that the
Republicans and Democrats just don't seem to be able to anymore," Schier
said. "When a guy named Humphrey only gets 28 percent of the vote in a
statewide election, the Democrats in Minnesota have truly reached a new
low."
It remains to be seen how Ventura can work with a state Senate controlled
by the Democrats and a state House controlled by Republicans. There is
not a single Reform Party elected official in either chamber, and some party
officials speculate that without any political allies, Ventura may be limited in
building legislative consensus.
Still, many hope that his election will represent a turning point in American
politics.
"I hope that this will show people what can be achieved when you can
pare down the influence of money on the political system," said Todd
Paulson, executive director for Minnesota's Common Cause. "It's the
closest thing I've ever seen to a revolution."
© Copyright 1998 The Washington Post Company
�Salon Newsreal | Money talks, but voters talk back
http://www.salonmagazine.com/news/1998/11 /06newsa.html
news
ALSO
TODAY
"Muddy
thinking is not
tolerated . . . "
• OFF YOUR CHEST • MOTHERS ARCHIVE
Money talks, but voters talk back
Reformers prevail in
billion-dollar congressional
election.
Body slam
By Micah L. Sifry
Jesse Ventura turned
out turned-off voters
on Election Day,
and upended the
nation's political
elite
TABLE
TALK
Life in suburbia:
Discuss the benefits
and drawbacks in
Table Talk's Social
Issues area
RECENTLY
Gone with the
windbags
By Gary Kamiya
The election took
some of the steam
out of the
Washington
Punditocracy's hot
air balloon
(11/05/98)
Mixed mandate
By Joan Walsh
Democrats owe their
victory to the left and the middle
(11/05/98)
1 of 5
BY ELLEN MILLER
Money talked on Nov.
3rd, in the first
billion-dollar
congressional election in
history (when total spending by candidates,
parties and independent groups is included). But
in several key states ~ most notably Wisconsin,
which reelected campaign-finance reform
crusader Sen. Russ Feingold ~ the voters talked
back. That's the bottom line of the election
returns.
Much has been made of the Democrats' five-seat
gain in the House of Representatives, but the real
winner in Congress was the incumbent party.
Ninety-eight percent of House incumbents won
reelection, as did 90 percent in the Senate. And
with just a few exceptions, the winners spent
more money than the losers. In 94.9 percent of
races in the House, the victors had the biggest war
chest; in the Senate, 93.9 percent of the races
were won by the top spender.
And the financial disparities were often huge.
According to the Center for Responsive Politics,
in more than 60 percent of the races in the House,
one candidate outspent the other by more than
10-to-l. Together, the Republican and
Democratic parties raised record amounts this
year ~ $458 million reported so far, 55 percent
1/6/98 10:00 AM
�Salon Newsreal | Money talks, but voters talk back
(11/05/98)
A resounding moral
defeat for the
moralizers
By Richard
Rodriguez
American voters
refuse to bow before
the high priests of
scolding
(11/05/98)
Key race results
(11/05/98)
What it all means
Al Franken, Anne
Lamott, Camille
Paglia and other
Salon pundits on the
election results
(11/04/98)
Browse the
Newsreal Archives
Traveling
abroad?
Call home
. . f a s t and
easy with...
1
HomeAdvtsorLos f eliz=• Trendy
Find your dream home!
Mortgage Calculator
SALON
EMPORIUM
2 of 5
http://www.salonmagazine.com/news/1998/11 /06newsa.html
year ~ $458 million reported so far, 55 percent
more than in the last midterm election, in 1994.
Some Senate candidates spent almost $20 million
on their races, while a few House candidates
topped $5 million. As with past elections, the
biggest sources for this cash were a tiny elite
mostly representing business interests: Wall
Street, bankers, tobacco, insurance, real estate, oil
and gas companies, telephone utilities, and so on.
With results like these, the last thing wealthy
special interests and the politicians who do their
bidding want to see is reforms that will open up
the political process by reducing the role of big
money in politics. Fueling public cynicism about
the chances for change, they were able to block
even the modest proposals for campaign finance
reform that surfaced in the last Congress. But out
in the states, there are numerous signs that
opponents of reform are playing with fire.
The best news for reformers was the upset
reelection of Wisconsin Sen. Feingold,
co-sponsor of the McCain-Feingold reform
legislation that was defeated in the Senate.
Feingold chose to play by the rules and values
embodied in his bill, despite the fact that it put
him at a death-defying political disadvantage. He
ran for reelection with a self-imposed limit on
how much he would spend ($1 per voter in his
state) and vocally refused efforts by his own party
to spend soft money on his behalf. Republican
Mitch McConnell, the leading opponent of
campaign finance reform in the U.S. Senate, and
the man who controlled the purse strings of the
Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee,
made no bones about trying to take his
arch-nemesis out. "Don't worry about campaign
finance reform. Feingold's going to be dead meat
by Christmas," he told another GOP senator.
As much as $2 million in soft money-funded ads
savaging Feingold were dumped into the state.
But the scrappy senator turned that fact into a
winning issue, saying that the key question in the
race was "whether we can really have a system
where out-of-state interests can come in and
essentially try to purchase a Senate seat." In the
last week of the campaign, undecided voters
rejected the big-money assault, going for
Feingold by more than 3-to-l, and he narrowly
11/6/98 10:00 AM
�Salon Newsreal | Money talks, but voters talk back
EMPORIUM
Introducing a
growing line of
Salon-inspired
products. The Salon
Blend of
shade-grown coffee
is not only delicious
but it helps to
Drovide important
labitat for
songbirds.
http://www.salonmagazine.com/news/1998/11 /06newsa.html
Feingold by more than 3-to-l, and he narrowly
won reelection.
But Feingold's wasn't the only race where a
candidate's campaignfinanceprofile made a
difference. In North Carolina, Sen. Lauch
Faircloth endured a barrage of media stories this
summer detailing the favors he did for campaign
contributors. Headlines like "Senator for Sale"
fueled voter disenchantment with the Republican
incumbent, who had stood with McConnell in
voting against campaign finance reform. His
Democratic opponent, John Edwards, a
newcomer to politics who refused PAC
contributions and attacked the role of special
interests in campaigns, rolled to a surprise victory
on Tuesday. And in the biggest surprise of
election night, Reform Party gubernatorial
candidate Jesse Ventura made much of his lack of
support from moneyed interests, going so far as to
run a TV commercial showing a Ventura pro
wrestling doll beating up on "Evil Special Interest
Man." Ventura benefited from a Minnesota law
giving him limited public financing while capping
his opponents' overall spending. He has said he
favors full publicfinancingof major-party
candidates who take no private money.
Perhaps the biggest campaignfinancereform
news came from ballot initiative victories in
Arizona and Massachusetts, which showed that,
given a real opportunity to register their disgust
with the status quo, voters support sweeping
reform. By margins of 51 percent in Arizona, the
home state of Barry Goldwater, and 66 percent in
Massachusetts, citizens adopted "Clean Money,
Clean Elections" proposals ~ voluntary campaign
finance systems in which candidates who agree to
take no or little private money and agree to
spending limits receive full and equal amounts of
publicfinancingfor their campaigns. Unlike more
incremental reform proposals, these new laws
will substantially block special interest influence,
limit campaign spending, free candidates from the
money chase and put voters back in the driver's
seat.
It's important to note how broad the support for
real reform runs. In both Arizona and
Massachusetts, coalitions of Democrats and
3 of 5
11/6/98 10:00 AM
�Salon Newsreal | Money talks, but voters talk back
http://www.salonmagazine.eom/news/1998/l l/06newsa.html
Republicans, liberals and conservatives, business
people and labor leaders, came together to push
for the Clean Money, Clean Election initiatives.
Including Maine, which was first to enact a Clean
Money system in 1996, and Vermont, whose
legislature embraced it in 1997, there are now
four states — large and small, east and west,
liberal and conservative ~ that have embraced the
idea that public officials should be elected with
public funds, instead of being beholden to private,
special interest donors.
Support for campaign reform also showed up in
other ballot questions: in Florida, where voters
reinforced the state's existing system of public
financing by putting it into the state constitution;
in Suffolk County on Long Island, N.Y., where
two-thirds of the voters backed a referendum that
will give candidates who voluntarily abide by
spending limits substantial public matching funds;
and in Akron, Ohio, where religious groups
championed a successful initiative to limit private
contributions to candidates to $100 and to cap
how much they can raise from outside the city.
No review of the impact of the campaign finance
issue would be complete without noting Sen.
McConnell's monomaniacal opposition to any
whiff of reform support within his own party ~
something that may have doomed two Republican
Senate candidates. In Washington state, Linda
Smith lost to incumbent Democrat Patty Murray,
hindered by a lack of funds. Because Smith has
been a vocal supporter of political reform as a
member of the House of Representatives, she got
no support from McConnell's NRSC. And in
South Carolina, where Bob Inglis narrowly lost to
incumbent Democrat Fritz Hollings, there are
reports that the NRSC again held back because
McConnell was offended by Inglis' principled
refusal to seek PAC contributions.
All of these results show that the issue of
campaign finance reform is alive and kicking. No
more can it be said that no one has ever won or
lost a political campaign because of their position
on the issue. Nor can anyone still doubt the
viability of Clean Money campaign finance
reform. The new conventional wisdom must be
that it is members of Congress ~ not campaign
4 of 5
11/6/98 10:00 AM
�Salon Newsreal | Money talks, but voters talk back
http://www.salonmagazine.eom/news/1998/l l/06newsa.html
*
finance reformers ~ who are out of touch with the
sentiments of voters.
SALON I Nov. 6, 1998
Ellen S. Miller is executive director of Public Campaign,
a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization devoted to
comprehensive campaign finance reform.
SALON I ARCHIVES | SEARCH | CONTACT US | SERVICES | SALON EMPORIUM | TABLE TALK
21 ST | BLUE GLOW | BOOKS | COMICS | ENTERTAINMENT | FEATURE | IVORY TOWER
MEDIA CIRCUS I MONEY I MOTHERS WHO THINK I NEWSREAL I URGE I WANDERLUST
5 of 5
11/6/98 10.00 A M
�Thursday November 5
12:22 PM EDT
Minnesota's Governor-Elect Has No Script
By Andrew Stem
ST. PAUL, Minn. (Reuters) - Minnesota's voters picked a consummate political outsider this
weekwhen they elected former pro wrestler Jesse "The Body" Ventura as their governor; now
they'rewondering what he'll do with the job.
They don't expect him to be boring, the label he put on his opponents. And they're wondering if
theformer Navy SEAL really will make his entrance on inauguration day, as he says he might, by
a ropehanging from a helicopter over the capitol building, rappelling down the dome.
Some political observers speculated Thursday how the blunt-spoken wisecracking Ventura,
whoseonly public service has been as a suburban mayor, will meet the tests of governing.
"He's going to have to get somebody to handle the budget and somebody to handle the
transition...This is going to be daunting," said Val Gunderson, press secretary for retiring
Minnesota RepublicanGov. Arne Carlson.
"There would be many more resources available to a straight-party candidate," she said.
"Thatdoesn't mean it's insurmountable ~ he may tap into one party's resources."
Others predicted Ventura ~ known during his 11-year wrestling career as "The Body," but
nowasking to be known as "The Mind" - will steer clear of the expected.
"Conventional political wisdom would dictate that Ventura gather a transition team, write
positionpapers and assemble a staff," political science professor Chris Gilbert of Gustavus
Adolphus Collegein St. Peter, Minn., said.
"But he's not a party to that conventional wisdom," Gilbert said. "He's worried about
peoplethinking he's selling out to the system that he's now a part of.
" I see him gathering a small set of advisors around him... and he's going to stick to the fact that
asimple set of principles has gotten him to this point," Gilbert said.
Among the clearest of Ventura's sometimes vaguely worded principles is his strict fiscal
conservatism,which appears to closely parallel the position of most Republicans, said Greg
Peppin, assistant toincoming Republican state House speaker Steve Sviggum.
"Instead of challenges, I would say (Ventura's election) presents us with many
opporttinities,"Peppin said. "We see a lot of commonality there."
�Ventura, running on the Reform Party ticket, beat Democrat Hubert Humphrey III, namesake son
ofthe former vice president, and Republican Norm Coleman, the mayor of St. Paul. His
supportappeared to cross all age groups and genders, many saying they backed him because he
was anoutsider.
Ventura became the first statewide official ever elected from the Reform Party, the group created
byformer presidential candidate Ross Perot. The only other of the 50 governors who is neither
aRepublican nor a Democrat is Maine's Angus King, an independent.
Tuesday's election also gave the Republicans a majority for the first time in a dozen years
inMinnesota's state House. The Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party - the name for Democrats here
-held onto its majority in the state Senate.
"We've got as divided a government as you could have," Gilbert said, suggesting it may work
to Ventura's favor by giving him leverage between the contending parties.
But if Ventura happens to anger legislators he would not have a party constituency in either
house toback his proposals, nor have a way to prevent lawmakers from overriding any vetoes.
"It's kinda like putting more ingredients in the stew," Ventura said about the
three-headedgovernment. "It might taste better, depending on how the ingredients blend
together."
Republican lawmakers are willing to discuss Ventura's proposal to shrink the bicameral
legislatureand create one legislative body, Peppin said. Ventura has said a unicameral legislature
would savemoney and stop unseemly vote-trading.
Among the 50 states only Nebraska has such a one-house legislature.
One likely top member of Ventura's team will be Minnesota Reform Party stalwart Dean
Barkley,viewed as the brains behind Ventura's win that became this election's most stunning
upset.
The day after his victory, Ventura seemed more concerned with creating a game plan for the
Rebels,the high school football team he helps coach, than worrying about state taxes.
After a news conference at the state capitol, Ventura sped off to talk sports on a local radio
showand then led his football team in afternoon calisthenics.
�PAGE
2
4TH STORY o f Level 1 p r i n t e d i n FULL format.
Content and programming c o p y r i g h t (c) 1998 N a t i o n a l Public
Radio, I n c . A l l r i g h t s reserved. Transcribed by Federal
Document C l e a r i n g House, Inc. under l i c e n s e from N a t i o n a l
Public Radio, I n c . Formatting c o p y r i g h t (c) 1998 Federal
Document C l e a r i n g House, Inc. A l l r i g h t s reserved.
NPR
SHOW: NPR MORNING EDITION (NPR 10:00 am ET)
NOVEMBER 4, 1998, WEDNESDAY
T r a n s c r i p t # 98110413-210
TYPE: PACKAGE
KJEVMS'P-APEjl^ic^.g
^
)
"
SECTION: News; Domestic
LENGTH: 64 5 words
;
HEADLINE: M|lhnesdt a Election.Shockerfcij
BYLINE: Mark Zedeklick, St. Paul; Bob Edwards, Washington, DC
HIGHLIGHT:
Mark Zedeklick o f Minnesota Public Radio r e p o r t s t h a t Jess 'The Body' Ventura, a
former pro w r e s t l e r , was e l e c t e d governor of Minnesota i n yesterday's e l e c t i o n .
Running on a t h i r d p a r t y t i c k e t , he beat two of the s t a t e ' s best known
" i c i a n s , Democrat Hubert Humphrey I I I , son of the l a t e former v i c e
dent, and Norm Coleman, the Republican mayor of St. Paul.
BODY:
BOB EDWARDS, HOST: I n Minnesota, a former p r o f e s s i o n a l w r e s t l e r , Jesse "The
Body" Ventura, d e f e a t e d Republican and Democratic candidates f o r governor,
winning under the banner o f the Reform Party. Ventura became the f i r s t Reform
Party candidate i n t h e n a t i o n t o win a statewide race.
His p l a i n - s p e a k i n g , man o f the people approach appealed t o v o t e r s . The
s i x - f o o t - f o u r , 250-pound former Navy SEAL drew crowds everywhere he went and
o f t e n was seen campaigning i n jeans and a Minnesota Timberwolves j a c k e t .
Mark Zedeklick o f Minnesota P u b l i c Radio prepared t h i s r e p o r t .
SOUNDBITE OF MAN ADDRESSING C O D AND CHEERING
RW
MARK ZEDEKLICK, MINNESOTA PUBLIC RADIO REPORTER: Jesse Ventura's supporters who
gathered a t a horse r a c i n g t r a c k j u s t outside o f Minneapolis were e l a t e d w i t h
news t h e i r Reform P a r t y candidates grassroots campaign was enough t o beat out
popular Democratic and Republican candidates f o r Minnesota governor. Ventura,
s i x - f o o t - f o u r , shaved head, t o l d the crowd he has always been c o n f i d e n t he could
win.
MINNESOTA GOVERNOR-ELECT JESSE "THE BODY" VENTURA, REFORM PARTY: The American
d
l i v e s on i n Minnesota 'cause we shocked the world.
"
�PAGE
3
NPR MORNING EDITION (NPR), NOVEMBER 4, 1998
CHEERING
^ ^ ^ H J I C K : Ventura's c o m p e t i t o r s outspent him by s e v e r a l - f o l d . He says h i s
c ^ ^ r a i g n changed t h e face o f p o l i t i c s i n Minnesota.
VENTURA: H o p e f u l l y the Democrats and the Republicans w i l l take n o t i c e now.
w i l l stop. . .
They
C O D NOISE
RW
Wait. Wait. They w i l l stop t h e i r p a r t i s a n p a r t y p o l i t i c s and s t a r t doin'
what's r i g h t f o r t h e people.
CHEERING
ZEDEKLICK: Ventura r a n an odd campaign by any measure, o f t e n t i m e s f a i l i n g t o
come down on one s i d e o r the o t h e r o f a p a r t i c u l a r issue and i n s t e a d saying he'd
review whatever was i n q u e s t i o n once i n o f f i c e . He spoke o f r e t u r n i n g t r u s t and
surplus t a x c o l l e c t i o n s t o v o t e r s . But h i s f a i l u r e t o make standard p o l i t i c a l
promises seemed t o be h i s g r e a t e s t s t r e n g t h among v o t e r s . VENTURA: During t h i s
campaign I d i d n ' t make a l o t o f promises, because I'm a person t h a t b e l i e v e s
t h a t I don't want t o make promises t h a t I can't keep. But -- w a i t , w a i t -- b u t
I'm going t o make you one simple promise t o n i g h t : I w i l l -- I promise you I w i l l
do the best j o b t h a t I can do.
CHEERING
LICK: C r i t i c s o f Ventura's candidacy say although the e n t e r t a i n e r served as
urban Minneapolis mayor f o r a term, he i s not q u a l i f i e d t o be governor,
those l e f t behind i n the race i s Democratic Minnesota A t t o r n e y General
•
Hubert Humphrey I I I , son o f t h e former v i c e p r e s i d e n t , and Republican St. Paul
Mayor Norm Coleman.
Longtime Democratic Minnesota Congressman Jim Oberstar says the former
w r e s t l e r ' s success came from h i s background as an e n t e r t a i n e r and an
u n w i l l i n g n e s s by h i s opponents t o take him on.
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE JIM OBERSTAR (D-MN): He's a person w i t h a stage name and an
agenda t h a t ' s wafer t h i n , and he needs t o be exposed. And nobody d i d t h a t , they
were a f r a i d o f a l i e n a t i n g those who might be a t t r a c t e d t o him.
ZEDEKLICK: I t ' s u n c l e a r j u s t what Minnesota Governor-Elect Jesse Ventura w i l l do
once i n o f f i c e . The former Navy SEAL h i n t e d t o supporters over the weekend t h a t
he might r e p e l out o f a h e l i c o p t e r t o the f r o n t steps o f t h e s t a t e c a p i t o l on
his i n a u g u r a l day.
For NPR News, t h i s i s Mark Zedeklick i n St. Paul.
This i s a rush t r a n s c r i p t . This copy may not be i n i t s f i n a l form and may be
updated.
TO PURCHASE AN AUDIOTAPE OF THIS PIECE, PLEASE CALL 888-NPR-NEWS
�PAGE
4
NPR MORNING EDITION (NPR), NOVEMBER 4, 1998
No quotes from the m a t e r i a l s contained h e r e i n may be used i n any media
t a t t r i b u t i o n t o N a t i o n a l Public Radio, I n c . This t r a n s c r i p t may not be be
uced i n whole o r i n p a r t w i t h o u t p r i o r w r i t t e n permission. For f u r t h e r
a t i o n please contact NPR's O f f i c e o f the General Counsel a t (202)
•
414-2040.
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
LOAD-DATE: November 4, 1998
�PAGE
4TH STORY of Focus p r i n t e d i n FULL format.
Copyright 1998 The N a t i o n a l Journal Group, Inc.
The H o t l i n e
November 4, 1998
SECTION: ELECTION FALLOUT
LENGTH: 785 words
HEADLINE: MINNESOTA GOVERNOR: A WHOPPER OF AN UPSET
BODY:
Minneapolis S t a r Tribune's Smith and Whereatt r e p o r t , exw r e s t l e r Jesse Ventura (Reform) "ambushed Minnesota's p o l i t i c a l
establishment" by becoming gov. Ventura "was declared the winner
by Voter News Service, based on i n t e r v i e w s as v o t e r s l e f t the
p o l l s . " Ventura i s the f i r s t Reform Party candidate i n the
n a t i o n t o be e l e c t e d gov., and the "biggest v i c t o r y by a t h i r d p a r t y candidate" i n MN since 1930. Ventura: " I t ' s overwhelming.
We shocked the w o r l d . " Ventura's v i c t o r y "immediately drew
n a t i o n a l a t t e n t i o n . " NBC anchor Tom Brokaw asked him whether he
should be addressed as Gov. Jesse Ventura or Gov. Jesse (The
Body) Ventura. The g o v - e l e c t r e p l i e d t h a t he doesn't go by the
"monikor" anymore. "Now he i s Jesse (The Mind) Ventura, he s a i d .
Later, he d e c l a r e d h i s immediate p r i o r i t y : 'My f i r s t agenda item,
i f I'm the winner, i s t o take a week o f f , ' he s a i d t o raucous
cheers from h i s s u p p o r t e r s " (11/4).
^^^HOW HE DID I T
^ ^ B M i n n e a p o l i s S t a r Tribune's Sternberg w r i t e s , on h i s way t o
b^roming gov., Ventura "accomplished several e x t r a o r d i n a r y f e a t s
... f a r more e x t r a o r d i n a r y than he ever managed i n the w r e s t o l i n g
r i n g . " Among o t h e r t h i n g s , "he was p o s s i b l y the d e c i s i v e reason
f o r the s u r p r i s i n g l y l a r g e statwwide t u r n o u t , drawing new v o t e r s
t o the p o l l s -- n e a r l y a l l of whom voted f o r him. ... I n what may
have been h i s s i n g l e accomplishment, he won the support of a
staggering number of young v o t e r s , a segment of the e l e c t o r a t e
t h a t has been underrepresented i n most e l e c t i o n s . He d i s p l a y e d
s t r e n g t h across the demographic board, d i s p l a y i n g few weaknesses
and s c o r i n g b i g , s u r p r i s i n g v i c t o r i e s i n several p r i z e d groups o f
v o t e r s " (11/4). Ventura "drew h i s s t r o n g e s t support from males
44 and younger and -- perhaps s u r p r i s i n g l y -- those who c a l l
themselves l i b e r a l s and moderates" (Shefchik, St. Paul Pioneer
Press, 11/4). Ventura " a t t r i b u t e d h i s s t u n n i n g upset t o v o t e r s
who ' r e a l i z e d they wanted some honesty, and they were not g e t t i n g
t h a t ... from p o l i t i c i a n s i n Washington and a t home" (Smith and
whereatt, Minneapolis S t a r Tribune, 11/4).
A "HUMILIATING BLOW" TO THE ESTABLISHMENT
Ventura's v i c t o r y " i s a h u m i l i a t i n g blow t o both" the GOP
and DFL p a r t i e s . St. Paul Mayor Norm Coleman (R) conceded the
e l e c t i o n a t 12:45am: " I w i l l work w i t h Jesse Ventura t o move t h i s
s t a t e f o r w a r d . " And AG Skip Humphrey (DFL) conceded a t 12:50am
saying he and h i s r u n n i n g mate had "spoken w i t h Jesse, and we
have c o n g r a t u l a t e d him p e r s o n a l l y ... and we want t o wish him the
est i n h i s new a d m i n i s t r a t i o n . The people have spoken, and
ieve and t r u s t i n the people." Humphrey aides who were
V
�PAGE
3
(c) 1998 The H o t l i n e , November 4, 1998
«
z i n g r e s u l t s " c l e a r l y were shocked by the outcome" (Smith
J U r e a t t , Star Tribune, 11/4).
SO MUCH FOR THE "SPOILER" THEORY
The " p r e v a i l i n g t h e o r y was t h a t Ventura would be a s p o i l e r
f o r Coleman, and the e x i t p o l l data seemed t o bear t h a t out -except t h a t Ventura had the lead. Voters were asked whom they
would have voted f o r had Ventura not been on the b a l l o t , and by a
margin" o f 47% t o 30%, they p i c k e d Coleman. Ventura a c t u a l l y
drew more o f h i s support from v o t e r s who c a l l e d themselves" Dems
(33%) than from those who s a i d they were GOPers (28%). But
Ventura "took about one o f every f o u r votes from both" GOPers and
Dems (Shefchik, St. Paul Pioneer Press, 11/4).
THE NEW MEDIA DARLING
Washington Post's E.J. Dionne on Ventura's v i c t o r y : " I t does
show t h a t v o t e r s are e i t h e r sometimes l o o k i n g f o r a laugh, o r
there continues t o be a group o f v o t e r s who go back t o the Perot
days who j u s t don't l i k e p o l i t i c i a n s " (MSNBC, 11/3).
Ventura: "When I came out o f the primary they asked who I
wanted t o face and I'm k i n d of a w a r r i o r a t heart and I s a i d g i v e
me the two b i g boys, because why not beat the best i f you're
going t o beat 'em."
NBC's Brokaw: " I wanted t o know whether we c a l l you
'Governor Ventura' o r 'Governor The Body'?" Ventura's response:
"Well a c t u a l l y Tom I've changed t h a t moniker.
I'm no longer 'The
Body,' I'm Jesse 'The Mind' Ventura. I don't make my l i v i n g w i t h
my body anymore I make i t w i t h my mind." Ventura again: " I f e e l
^ ^ ^ | l i k e Muhammad A l i the n i g h t he beat Sonny L i s t e n when
^ ^ ^ B y would b e l i e v e him and I was a l i t t l e k i d l i s t e n i n g on the
^Rno.
So t o Muhammad A l i , yes i t can happen j u s t l i k e you beat
Sonny L i s t o n "
(MSNBC, 11/3).
NBC's Brokaw: " I f t h i s e l e c t i o n i s about a n y t h i n g , i t i s a
r e j e c t i o n of c o n v e n t i o n a l p o l i t i c s o r p o l i t i c s as u s u a l " (11/3) .
LANGUAGE: ENGLIS H
LOAD-DATE: November 4, 1998
FOCUS
�PAGE
2
8TH STORY o f Level 1 p r i n t e d i n FULL format.
Copyright 1998 Star Tribune
Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN)
November 2, 1998, Metro E d i t i o n
SECTION:
| ^ ^ | | ^ g f .
3B
LENGTH: 13 3 5 words
HEADLINE: CANDIDATE q u i z ;
Welfare and p o v e r t y
BODY:
" e are concerned about t h e f i v e - y e a r c u t o f f f o r w e l f a r e r e c i p i e n t s . What are
W
the consequences f o r s o c i e t y when w e l f a r e r e c i p i e n t s reach the end o f t h e i r
e n t i t l e m e n t w i t h o u t a job? How would you address t h i s problem?"
- Posed by a panel i n Rochester
People's Champion
Fancy Ray McCloney
The two "major" p a r t y candidates are a couple o f b i g jokes, so vote f o r me.
I am a p r o f e s s i o n a l comedian. I f I am not e l e c t e d , you're going t o get stuck
kan amateur.
I oppose dependency programs t h a t keep people i n economic s l a v e r y . How?
Welfare has broken up f a m i l i e s by i n s i s t i n g dads must be out o f t h e household
f o r f a m i l i e s t o r e c e i v e b e n e f i t s . I t has punished people f o r g e t t i n g employment
w i t h t h r e a t s o f loss o f medical insurance and o t h e r b e n e f i t s . Thus, t h e system
leaves many people trapped. Welfare i s t h e t h i r d - l a r g e s t business i n t h e
country, and I b e l i e v e t h a t business has an i n t e r e s t i n p e r p e t u a t i n g i t s e l f . I
w i l l stop t h i s madness w i t h compassion.
The c u r r e n t p l a n i s t o o abrupt. We have t o make sure f o l k s are p r o p e r l y
t r a i n e d and educated. Exemptions should be put i n t o place f o r those who are
s t i l l i n t h a t process o f education and r e t r a i n i n g . There needs t o be a p r o v i s i o n
f o r housing and employment f o r people who have a c r i m i n a l h i s t o r y but have p a i d
t h e i r debts t o s o c i e t y .
There needs t o be a s l i d i n g - s c a l e fee f o r c h i l d care. There must a l s o be a
p a r t n e r s h i p between t h e p u b l i c and p r i v a t e sectors t h a t opens up o p p o r t u n i t i e s
f o r people who want t o advance t h e i r economic c o n d i t i o n s .
Minnesota w i l l succeed i f Fancy Ray i s e l e c t e d governor. Be you r i c h o r
poor, black o r w h i t e - I'm t a k i n g a stand f o r you. I am t h e People's Champion!
Libertarian
�PAGE
Star Tribune
(Minneapolis, MN), November 2, 1998
Frank Germann
ft
usual, government has a o n e - s i z e - f i t s - a l l approach t o e v e r y t h i n g . I n
rS^Cnse t o people u s i n g w e l f a r e as a l i f e s t y l e , government proposes a f i v e - y e a r
c u t o f f . This i s f i n e f o r most cases, but doesn't work i n a l l cases. However,
government, t o seem f a i r , must be uniform. This i s why L i b e r t a r i a n s t h i n k t h a t
the w e l f a r e o f our poor people i s t o o important f o r government t o be i n charge.
U l t i m a t e l y , L i b e r t a r i a n s would l i k e there t o be a separation between w e l f a r e and
s t a t e , j u s t t h e same as between church and s t a t e . A p r i v a t e agency can take an
u n l i m i t e d number of v a r i a b l e s i n t o account when d e c i d i n g who should have help
and f o r how long. Also, i f a person i s g e t t i n g help from a p r i v a t e agency, he i s
much less l i k e l y t o t h i n k of w e l f a r e as a God-given or s t a t e - g i v e n r i g h t .
Green
Ken
Pentel
The Green Party b e l i e v e s t h a t a l l people have a r i g h t t o f u l l human d i g n i t y
- food, housing, education, h e a l t h care, t r a n s p o r t a t i o n and living-wage j o b s .
The c u r r e n t w e l f a r e system does not acknowledge t h a t r i g h t .
Approximately 85 t o 90 percent o f s o c i a l welfare r e c i p i e n t s are o f f i n three
years; scapegoating people who are s t r u g g l i n g i s a d i v e r s i o n .
P r o v i d i n g f o r basic human needs f o r women, c h i l d r e n and the d i s a b l e d i s an
tment, not a l i a b i l i t y , and should be a p r i o r i t y i n s t a t e funding.
"Je should consider a moratorium on corporate w e l f a r e . I f c e r t a i n corporate
a c t i v i t y i s not able t o stand on t h e i r own, then we do not want t o a r t i f i c i a l l y
prop them up. The r i s e and f a l l of c e r t a i n e n t e r p r i s e s would guide us i n our
e v o l u t i o n t o b e t t e r business p r a c t i c e s .
The time has come t o focus on the b i g money and stop p i c k i n g on the people
who have l i t t l e o r no power i n our s o c i e t y . We a l l w i l l become stronger f o r
this.
ft, vPiScfiii'M
Refor5n|„„.
JifesW-'Ventura^ii
Minnesota w i l l n o t be the f i r s t t o see the e f f e c t s of the w e l f a r e c u t o f f .
Other s t a t e s , i n c l u d i n g Wisconsin, are s l a t e d t o terminate t h e i r b e n e f i t s before
Minnesota. We w i l l be able t o study the e f f e c t s of the c u t o f f s i n those s t a t e s
and plan a c c o r d i n g l y . The f i v e - y e a r c u t o f f i s a f e d e r a l mandate; Minnesota
cannot change i t , we can o n l y prepare our c i t i z e n s f o r i t .
When Congress f i r s t designed w e l f a r e , i t was meant t o be a temporary s a f e t y
net f o r people down on t h e i r l u c k . Over the years the program s i g n i f i c a n t l y
expanded, and i t became a way of l i f e f o r some people. When our ancestors
grated t o America, there was no w e l f a r e program a w a i t i n g them. The American
was n o t b u i l t upon a w e l f a r e program, i t was b u i l t upon hard work,
�PAGE
Star Tribune
(Minneapolis, MN),
November 2,
4
1998
d e d i c a t i o n and perseverance. I b e l i e v e i n the American Dream, and I want t o see
^J^nnesotans living i t .
DFL
Hubert Humphrey I I I
For w e l f a r e reform t o succeed i n Minnesota, we must help people move o f f the
w e l f a r e r o l l s and onto the p a y r o l l s . I f we f a i l , the number of f a m i l i e s i n
poverty w i l l continue t o skyrocket. C h i l d r e n w i l l go hungry. Crime w i l l r i s e .
Hope w i l l f a l t e r .
We w i l l not l e t t h a t happen i n our a d m i n i s t r a t i o n . We set out our p r i o r i t i e s
i n our balanced-budget p l a n (see http://www.humphrey98.org). A f t e r p r o v i d i n g
every taxpayer w i t h a permanent income tax c u t , we w i l l keep our commitments t o
Minnesota f a m i l i e s by ensuring t h a t our p u b l i c schools are w o r l d - c l a s s , so a l l
our c h i l d r e n succeed i n the 21st century. We w i l l provide tax c r e d i t s of up t o $
1,000 f o r f a m i l i e s t o help pay f o r c h i l d care and c o l l e g e . We w i l l support an
increase i n the minimum wage and extend MinnesotaCare t o cover 80,000 c h i l d r e n
w i t h o u t h e a l t h insurance. These i n i t i a t i v e s w i l l help f a m i l i e s stay o f f w e l f a r e
and on the p a y r o l l .
Republican
orm Coleman
Minnesota's reform of the
substantial opportunities for
f o r c e . I b e l i e v e those people
g a i n f u l l y employed by the end
i n d i v i d u a l s who w i l l not make
a long-term s a f e t y net. I t i s
net.
w e l f a r e system gives w e l f a r e r e c i p i e n t s
l e a r n i n g and education t o guide them i n t o the work
who can work t r u l y want t o work, and they w i l l be
of f i v e years. I b e l i e v e t h a t we may see a few
i t i n the work f o r c e . Those i n d i v i d u a l s t r u l y need
the o b l i g a t i o n of the s t a t e t o provide t h a t s a f e t y
However, we have learned t h a t w e l f a r e reform i s a p o s i t i v e step t h a t i s
succeeding i n moving most people from w e l f a r e t o work. I b e l i e v e t h a t a
f i v e - y e a r w a i t i n g p e r i o d i s s u f f i c i e n t f o r most w e l f a r e r e c i p i e n t s who t r u l y
b e l i e v e i t i s b e t t e r t o work.
Grassroots
Chris Wright
I support the Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP), our s t a t e ' s
welfare-to-work program. However, i t provides less i n food stamps t o the needy
than what the f e d e r a l government provides and at no cost t o the s t a t e . MFIP
provides f o r day care and t r a n s p o r t a t i o n f o r c o l l e g e attendees f o r one year, yet
ate-paying jobs r e q u i r e two- or four-year degrees. Drug o f f e n d e r s are
b b e n e f i t s f o r f i v e years a f t e r they've completed t h e i r sentences. This
•
�PAGE
5
Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN), November 2, 1998
punishes the poor o f f e n d e r t w i c e , making them more l i k e l y t o r e - o f f e n d t o
n^^^de f o r themselves. However, i f you can't secure employment a f t e r 60 months
c^^^B.fare, you can't expect the taxpayers' g e n e r o s i t y t o be l i m i t l e s s . I ' d
s u ^ p r t an MFIP e x t e n s i o n f o r l e g i t i m a t e reasons, e s p e c i a l l y i n lean economic
times.
S o c i a l i s t Workers
Thomas Fiske
This would c r e a t e a l a y e r o f unemployed workers desperate f o r work and a
sense o f f e a r among many workers t h a t t h i s could happen t o themselves. The
tendency would be t o d r i v e down wages and working c o n d i t i o n s , which i s e x a c t l y
the e f f e c t intended by the r u l i n g r i c h and t h e i r p o l i t i c i a n s . The o b j e c t o f t h i s
a t t a c k i s not an "underclass" o f w e l f a r e r e c i p i e n t s but the working class as a
whole. This e x p l a i n s why the c a p i t a l i s t media now g l o r i f i e s p r i v a t e c h a r i t y and
why some p o l i t i c i a n s even t a l k about orphanages as an o p t i o n .
S o c i a l S e c u r i t y , unemployment insurance, d i s a b i l i t y compensation and p u b l i c
r e l i e f were won t o g e t h e r i n the b i g labor b a t t l e s o f the 1930s when the l a b o r
movement adopted these demands as a s o c i a l cause. These gains o f the working
class are under a t t a c k now and w i l l be a c e n t r a l p o i n t o f defense by workers
through t h e i r unions i n the coming years as the economic c r i s i s deepens.
The Minnesota C i t i z e n s ' Forum i s a statewide n o n p a r t i s a n g a t h e r i n g o f
a l hundred Minnesota c i t i z e n s . I t i s sponsored by s e v e r a l news
•
o r g a n i z a t i o n s , i n c l u d i n g the Star Tribune. Compiled by Brad Stokman.
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 19 98
�PAGE
2
9TH STORY o f Focus p r i n t e d i n FULL format.
Copyright 1998 Star Tribune
Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN)
November 1, 1998, Metro E d i t i o n
SECTION: Minnesota
P o l l ; Pg. 1A
LENGTH: 253 0 words
HEADLINE: The s t r e t c h run: I t ' s up f o r grabs // Only 8 p o i n t s d i v i d e the 3
candidates
BYLINE: Dane Smith; S t a f f W r i t e r
BODY:
Minnesota's t h r e e m a j o r - p a r t y g u b e r n a t o r i a l candidates are separated by o n l y
e i g h t percentage p o i n t s i n the l a t e s t Star Tribune/KMSP-TV Minnesota P o l l ,
suggesting t h a t Hubert Humphrey I I I , Norm Coleman and Jesse Ventura each has a
r e a l chance o f c l a i m i n g the governor's o f f i c e on e l e c t i o n day Tuesday.
I n the p o l l o f 1,007 a d u l t s conducted from Oct. 27 t o 30, DFLer Humphrey was
favored by 35 percent, Republican Coleman by 30 percent and the Reform Party's
Ventura, 27 percent. Factor i n the p o l l ' s margin o f sampling e r r o r o f 3.1
percentage p o i n t s , p l u s o r minus, and i t becomes an extremely close race.
Ventura, a former p r o w r e s t l e r who has been s t e a l i n g the show a t debates,
continued a remarkable c l i m b i n the p o l l s , up 17 percentage p o i n t s from j u s t
the primary e l e c t i o n and up 6 p o i n t s from mid-October.
• •0
And there are indications in the latest poll that Ventura is draining
support from St. Paul Mayor Coleman. For instance, Coleman's support among
/
't
moderate Republicans has s l i p p e d 16 percentage p o i n t s since mid-October, w h i l e
Q/i^
Ventura's support rose 15 percentage p o i n t s among t h a t group.
Ventura a l s o i s demonstrating s t r o n g appeal t o younger v o t e r s . Among those
age 18 t o 24, he leads Coleman by a whopping 48 t o 27 percent, w i t h Humphrey
t r a i l i n g even f u r t h e r behind a t 16 percent. And Ventura a c t u a l l y leads Humphrey
and Coleman among a l l v o t e r s younger than 45.
However, t h e youngest v o t e r s are o f t e n the l e a s t l i k e l y t o make i t t o the
polls.
The e l e c t i o n may w e l l hinge on events i n the next three days: how TV ads are
received, whether c o n t r o v e r s i a l statements o r a t t a c k s succeed o r b a c k f i r e , and
the a b i l i t y o f t h e p a r t i e s and campaigns t o get t h e i r v o t e r s t o the p o l l s .
Whatever happens, t h e 1998 campaign now appears l i k e l y t o produce t h e
t i g h t e s t three-way g u b e r n a t o r i a l contest i n a t l e a s t 108 years. I t was 1890
when W i l l i a m R. Merriam, a Republican, received 36.6 percent o f the v o t e ; Thomas
Wilson, a Democrat, 35.6 percent, and Sidney M. Owen of the A l l i a n c e Party, 29.7
percent. Merriam's f i n i s h ranks as the lowest winning percentage i n s t a t e
h i s t o r y . Owen's i s the h i g h e s t t h i r d - p l a c e f i n i s h .
i
00
�PAGE
3
Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN), November 1, 1998
FOCUS
a n t i c f i n i s h ahead
111 o f the g u b e r n a t o r i a l candidates agreed Saturday t h a t the contest i s
extremely c l o s e , and a l l vowed t o work nonstop i n p u r s u i t o f votes and v i c t o r y .
"We've got t o keep working the way we have been," Humphrey s a i d , w h i l e
w a i t i n g f o r F i r s t Lady H i l l a r y Rodham C l i n t o n a t a r a l l y i n Minneapolis. "We're
working l i k e we're one vote behind, and we're going t o reach out and get every
v o t e r we p o s s i b l y can."
Humphrey, who holds an edge i n the p o l l among women and o l d e r v o t e r s , s a i d
he w i l l hammer home the message t h a t h i s agenda includes p r e s e r v a t i o n o f valued
p u b l i c s e r v i c e s as w e l l as t a x c u t s . " I t ' s a l l about education and h e a l t h care,
safe neighborhoods and f a m i l i e s , " he s a i d .
" I t ' s going t o be v e r y t i g h t , " s a i d Coleman, who was campaigning on the I r o n
Range, normally s o l i d DFL t e r r i t o r y . The p o l l shows t h a t he may be g a i n i n g
s t r e n g t h among n o r t h e r n Minnesota v o t e r s .
Coleman's c l o s i n g themes w i l l be h i s success i n governing
p l a n f o r much l a r g e r t a x cuts than those proposed by Humphrey
"When they get i n t h a t booth, people w i l l have t o t h i n k about
taxes, t o remember the guy who has a c t u a l l y done i t , " Coleman
St. Paul and h i s
and Ventura.
who can r e a l l y cut
said.
Ventura, appearing i n c e n t r a l Minnesota, s a i d h i s campaign f i n a l l y has
reached a c r i t i c a l mass o f support. "A year ago I thought i f we could j u s t get
ae mid-2 0s, we'd have a chance. Those disenchanted v o t e r s are going t o put
Jer the t o p , " he s a i d .
Ventura s a i d the p o l l ' s f i n d i n g s on young v o t e r s d i d n ' t s u r p r i s e him. He
s a i d he has been t r y i n g t o woo them since the beginning o f h i s campaign.
They're a n a t u r a l audience f o r him, he s a i d , given h i s career i n the movies and
wrestling.
" I t ' s the young people who are going t o win t h i s e l e c t i o n f o r me," Ventura
t o l d a crowd o f about 200 students r a l l y i n g f o r him Saturday a t St. Cloud State
University.
Humphrey s t a b i l i z e s
Support f o r Humphrey, who had a lead o f 2 0 percentage p o i n t s i n a Minnesota
P o l l conducted immediately a f t e r the primary e l e c t i o n i n mid-September, but who
dropped t o dead even w i t h Coleman two weeks ago, seems t o have s t a b i l i z e d among
most demographic groups.
A s i g n i f i c a n t gender gap i s a t work f o r both Humphrey and Ventura, the p o l l
shows. Women were f a r more l i k e l y t o support Humphrey, w h i l e men were much more
l i k e l y t o support Ventura. For Coleman, support among men and women was
v i r t u a l l y even.
^ v e r t h e l e s s , Ventura may be making progress w i t h young women since the l a s t
While o n l y 14 percent o f women under age 3 5 said they supported him i n
�PAGE
Star Tribune
4
(Minneapolis, MN), November 1, 1998
FOCUS
tober, t h a t f i g u r e rose t o 32 percent i n the l a t e s t p o l l .
-oleman s l i p p e d a b i t among most demographic groups since the l a s t Minnesota
P o l l , when he was favored by 34 percent o f those surveyed, but h i s l a r g e s t
f a l l - o f f was among Republican moderates and those younger than 25.
The percentage o f respondents who s a i d they were s o l i d Republicans d e c l i n e d
s l i g h t l y since the mid-October p o l l , from 28 t o 21 percent, which a l s o may be a
f a c t o r i n Coleman's s l i g h t s l i d e . Gender i s n ' t a f a c t o r f o r Coleman. His
support i s v i r t u a l l y the same among men and women.
Despite a l l o f the momentum a p p a r e n t l y i n p l a y f o r Ventura, he faces a key
problem: the l a c k o f an e s t a b l i s h e d p a r t y apparatus and organized, well-funded
g e t - o u t - t h e - v o t e machinery. The Reform Party, spun o f f from Ross Perot's 1992
and 1996 p r e s i d e n t i a l candidacies, i s a bare-bones o p e r a t i o n .
I n c o n t r a s t , the DFL Party not o n l y has i t s own phone banks and l i s t s o f
thousands o f sympathetic v o t e r s , but i t a l s o r e l i e s on labor unions t o move
people t o the p o l l s . The Republican Party i s mounting i t s most ambitious e f f o r t
ever at g e t t i n g i t s v o t e r s t o the p o l l s . A l l i e d i n t e r e s t groups such as
a b o r t i o n opponents a l s o can be expected t o make a push f o r Coleman.
Vulnerability
key f a c t o r i n the e l e c t i o n ' s outcome w i l l be the candidates' a b i l i t y t o
!ure v o t e r s about t h e i r perceived weakness, l i a b i l i t i e s t h a t the Minnesota
attempted t o measure.
who
Humphrey's opponents have tagged him as a throwback, a tax-and-spend l i b e r a l
i s u n l i k e l y t o push through t a x cuts d e s p i t e l a r g e revenue surpluses.
The p o l l found t h a t Minnesotans are s p l i t f a i r l y evenly on t h a t p e r c e p t i o n .
F o r t y - s i x percent b e l i e v e t h a t Humphrey w i l l "create higher taxes and unneeded
s o c i a l programs," w h i l e 41 percent s a i d they b e l i e v e he " w i l l r e s p o n s i b l y manage
the s t a t e ' s f i n a n c e s . "
Coleman's opponents have l a b e l e d him an o p p o r t u n i s t , c i t i n g h i s s w i t c h from
the DFL P a r t y t o the Republican Party j u s t two years ago, when i t became c l e a r
t h a t he couldn't advance i n h i s own p a r t y .
The p o l l found t h a t almost h a l f o f the respondents b e l i e v e t h a t Coleman
"adjusts h i s p h i l o s o p h i e s t o f i t the p o l i t i c a l s i t u a t i o n . " About o n e - t h i r d
disagreed and s a i d they thought he i s "a man w i t h t r u e Republican values."
I t i s i n t e r e s t i n g t h a t even 23 percent o f those who s a i d they would vote f o r
Coleman agreed w i t h the statement t h a t he "adjusts h i s p h i l o s o p h i e s . "
For Ventura, the b i g g e s t v u l n e r a b i l i t y may be h i s r e l a t i v e l a c k o f
experience i n government and h i s o f t e n p r o v o c a t i v e , o f f - b e a t comments, some o f
which have been condemned as f l a k y and r i s k y . For instance, he has defended the
j j ^ ^ ^ i of c o n s i d e r i n g l e g a l i z e d drugs and p r o s t i t u t i o n .
�PAGE
5
Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN), November 1, 1998
FOCUS
^^^nt
Minnesotans a p p a r e n t l y a r e n ' t buying the idea t h a t Ventura i s too f a r
c^^^H) govern. About h a l f s a i d they thought he i s " i n tune w i t h Minnesotans on
t ^ ^ ^ s s u e s . " Only 31 percent s a i d they thought him "too extreme on the issues
t h a t are i m p o r t a n t t o Minnesota."
Respondents weigh i n
These common p e r c e p t i o n s o f the candidates, and the themes they've sounded,
came through s t r o n g l y i n f o l l o w - u p i n t e r v i e w s w i t h p o l l respondents.
A Humphrey supporter, James Rundell, a 57-year-old business owner from
I n t e r n a t i o n a l F a l l s , s a i d he t h i n k s "Humphrey has done a good j o b as a t t o r n e y
general, and h e ' l l do a good j o b as governor."
Rundell s a i d Ventura i s "too f a r o u t " and, he added, " I don't l i k e Coleman
on guns." Coleman f a v o r s laws t h a t would make i t e a s i e r f o r law-abiding c i t i z e n s
t o c a r r y concealed weapons.
For Tracy A r i o , a 23-year-old schoolteacher from Brookston, west o f Duluth,
Coleman's conservatism r i n g s t r u e .
" I am what you would consider a r i g h t - w i n g
conservative," A r i o s a i d .
" I t a l l has t o do w i t h the r i g h t s o f people not being i n f r i n g e d on by the
government," A r i o s a i d . And i t ' s Republicans and Coleman who now are the agents
jange, lower taxes and " f a m i l y values and standards," A r i o s a i d .
I n Rochester, T i t o V i l l a r e a l , a 34-year-old c o n s t r u c t i o n foreman, has l i n e d
up f i r m l y behind Ventura.
"I'm going t o vote f o r him, and so i s everybody else a t work," V i l l a r e a l
s a i d . "He's f r e s h and open t o ideas. I consider myself a Democrat, but I
d i d n ' t l i k e the b i c k e r i n g between Humphrey and Coleman [on a recent t e l e v i s e d
debate] . Jesse comes from us; he was i n the s e r v i c e and knows what's going on
w i t h o r d i n a r y people. . . . We should be open t o ideas l i k e l e g a l i z i n g drugs and
prostitution."
Facts about the p o l l
Results are based on the Star Tribune/KMSP-TV Minnesota P o l l conducted from
Oct. 27 t o 30. I t used a r a n d o m - d i g i t - d i a l telephone sample t o i n t e r v i e w 1,007
a d u l t Minnesotans.
Results f o r the p o l l were weighted f o r age, gender, education and geography
t o make sure the sample r e f l e c t e d 1996 census estimates f o r Minnesota's a d u l t
p o p u l a t i o n . Weighting accounted f o r household s i z e - i n t e r v i e w e r s s e l e c t e d one
respondent randomly from each household - and f o r the number o f phone l i n e s
going i n t o a household.
k
e s u l t s a l s o were weighted f o r l i k e l i h o o d t o vote. The accuracy of any
c t i o n p o l l i s r e l a t e d t o how w e l l i t measures a l i k e l y e l e c t o r a t e .
�PAGE
6
S t a r Tribune (Minneapolis, MN), November 1, 1998
FOCUS
I j ^ ^ ^ r a l l a d u l t s are considered p o t e n t i a l v o t e r s , because they can r e g i s t e r t o
"J^^^Hm e l e c t i o n day. Consequently, researchers asked f o u r questions t o
d^^mnine how l i k e l y respondents were t o vote: v o t i n g h i s t o r y , r e g i s t r a t i o n ,
i n t e r e s t i n the e l e c t i o n and p r o b a b i l i t y of v o t i n g . Responses o f those l i k e l i e s t
t o vote were assigned heavier weights, w h i l e those less l i k e l y were assigned
lower weights.
For r e s u l t s based on t h i s model o f the e l e c t o r a t e , one can be 95 percent
c o n f i d e n t t h a t e r r o r because o f sampling w i l l be no more than p l u s o r minus 3.1
percentage p o i n t s . Margins o f sampling e r r o r f o r smaller groups, such as DFLers
or Republicans, are l a r g e r .
Results may be i n f l u e n c e d by random e r r o r , such t h i n g s as q u e s t i o n wording
and order, and the p r a c t i c a l d i f f i c u l t i e s o f conducting any p o l l , which i n c l u d e s
the e f f e c t on v o t e r choice by news events and campaign a d v e r t i s i n g i n the f i n a l
days o f the e l e c t i o n campaign.
The Market S o l u t i o n s Group Inc. o f Minneapolis conducted the i n t e r v i e w i n g
f o r the Star Tribune. News Research D i r e c t o r Rob Daves d i r e c t s the Minnesota
P o l l . Readers can e-mail comments about i t t o mnpoll@startribune
. com.
Findings a l s o are a v a i l a b l e by appointment a t the Star Tribune, 425 P o r t l a n d
Av. S., Minneapolis. More i n f o r m a t i o n about the p o l l i s a v a i l a b l e on the
I n t e r n e t a t http://www.startribune.com.
The s h i f i n g e l e c t o r a t e
During the past two weeks, the Minnesota P o l l has found s e v e r a l s i g n i f i c a n t
s h i f t s among the demographics o f the candidates' supporters. Among them are:
VENTURA
A new boost o f support has come from young v o t e r s .
- A 31-point g a i n among ages 18-24
- A 12-point l o s s among conservative Democrats
COLEMAN
Support among independents
- A 12-point g a i n among
i s growing, but he's l o s i n g moderate Republicans,
independents
A 16-point l o s s among moderate
Republicans
�PAGE
7
Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN), November 1, 1998
FOCUS
•
.MHE
UPRY
Independents are swinging t o him, but he's l o s i n g younger women.
- An 8-point g a i n among independents
- A 13-point loss among women age 18-24
Sept. 8 - l l # Sept. 16-20 Oct. 15-18 Oct. 27-30
Humphrey 4 1 % 49% 35% 35%
Coleman 31% 29% 34% 30%
Ventura 13% 10% 2 1 % 27%
#Sept. 8-11 P o l l taken before primary
Voters on the candidates' images
Most l i k e l y v o t e r s t h i n k t h a t Jesse Ventura i s i n tune w i t h the issues, n o t
too extreme. And they are s p l i t over whether A t t o r n e y General Hubert Humphrey
I I I w i l l be a tax-and-spend l i b e r a l , as Republican Norm Coleman has argued. More
v o t e r s b e l i e v e t h a t Coleman a d j u s t s h i s p o l i t i c a l b e l i e f s t o f i t the s i t u a t i o n
than b e l i e v e he i s a t r u e Republican.
"Which statement comes c l o s e r t o your b e l i e f . . . "
"Jesse Ventura i s i n tune w i t h Minnesotans on the issues o r
A l l l i k e l y voters: 51%
Among s u p p o r t e r s o f . .
.
pieman: 3 9% Humphrey: 33% Ventura: 95%
�PAGE
Star Tribune
8
(Minneapolis, MN), November 1, 1998
FOCUS
esse Ventura i s t o o extreme on the issues t h a t are important t o Minnesota."
A l l l i k e l y voters: 31%
Among supporters o f . .
.
Coleman: 4 1 % Humphrey: 43% Ventura: 3%
No o p i n i o n
A l l l i k e l y v o t e r s : 18%
Among supporters o f . .
.
Coleman: 2 0% Humphrey: 24% Ventura: 2%
"Hubert Humphrey I I I w i l l r e s p o n s i b l y manage the s t a t e finances, i n c l u d i n g
taxes, o r . . .
11 l i k e l y v o t e r s : 4 1 %
Among supporters o f . .
.
Coleman: 1 1 % Humphrey: 86% Ventura: 23%
Hubert Humphrey I I I w i l l create higher taxes and unneeded s o c i a l programs."
A l l l i k e l y v o t e r s : 46%
Among supporters o f . .
.
Coleman: 75% Humphrey: 8% Ventura: 65%
No o p i n i o n
A l l l i k e l y v o t e r s : 13%
Among supporters o f . .
.
�PAGE
Star Tribune
9
(Minneapolis, MN), November 1, 1998
FOCUS
leman: 14% Humphrey: 6% Ventura: 12%
"Norm Coleman i s a man w i t h t r u e Republican values, o r . .
.
A l l l i k e l y v o t e r s : 34%
Among supporters o f . .
.
Coleman: 64% Humphrey: 19% Ventura: 19%
Norm Coleman a d j u s t s h i s p h i l o s o p h i e s t o f i t the p o l i t i c a l
situation."
A l l l i k e l y v o t e r s : 49%
Among supporters o f . .
.
Coleman: 23% Humphrey: 60% Ventura: 70%
o opinion
"All l i k e l y v o t e r s : 17%
Among supporters o f . .
.
Coleman: 13% Humphrey: 21% Ventura: 11%
Note: The questions were r o t a t e d and the questions' choices were r o t a t e d t o
avoid sequence b i a s .
The demographic breakdown
" I f t h e general e l e c t i o n f o r governor were h e l d today, would you vote f o r
II
Humphrey Coleman Ventura Other No o p i n i o n
T o t a l 35% 30% 27% 2% 6%
lender
�PAGE
Star Tribune
10
( M i n n e a p o l i s , MN), November 1, 1998
FOCUS
l e 27 3 1 37 1 4
emale 42 30 17 2 9
Age
18-24 16 27 48 7 2
25-34 22 28 40 4 6
35-44 25 34 37 1 3
45-54 43 22 27 2 6
55-64 42 3 1 20 1 7
65 47 35 10 1 8
Education
Less t h a n h i g h s c h o o l 56 24 11 1 8
High school graduate
27 33 3 1 1 8
Some c o l l e g e 3 1 25 38 3 3
.College g r a d u a t e
36 35 2 1 3 5
H o u s e h o l d income
"Less t h a n $ 20,000" 43 26 18 2 11
"$ 20,000-$ 39,999" 42 24 28 1 5
"$ 40,000-$ 49,999" 22 34 36 5 3
"$ 50,000 o r more" 29 34 32 2 3
Party
Republican
5 62 28 1 4
I n d e p e n d e n t 2 1 2 1 38 1 19
Democrat 65 6 22 3 4
Ideology
L i b e r a l 48 7 39 6 0
M o d e r a t e 39 25 27 1 8
o n s e r v a t i v e 19 53 2 1 1 7
•
�PAGE
11
S t a r Tribune (Minneapolis, MN), November 1, 1998
FOCUS
ography
r
win C i t y r e g i o n 33 27 34 2 4
North 43 35 12 2 8
South 32 35 22 1 10
Source: Star Tribune/KMSP-TV Minnesota P o l l o f 1,007 l i k e l y v o t e r s statewide
from Oct. 27 t o 30. Margin o f sampling e r r o r i s no g r e a t e r than 3.1 percentage
p o i n t s , p l u s o r minus, a t a 95 percent confidence l e v e l .
GRAPHIC: Chart; Chart; Chart; Chart;
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
LOAD-DATE: November 5, 1998
Cartoon
�PAGE
13TH
2
STORY o f Level 1 p r i n t e d i n FULL format.
Copyright 1998 Star Tribune
Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN)
October 19, 1998, Metro E d i t i o n
SECTION: Minnesota C i t i z e n s ' Forum; Pg. 3B
LENGTH: 12 85 words
HEADLINE: CANDIDATE q u i z ;
Focus on crime
BODY:
Q. "What w i l l you do t o prevent the i n t r o d u c t i o n of drugs i n t o our community,
i n c l u d i n g those l e v e l s above t h a t o f s t r e e t dealer?"
- Posed by a panel a t L u c i l l e ' s Kitchen i n Minneapolis.
Grassroots
Chris Wright
P r o h i b i t i o n reduces supply and f a i l s t o reduce demand f o r n a r c o t i c s . The
j ^ ^ L t motive l u r e s s t r e e t dealers and k i n g p i n s i n t o t h i s odious t r a d e .
^ ^ ^ B w i n g the r e p e a l o f a l c o h o l p r o h i b i t i o n , p u b l i c r e g u l a t i o n of a l c o h o l took
^ ^ r s p e a k - e a s i e s out o f our communities and reduced murder and a s s a u l t by
f i r e a r m s f o r 10 years i n a row. The i n t o l e r a b l e amounts o f money and tyranny
necessary t o keep drugs out o f communities when we're unable t o keep them out o f
p r i s o n demands r e p e a l . Humphrey won't make us Hemp-free. Coleman won't make us
drug-free, o n l y u n - f r e e . I would e s t a b l i s h controlled-substances o u t l e t s and
r e g u l a t e n a r c o t i c s j u s t l i k e l i q u o r . This would undermine the black market and
b r i n g back p u b l i c s a f e t y t o communities.
S o c i a l i s t Workers
Thomas Fiske
Drug p r o d u c t i o n and sales c o n s t i t u t e a widespread c a p i t a l i s t business, w i t h
deep t i e s t o o t h e r businesses. Decades o f law-and-order, "Just Say No" campaigns
by government o f f i c i a l s have had l i t t l e e f f e c t . The demand f o r drugs i s caused
i n p a r t by the f e e l i n g s o f despair, a l i e n a t i o n and purposelessness t h a t many
youth and working people f e e l i n a c a p i t a l i s t s o c i e t y dominated by dog-eat-dog
values. As a step t o l i m i t the drug business, i t i s necessary t o d e c r i m i n a l i z e
the use o f drugs, which would take the p r o f i t s out o f drug p r o d u c t i o n and
exchange. I t i s a l s o necessary t o have f r e e , p u b l i c r e h a b i l i t a t i o n centers w i t h
t r a i n e d medical personnel t o l i m i t the e f f e c t s o f drugs. I n the coming decades
the f i g h t t o replace c a p i t a l i s t s o c i e t y w i t h a new s o c i e t y based on human
r i t y w i l l i n s p i r e young workers w i t h a broad s o c i a l p e r s p e c t i v e . I n the
s o f the f i g h t , the market f o r drug use w i l l w i t h e r away.
•
�PAGE
S t a r Tribune (Minneapolis, MN), October 19, 1998
form
Career p o l i t i c i a n s love t o t a l k tough on drugs. Yet under our c u r r e n t laws,
we can't even keep i l l e g a l drugs out of p r i s o n , l e t alone o f f the s t r e e t s . As
governor, I ' l l continue t o enforce the drug laws, but enforcement focuses mostly
on the supply side of the i l l e g a l drug market. We a l s o need t o focus on the
demand side. I f we reduce demand by d i s c o u r a g i n g r e c r e a t i o n a l drug use and by
h e l p i n g a d d i c t s overcome t h e i r a d d i c t i o n s , the drug market w i l l s h r i n k .
As a s t a t e , we need t o r e t h i n k our approach t o drugs from the ground up. As
governor, I ' l l c r e a t e a task f o r c e t o promote the r e t h i n k i n g process. I t w i l l
include medical p r o f e s s i o n a l s , s o c i a l s c i e n t i s t s , law enforcement o f f i c i a l s ,
c i v i l l i b e r t a r i a n s , c l e r g y , educators, e t c . By f o c u s i n g on the demand side o f
the drug market and s t i m u l a t i n g new p u b l i c p o l i c y t h i n k i n g , we can reduce the
i n t r o d u c t i o n of drugs i n t o our communities.
Libertarian
Frank Germann
Prevent the i n t r o d u c t i o n ? Drugs are everywhere! Drug p r o h i b i t i o n has f a i l e d
as a l c o h o l p r o h i b i t i o n has f a i l e d . More money f o r enforcement has never
d i n the past and w i l l never work i n the f u t u r e . A d d i c t s are h i g h l y
ated and w i l l defraud t h e i r parents, and b u r g l a r i z e t h e i r neighbors, and
•
even commit murder f o r money t o get t h e i r next f i x . P r o h i b i t i o n c o r r u p t s p o l i c e ,
causes crime and promotes gang v i o l e n c e . P r o h i b i t i o n equals wasted money and
lost lives.
There was no crime a s s o c i a t e d w i t h drug use before p r o h i b i t i o n s t a r t e d i n
1913. Before t h a t , a d d i c t i o n was o n l y a personal problem. Now i t i s a s o c i a l
problem.
I have e i g h t k i d s . I don't want them t o use drugs. The drug war i s no h e l p .
I f I want t o stop my k i d s from u s i n g drugs, I have o n l y two weapons: persuasion
and example. So f a r I have been s u c c e s s f u l .
People's Champion
Fancy Ray McCloney
Being a comedian, I come i n t o contact w i t h people who use drugs and a l c o h o l
on a d a i l y b a s i s . I am a n t i - d r u g , but pro-freedom of choice and personal
r e s p o n s i b i l i t y . What you do t o your own body, as long as you're not endangering
or harming o t h e r people, i s your own business. I t i s r e a l l y amazing t h a t I f e e l
t h i s way because drugs cause so much damage i n people's l i v e s , but I s t i l l stand
j j ^ ^ ^ r s o n a l freedom. I t h i n k " l i g h t " drugs should be l e g a l , taxed and r e g u l a t e d .
�PAGE
2
13TH STORY of Focus p r i n t e d i n FULL format.
Copyright 1998 Star Tribune
Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN)
l^p^tjmbg.r.;.^?.,, 1998, Metro.^dB?i%n
SECTION: Minnesota P o l l ; Pg. 1A
LENGTH: 164 2 words
HEADLINE: P o l l i n d i c a t e s Humphrey has strong lead over Coleman;
State GOP o f f i c i a l s q u e s t i o n methods, saying Democrats were overrepresented
BYLINE: Robert Whereatt; Dane Smith; S t a f f W r i t e r s
BODY:
A t t o r n e y General Hubert Humphrey I I I , winner of the DFL primary e l e c t i o n f o r
governor l a s t week, has a s i z a b l e lead over h i s Republican general e l e c t i o n
opponent, St. Paul Mayor Norm Coleman, according t o the l a t e s t Star
Tribune/KMSP-TV Minnesota P o l l .
Humphrey i s i n f r o n t o f Coleman 4 9 t o 2 9 percent, a 2 0-point margin, t h e
p o l l shows. Reform P a r t y candidate Jesse Ventura i s favored by 10 percent o f
the respondents.
Humphrey's campaign expressed s a t i s f a c t i o n w i t h the p o l l r e s u l t s and c i t e d
them as evidence o f v o t e r r e j e c t i o n of anti-Humphrey TV and r a d i o ads t h a t ran
d u r i n g the p o l l i n g p e r i o d .
A
epublican o f f i c i a l s c r i t i c i z e d the p o l l , saying i t s sample was flawed
se i t overrepresented DFL respondents. Party chairman B i l l Cooper
threatened t o take the newspaper t o the Minnesota News Council, which hears
complaints about the news media.
" I t ' s not a coincidence t h a t the Star Tribune comes up w i t h a biased p o l l
f o r t h e i r endorsed candidate," s a i d Cooper, r e f e r r i n g t o the paper's endorsement
of Humphrey i n the DFL p r i m a r y e l e c t i o n . The GOP's p o l l i n g , based on a sampling
w i t h a more even d i v i s i o n between Democrats and Republicans, shows Coleman and
Humphrey i n a dead heat, Cooper s a i d .
The Minnesota P o l l found t h a t 53 percent o f a d u l t Minnesotans i d e n t i f i e d
themselves as Democrats o r l e a n i n g Democratic. The h i g h e s t such number i n the
past 18 years was 55 percent i n October 1992. Conversely, 31 percent o f
respondents i d e n t i f i e d themselves as Republicans o r l e a n i n g toward the
Republican P a r t y - the lowest percentage since the l a t e 1980s.
Ventura spokeswoman Gerry Drewry s a i d Ventura found the r e s u l t s r e g a r d i n g
h i s support hard t o believe... "I'm v e r y s u r p r i s e d because we've been g e t t i n g
tremendous response from the v o t e r s a l l over the s t a t e , " Drewry s a i d .
Star Tribune E d i t o r Tim McGuire s a i d the p o l l i s sound.
" e are c o n f i d e n t
W
i n t h i s p o l l as a snapshot i n time" he s a i d . "This p a r t i c u l a r p o l l number, t h e
number of Democrats and Republicans, i s n o t o r i o u s l y v o l a t i l e . We have been
asking the q u e s t i o n the same exact way f o r over 30 years. And the number has
jumped s i x t o 10 p o i n t s w i t h i n a two- o r three-month p e r i o d .
�PAGE
Star Tribune (Minneapolis,
3
MN), September 23, 1998
FOCUS
^ ^ ^ T h e r e could be a number o f causes f o r our d i f f e r e n c e s w i t h other p o l l s , "
I^^^H-e s a i d . "For example, we do not screen out u n r e g i s t e r e d v o t e r s , because
M^^resotans can r e g i s t e r a t the p o l l s . Other p o l l s t e r s may screen out
u n r e g i s t e r e d v o t e r s . The f a c t there was an a c t i v e Democratic g u b e r n a t o r i a l
primary contest and no r e a l primary contest on the GOP side could also be a
factor."
The Humphrey campaign s a i d the p o l l shows t h a t v o t e r s are embracing the
candidate and h i s message. "The Humphrey-Moe agenda t o cut taxes r e s p o n s i b l y ,
improve education and expand the crackdown i n crime i s c l e a r l y resonating w i t h
v o t e r s , " s a i d E r i c Johnson, c h i e f campaign s t r a t e g i s t f o r Humphrey. "The bottom
l i n e i s : The v o t e r s t r u s t Skip Humphrey, and they are overwhelmingly r e j e c t i n g
Norm Coleman's d i s t o r t e d , negative a t t a c k ads."
Humphrey's support i s s o l i d i n almost every demographic category, according
t o the p o l l , which was conducted Sept. 16 through 20. The i n t e r v i e w s o f 1,009
a d u l t s statewide began the day a f t e r the primary e l e c t i o n and concluded Sunday,
a few hours a f t e r r e p o r t s t h a t M u r i e l Humphrey Brown, the candidate's mother,
had died.
Humphrey i s s t r o n g among DFLers, women, o l d e r people, those w i t h less
education, l i b e r a l s , a b o r t i o n - r i g h t s advocates and low-income r e s i d e n t s - a
t y p i c a l DFL c o a l i t i o n . He shows s t r e n g t h across the s t a t e and i s p a r t i c u l a r l y
strong i n n o r t h e r n Minnesota.
i k e l y v o t e r s speak
Marty A l l e n , 46, a car mechanic from Brownsdale, s a i d he favors Humphrey and
other Democrats because "when Republicans get i n o f f i c e , t h i n g s go t o h e l l .
Wages, you name i t ; the r i c h get r i c h e r and the poor get poorer." A l l e n also
s a i d t h a t Republican a t t a c k s on President C l i n t o n i n the Monica Lewinsky scandal
make him more l i k e l y t o vote Democratic.
Coleman's support comes from men, younger v o t e r s , Republicans,
conservatives, a b o r t i o n opponents and the more a f f l u e n t . One backer i s J e f f
Countryman, 31, a computer c o n s u l t a n t from St. Paul. "He's reduced taxes [ i n
St. P a u l ] ; the c i t y i s doing much b e t t e r , " Countryman s a i d of h i s mayor. "He
can do i t f o r the s t a t e . . . . " Humphrey would b r i n g "cradle-to-grave"
government t o Minnesota, he s a i d .
Ventura's support i s concentrated among independent v o t e r s . One i s B e t t y
Quirk, 60, a h o s p i t a l j a n i t o r from Minneapolis. "He's independent, an o r d i n a r y
guy who's been where the poor people are," she s a i d .
Quirk s a i d she i s suspicious o f Coleman because o f h i s recent conversion t o
the Republican Party, and she t h i n k s Humphrey has t r i e d t o take too much
p o l i t i c a l advantage o f the s t a t e ' s $ 6.1 b i l l i o n tobacco settlement, which
Humphrey's o f f i c e oversaw.
I n the l a t e s t p o l l , 64 percent o f Humphrey's supporters
^ ^ ^ ^ n's s a i d they w i l l s t i c k w i t h t h e i r choices.
and 72 percent o f
�PAGE
4
S t a r Tribune (Minneapolis, MN), September 23, 1998
FOCUS
r i s Georgacas, campaign manager f o r Coleman, questioned the methodology o f
11.
"This p o l l i s skewed h e a v i l y DFL i n terms o f i t s sample," he s a i d ,
•
umber o f respondents i n t h i s sample appears t o be f a r beyond what has been
the h i s t o r i c p a r t y [ i d e n t i f i c a t i o n ] breakdown i n p a r t y surveys.
"There's t y p i c a l l y a few percentage p o i n t s more o f s e l f - i d e n t i f i e d Democrats
than Republicans, but 22 p o i n t s ? "
Humphrey takes wide lead a f t e r the primary
" I f the general e l e c t i o n f o r governor were h e l d today, would you vote f o r
Hubert Humphrey I I I - 4 9%
Norm Coleman - 2 9%
Jesse Ventura - 10%
o Opinion - 10%
Other - 2%
Note: A l l e i g h t condidates' names and p a r t y a f f i l i a t i o n s were read, and
names were r o t a t e d t o a v o i d order b i a s .
Humphrey, Coleman seen as s t r o n g leaders; many v o t e r s i n the dark about
Ventura
The Minnesota P o l l taken l a s t week found t h a t Democrat Hubert Humphrey I I I
and Republican Norm Coleman are perceived by most l i k e l y v o t e r s as s t r o n g
leaders. But i n o t h e r dimensions the p o l l measured, a l a r g e r percentage o f
l i k e l y v o t e r s have a p o s i t i v e image o f Humphrey than they do of Coleman. The
p o l l a l s o found t h a t a t h i r d o r more o f l i k e l y v o t e r s are s t i l l i n the dark
about Reform Party candidate Jesse Ventura.
�PAGE
5
Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN), September 23, 1998
FOCUS
m going t o read you several statements about some g u b e r n a t o r i a l
ates.
Please t e l l me i f you agree o r disagree w i t h each one."
Humphrey Coleman Ventura
Sides w i t h t h e
average c i t i z e n
Agree s t r o n g l y 42% 25% 32%
Agree not s t r o n g l y 21 25 22
Disagree not s t r o n g l y 11 14 7
Disagree s t r o n g l y 14 18 7
No o p i n i o n
12 18 32
Is i n tune w i t h
innesotans on the issues
Agree s t r o n g l y 40% 32% 20%
Agree not s t r o n g l y 22 21 18
Disagree not s t r o n g l y 11 11 12
Disagree s t r o n g l y 17 16 12
No o p i n i o n 10 20 38
Is a strong
leader
Agree s t r o n g l y 48% 42% 2 1 %
Agree not s t r o n g l y 20 22 12
Disagree not s t r o n g l y 9 9 14
Disagree s t r o n g l y 14 9 20
�PAGE
6
S t a r Tribune (Minneapolis, MN), September 23, 1998
FOCUS
o p i n i o n 9 18 33
Has a w e l l - d e f i n e d
program f o r the s t a t e
Agree s t r o n g l y 38% 25% 8%
Agree not s t r o n g l y 24 18 12
Disagree not s t r o n g l y 7 16 16
Disagree s t r o n g l y 12 16 19
No o p i n i o n 19 25 45
Is w e l l - q u a l i f i e d
t o be governor
Agree s t r o n g l y 52% 39% 11%
Agree not s t r o n g l y 20 22 14
Disagree not s t r o n g l y 6 10 16
Disagree s t r o n g l y 15 13 29
No o p i n i o n 7 16 30
I s sympathetic t o the
problems o f the poor
Agree s t r o n g l y 40% 22% 24%
Agree not s t r o n g l y 24 20 19
Disagree not s t r o n g l y 8 15 7
isagree s t r o n g l y 12 17 8
�NPR TALK OF THE NATION (NPR), NOVEMBER 4, 1998
CALLER: I t i s .
Z: OK.
Good.
Go ahead.
wanted t o Cc
1
hy I . v o t e d - f or'him:' '*
I voted f o r him because I -- he d i d n ' t take any s p e c i a l i n t e r e s t money, so I
knew when he got i n t h e r e i n t o the governor's mansion he wouldn't be busy paying
s p e c i a l - i n t e r e s t groups back f o r g i v i n g him money, which i s u s u a l l y when
p o l i t i c i a n s do t h a t , i t ' s u s u a l l y no good f o r the average person.
And
(unintelligible).
And t h a t ' s why I voted f o r him. So, I mean --
SUAREZ: But you know, sometimes people say t h a t , when they walk i n t o the booth
-- and t h i r d p a r t y advocates go nuts when you say t h i s , when you b r i n g up t h a t
phrase " p r o t e s t v o t e " -- t h e r e i s a presumption on the p a r t of an i n d i v i d u a l
v o t e r t h a t , " I don't r e a l l y t h i n k t h i s guy's going t o win, but t h a t doesn't
matter t o me. I t h i n k i t ' s important t h a t I cast t h i s vote t o show
TV Uews
�NPR TALK OF THE NATION (NPR), NOVEMBER 4, 1998
something."
«
ink people walked i n t o t h e booth i n Minnesota t h i n k i n g , " I f I make t h i s
Jesse could a c t u a l l y be t h e next governor of Minnesota," o r "Do I j u s t
o show Norm Coleman and Skip Humphrey t h a t I shouldn't be taken f o r
granted."
CALLER: Well, I t h i n k some of them b e l i e v e he could win, and I t h i n k some people
were probably laughing a t i t because I d i d t a l k t o some people who -- you know,
I would wear my b u t t o n , they would say, w e l l , do you r e a l l y t h i n k he can win?
And I would say, yeah, I do.
And I t h i n k another reason he became v i a b l e was because Humphrey, back i n
September, was k i n d enough t o take him s e r i o u s l y . And I t h i n k i t was very
( u n i n t e l l i g i b l e ) . And Humphrey s a i d , w e l l , i n v i t e him along. Let's see what he
has t o say.
And I t h i n k t h a t probably gave him some l e g i t i m a c y he might not have had
otherwise.
SUAREZ: He probably s t a r t e d k i c k i n g himself r i g h t now.
�NPR TALK OF THE NATION (NPR), NOVEMBER 4, 1998
LAUGHTER
O^^Ht: Well, maybe.
I don't know.
C e r t a i n l y , I hope t h a t the f a c t Jesse d i d win and t h a t so many people supported
him w i l l send a message t o p o l i t i c i a n s t h a t , you know, there's a c e r t a i n amount
of people who a l s o maybe were s i l e n t about i t , but we're s i c k o f seeing what's
going on.
SUAREZ: Renee, i f t h e r e was no Jesse Ventura
supported between Humphrey and Coleman?
on the b a l l o t , who would you have
CALLER: Well, I would have had t o p u t Humphrey because ( u n i n t e l l i g i b l e ) would
not have l i k e d some o f the t h i n g s he was going t o do, but I d i d l i k e the f a c t
t h a t he was p r o - c h o i c e . And I t h i n k t h a t ' s important.
You know, a l o t o f people say, oh, i f you're pro-choice you're p r o - a b o r t i o n , b u t
no, t h a t ' s n o t t r u e . I t h i n k a woman should have the choice, and I d i d n ' t l i k e
Ron Coleman saying he was, you know, her l i f e , meaning he would, you know, take
t h a t r i g h t away from us i f i t was p o s s i b l e .
SUAREZ: Well, Renee, thanks a l o t f o r g i v i n g us an update from Coon Rapids.
�NPR TALK OF THE NATION (NPR), NOVEMBER 4, 1998
CALLER: Oh, sure.
Can make another comment?
z^^Jz • Sure
CALLER: I j u s t want t o say t h a t -- oh, now I l o s t i t .
somebody e l s e . But thanks f o r t a l k i n g t o me.
So maybe you b e t t e r go t o
SUAREZ: Bye bye, Renee.
WASHINGTON: Ray, i f I could jump i n and j u s t p i c k up on Renee's comments -- her
comments -- she's o n l y one person, b u t they ( u n i n t e l l i g i b l e ) a couple o f b i t s o f
p o l i t i c a l wisdom t h a t may go by t h e wayside i n ( u n i n t e l l i g i b l e ) . One i s t h e
issue o f t h i r d p a r t i e s and how successful they can be, and many experts w i l l
t e l l you t h a t t h i r d p a r t i e s always do b e t t e r i n the p o l l s than they do on
e l e c t i o n day.
I t ' s a f i n e idea i n theory, but when people get i n the p o l l i n g booth, t h a t -there tends t o be some d r o p - o f f . I t looks l i k e there wasn't d r o p - o f f i n t h i s
case -- i n f a c t , t h e r e was an increase.
I n .any issue o f money and p o l i t i c s , again the conventional wisdom, i s t h a t
�FDCH P o l i t i c a l T r a n s c r i p t s , November 4, 1998
MODERATOR: Well I have a l i g h t q u e s t i o n , and then a s e r i o u s question. The
f i r s t i s from a viewer who asks, I'm a p r o f e s s i o n a l w r e s t l e r . I s there a r o l e
«
in politics?
UGHTER)
And then a s e r i o u s q u e s t i o n . You may laugh a t the v i c t o r y of Jesse "The
Body" Ventura, but h i s o n l y promise was t h a t he would be honest w i t h the
people o f the s t a t e i f he became governor. The people b e l i e v e d him.
Republicans and Democrats say the same t h i n g a l l the time. Why are they not
believed?
(LAUGHTER)
GROSSMAN: I t h i n k the people o f Minnesota sent the e n t i r e p o l i t i c a l system i n
t h i s country, not o n l y i n Minnesota, a message. I t h i n k we need t o t h i n k
outside the box i n a l o t o f areas and on a l o t o f issues. Not j u s t i n terms o f
are we r e l e v a n t t o those people whom we attempt t o and we need t o i n s p i r e . I
have t h r e e c h i l d r e n , one i s 22, j u s t graduated from c o l l e g e , one's 18, he's here
w i t h me today, and one's 9 years o l d . They need t o b e l i e v e t h a t t h i s system
works. And we need t o t h i n k o f ways t o include them and i n v o l v e them. Reducing
the amount o f money i n American p o l i t i c s , b r i n g i n g ideas and values back i n t o
�FDCH P o l i t i c a l T r a n s c r i p t s ,
it,
seemed t o me
t o be one
November 4,
1998
of them.
^ ^ ^ ^ > t h e r way i s the use of the I n t e r n e t , and I w i l l j u s t close by the comment
t ^ ^ ^ R f we as p o l i t i c a l p a r t i e s are going t o be t r u l y r e l e v a n t t o today's v o t e r s
aS^tomorrow's v o t e r s , t o those people who are l o o k i n g f o r a l t e r n a t i v e ways of
p a r t i c i p a t i n g , i f we understand t h a t communication, advocacy and even v o t i n g i s
going t o be i n e x t r i c a b l y l i n k e d t o the way we use the I n t e r n e t and a l t e r n a t i v e
forms of communication, then by t h i n k i n g o u t s i d e the blocks, by being b o l d and
innovative and c r e a t i v e , and not n e c e s s a r i l y accepting the way we've been doing
i t because i t ' s always t h a t way, but because i t may be one of the most important
t h i n g s we do.
That connecting w i t h people i n bold, innovative ways i s the
t i c k e t f o r the f u t u r e .
And as c h a i r of t h i s p a r t y , I pledge t o use every b i t of our e f f o r t . And
I'm
pleased t h a t our d i r e c t o r of our i n t e r a c t i v e media e f f o r t , Linda Soonaway (ph)
i s here w i t h me today t o hear t h i s . We're going t o t r y t o use the 2000 e l e c t i o n
as a l a b o r a t o r y f o r the kinds of changes t h a t can d r a m a t i c a l l y e n r i c h and
upgrade and enhance the p a r t i c i p a t i o n of Americans i n t h e i r p o l i t i c a l system.
We had the lowest t u r n o u t of any p r e s i d e n t i a l campaign since 1924 i n 1996,
and o n l y 17.4 percent of the American people p a r t i c i p a t e d i n the p r i m a r i e s .
Although, yesterday was b e t t e r than expected, i t ' s not enough. We've got t o
�FDCH P o l i t i c a l T r a n s c r i p t s , November 4, 1998
f i n d ways t o b r i n g people i n v o l v e d t o a c t i v a t e them, t o energize them, t o
communicate w i t h them, and t o use every one o f the most contemporary
i c a t i o n s techniques i n order t o do t h a t . And I pledge t h a t , and I know
11 undoubtedly do the same.
•
NICHOLSON: I t h i n k the best way t o e r a d i c a t e the cynicism t h a t e x i s t s i s t o
deal w i t h people h o n e s t l y and t o stop the hypocrisy. And when the o t h e r p a r t y
does something t h a t ' s m e r i t o r i o u s , I t h i n k we should acknowledge i t and say
that.
NICHOLSON: And a t t h e same time, o f course, we have the r e s p o n s i b i l i t y as t h e
other p a r t y i n t h i s great two p a r t y democracy. And I emphasize t h a t two p a r t y
because I am more impressed than I ever was a f t e r t a k i n g on t h i s j o b , a t t h e
s i g n i f i c a n c e o f t h e f a c t t h a t we only have two p a r t i e s .
I t r a v e l a g r e a t deal, meet w i t h f o r e i g n leaders, f o r e i g n p a r t y leaders. And
they j u s t are astounded a t the f a c t t h a t we're as b i g as we are, 270 m i l l i o n o f
us. And we're s t i l l r e a l l y j u s t a two-party democracy. And o f course, t h a t ' s
also one o f our challenges i s t o keep, i n my case, t h i s p a r t y , the emerging
m a j o r i t y p a r t y i n America, t o g e t h e r as t h i s c o a l i t i o n o f people seeking common
ground.
�FDCH P o l i t i c a l T r a n s c r i p t s ,
November 4,
1998
And the o t h e r t h i n g t h a t we need t o do I t h i n k , i s cut out the hypocrisy.
saw the o t h e r n i g h t Barbara Boxer on t e l e v i s i o n saying, we r a i s e d a m i l l i o n
c^^^^rs yesterday. And we r a i s e d a m i l l i o n d o l l a r s today and who knows what
\ ^ ^ ^ B g o i n g t o r a i s e tomorrow.
I
Well, you know, I don't happen t o t h i n k there's probably anything wrong w i t h
the way she r a i s e d t h a t money. I presume t h a t she d i d i t l e g a l l y . But the
hypocrisy of t h a t statement based on her previous p o s i t i o n s about campaign
finance I t h i n k causes a great deal of cynicism out there among the people, as
does a l o t of o t h e r p o s i t i o n s of the Democrat p a r t y .
So I t h i n k the best way i s f o r us t o deal h o n e s t l y and s t r a i g h t w i t h the
American people.
Thank you f o r a l l o w i n g me t o come here and be w i t h you.
(APPLAUSE)
MODERATOR: Well thank you both f o r being here today.
excellent discussion.
END
That was an e x c e l l e n t ,
�CNN INSIDE POLITICS, November 2, 1998
MESERVE r ^ w j tfst^rove^th'e name, and t h a t he uses the theme from "Shaft." I
thi'nk-''h^ V"great.
He's met a t an unexpectedly strong t h i r d p a r t y challenge
And sources i n the s t a t e o f Minnesota say t h a t there i s some i n t e r n a l
g which shows t h a t Norm Coleman, the Republican, i s ahead. This i s a p o l l
•
l i k e l y v o t e r s , but then Ventura appears t o be o u t p o l l i n g Skip Humphrey,
the Democratic candidate.
I
SESNO: That could be major upset.
MESERVE: But t h a t i s a l l v o t e r s , when you look a t l i k e l y v o t e r s . Then you see
a Coleman, Humphrey, Ventura l i n e u p . The Democrats are s t i l l very hopeful
t h a t Humphrey i s going t o p u l l t h a t o u t .
Republicans say, i n the s t a t e o f Colorado, t h e i r candidate B i l l Owens i s
going t o run, but t h e r e i s new p o l l i n g out t h e r e , t o o . When you look a t a p o l l
of a l l v o t e r s , G a i l S c h o e t t l e r , the Democrat i s a couple o f p o i n t s up. When you
look a t l i k e l y v o t e r s , Owens s t i l l has the lead. Turnout i s going t o be key
there, as i t i s i n so many o f these races.
SESNO: You mentioned t u r n o u t . And c e r t a i n l y , one o f the t h i n g s we're
watching as we look a t House races -- these many and c o m p e t i t i v e House races, we
are seeing t h a t what i s the most u n c e r t a i n t h i n g , i s how these l a t e ads by
�CNN INSIDE POLITICS, October 27, 1998
REED: Thank you, Bernie.
.: Quite welcome.
W
ill
ahead here on INSIDE POLITICS, the l a s t minute ad b l i t z .
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED BOY: I don't want your s t u p i d money.
ANNOUNCER: And p a r t y p o l i t i c s .
UNIDENTIFIED BOY: We p o l i t i c i a n s have powers the average man can't
comprehend.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SHAW: Reaching the v o t e r s , Jeanne Meserve w i l l look a t what works and what
doesn't when we r e t u r n .
�CNN INSIDE POLITICS, October 27, 1998
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
'OUNCER: Lauch F a i r c l o t h keeps h i t t i n g John Edwards w i t h B i l l C l i n t o n , but
Lauch F a i r c l o t h who has voted w i t h B i l l C l i n t o n over 200 times. I s Lauch
ral?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MESERVE: Say what?
F a i r c l o t h may be a p a r t y - s w i t c h e r , but he's no Ted Kennedy.
votes much more l i k e h i s f e l l o w Tarheel, Jesse Helms.
I n f a c t , he
F i n a l l y , as a p r o w r e s t l e r , Jesse "The Body" Ventura c e r t a i n l y knew how t o
draw a crowd - w i t h loud c l o t h e s , and a loud mouth. As a p o l i t i c i a n , running
f o r Minnesota governor on t h e Reform Party t i c k e t , he's r a c k i n g up some good
p o l l numbers: 21 percent i n t h e l a t e s t survey. Now he's going f o r the body slam
w i t h h i s f i r s t batch o f TV ads, wrapping some serious issues, i n a very s i l l y
package.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
�CNN INSIDE POLITICS, October 27, 1998
ANNOUNCER: New from t h e Reform Party, i t ' s the new Jesse Ventura
figure.
You can make Jesse b a t t l e s p e c i a l i n t e r e s t s groups.
action
DENTIFIED BOY: I don't want your s t u p i d money.
ANNOUNCER: And p a r t y p o l i t i c s .
UNIDENTIFIED BOY: We p o l i t i c i a n s have powers the average man can't
comprehend.
ANNOUNCER: You can a l s o make Jesse lower taxes, improve p u b l i c education, and
f i g h t f o r t h e t h i n g s Minnesotans r e a l l y care about.
UNIDENTIFIED BOY: This b i l l wastes taxpayer money.
Redraft i t !
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MESERVE: And who says k i d s don't care about p o l i t i c s ?
Jeanne Meserve, CNN, Washington.
�CNN INSIDE POLITICS, October 20, 1998
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
«
W A recent surge i n support f o r Reform Party candidate and former p r o
:
er Jesse Ventura has l e f t t h a t Minnesota governors race up f o r grabs. A
11 shows Democrat Hubert Humphrey I I I and Republican Norm Coleman i n a
v i r t u a l dead heat a t about 35 percent, w i t h Ventura up 11 p o i n t s t o 21
percent. Across t h e c o u n t r y t u r n out i s considered the key t o t h i s e l e c t i o n as
Judy i n d i c a t e d e a r l i e r and our guests. And p o l i t i c a l p a r t i e s and candidates are
searching f o r ways t o m o t i v a t e scandal weary v o t e r s .
B i l l Schneider j o i n s us now w i t h a look a t how they are t r y i n g t o do t h a t ,
s t a r t i n g on the west coast -- B i l l .
WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SR. POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, C a l i f o r n i a , Bernie -C a l i f o r n i a may be the most pro-choice s t a t e i n the union. Now i t ' s n o t
impossible f o r an a n t i - a b o r t i o n candidate t o get e l e c t e d i n C a l i f o r n i a . George
Deukmejian (ph) d i d i t . And Ronald Reagan and George Bush both c a r r i e d t h e
s t a t e . But i t ' s a b i g s t r i k e against you.
That's one reason why Republican Dan Lungren, an ardent opponent o f a b o r t i o n ,
has been running behind i n the race f o r governor t h i s year.
�Jesse Ventura For Minnesota Governor Home Page
http://www.jesseventura.org/
Jesse Ventura For Governor
Mae Schunk For Lt. Governor
Serving
The People,
Not The Parties
VIP
Mae Schunk
SEE LATE BREAKING NEWS BELOW.
Election Night Specials
VEWTU W
? u ^ m
Jesse's Live From The Victory Party Tonight.
For Up To The Minute Text Reports
Jesse Ventura's
Statewide Drive To Victory Tour WrapUp
• The Drive To Victory Tour was a Huge success. THANKS!
• The site is still active so you can see for yourself waht all of the fuss was
about. And of course, MessageBoard is still live.
Relive
Jesse Ventura's Drive To Victory Tour
Join The Jesse Net!
Receive Up-To-The Minute Campaign News
Be Part Of Jesse's Team Of On-Line Supporters
Stand Ready To Act When Jesse Mobilizes The Jesse Net
Jesse's Biography
Mae's Biography
Jesse On The Issues
News Releases
Campaign Schedule
Volunteer Info
Contributions
Campaign Gear
Ventura's Highway
Your Message To Jesse
Late Breaking News
Jesse's Message To You
Victory Indicators
Letters To Editors
Search This Site
Site Contents
New On This Site
Copyright © 1998. All rights reserved. Prepared and paid for by the Jesse Ventura For Governor Volunteer
Committee 7060 Valley Creek Plaza #115-101, Woodbury, MN 55125.
Office: (612) 585-0102 Fax:(612)585-0315 Toll Free: (888) 868-3537
1 of 1
11/6/98 10:29 AM
�Jesse Ventura - Biography
http://www.jesseventura.org/jvbio.htm
Jesse Ventura For Minnesota Governor
Home Page
Jesse Ventura's Biography
Site Contents
JESSE VENTURA'S
CAREER PATH HAS
FOCUSED ON THE PUBLIC
Jesse Ventura's campaign for Governor of Minnesota is the latest aspect of
a lifetime spent serving the public in such varied ways as mayor of Brooklyn
Park, a Navy Seal, professional wrestler, actor and broadcaster.
Ventura, 46, was mayor of Brooklyn Park from 1991 to 1995. He served in
the Navy for six years — four on active duty, two in the Reserves — and is a
Vietnam veteran. While on active duty, he was a member of Underwater
Demolition (Seal) Team 12.
After his discharge from the Navy, Ventura attended North Hennepin
Community College and then began an 11-year career as a professional
wrestler. He has been a professional broadcaster for 11 years and also an
actor for 11 years. He is currently a radio talk-show host.
Ventura is a member ofthe Make a Wish of Minnesota Board of Advisors
and has been a volunteer football coach at Park High School in Champlin for
three years. He is an active, vested member ofthe Screen Actors Guild and
receives health and pension benefits through the guild. He has been a
member for 11 years. He has also been a member ofthe American
Federation of Television and Radio Announcers for about 10 years.
Ventura was bom in Minneapolis July 15, 1951, and is a 1969 graduate of
Roosevelt High School. He; Terry, his wife of 22 years; and their teen-aged
son and daughter live in Maple Grove.
Copyright © 1998. All rights reserved. Prepared and paid for by the Jesse Ventura For Governor Volunteer
Committee 7060 Valley Creek Plaza #115-101, Woodbury, MN 55125.
Office: (612) 585-0102 Fax:(612)585-0315 Toll Free: (888) 868-3537
ofl
11/6/98 10:33 AM
�Jesse Ventura On Agriculture
http://www.jesseventura.org/issues/isag.htm
Jesse Ventura For Minnesota Governor
Home Page
Jesse Ventura On The Issues
Site Contents
Agriculture
Feed/of Restrictions
If the legislature is truly going to study the issues and environmental effects
of large feedlots, a limited moratorium on new or expanded large feedlots is
appropriate. It is better to err on the margin of public safety when we don't
know what the effects of huge feedlots and manure pits are on the
environment. A moratorium should be as narrow as possible, temporary in
nature, and given a sunset clause so as to force action on the issues.
Back To Issues Links List
Copyright © 1998. All rights reserved. Prepared and paid for by the Jesse Ventura For Governor Volunteer
Committee 7060 Valley Creek Plaza #115-101, Woodbury, MN 55125.
Office: (612) 585-0102 Fax: (612) 585-0315 Toll Free: (888) 868-3537
lofl
11/6/98 10:35 AM
�Jesse Ventura On Business
http://www.jesseventura.org/issues/isbusin.htm
Jesse Ventura For Minnesota Governor
Home Page
Jesse Ventura On The Issues
Site Contents
Business
Corporate Welfare
Many different things are called corporate welfare. What appears to be
corporate welfare to one person, does not look like it to another. I would
suggest that we look at corporate welfare on a case by case basis. We
should develop a philosophy of acting in the best interests of the State of
Minnesota, not what is best for the pocketbooks of a few individuals.
Retention of Businesses in the State
The best way to keep businesses in Minnesota is to lower taxes. Everyone
from businesses to individuals pays too much in taxes, in too many ways.
We need to identify the services that should be provided by the government,
and those that can be provided by the private sector. Next we need to find
the ways the government can most efficiently offer its services, and
encourage the private sector to competitively and efficiently provide its
services. We should encourage the private companies to work with all levels
of government to create jobs and provide services in ways that are not
currently happening.
Small Business Development
The very nature of capitalism encourages people to think in new and
innovative ways. We should find ways to reward and encourage individuals
to create and develop small businesses.
Back To Issues Links List
Copyright © 1998. All rights reserved. Prepared and paid for by the Jesse Ventura For Governor Volunteer
Committee 7060 Valley Creek Plaza #115-101, Woodbury, MN 55125.
Office: (612) 585-0102 Fax: (612) 585-0315 Toll Free: (888) 868-3537
lofl
11/6/98 10:36 AM
�Jesse Ventura On C o m m u n i t y Planning
http://www.jesseventura.org/issues/iscompIn.htm
Jesse Ventura For Minnesota Governor
Home Page
Jesse Ventura On The Issues
Site Contents
Community Planning
Metropolitan Council
We need to take a serious look at whether or not we really need the
Metropolitan Council for the Twin City area. The Council adds another layer
of government in the 7-county metropolitan area. In these counties we must
deal with the State government, County government, City government,
Township government, Special Administrative District governments (Soil &
Water Administrations, Park Boards, School Boards etc.). Nowhere else in
the State of Minnesota do we add this additional layer of government.
If the decision is made to keep the Metropolitan Council, the members
should be elected to their terms of office. Instead of holding another election,
we should tap into resources that are already available. Cities should take
turns putting their mayor on the Council. In most cities, mayoral positions
are part-time jobs, as are the positions on the Metropolitan Council so one
person could easily fill both positions.
Urban Sprawl
We need to make inner-city living and development attractive. If we don't,
we will end up with decaying inner cities surrounded by thriving suburbs.
Unless we achieve zero population growth, it must be understood that the
communities are going to continue to grow and expand. Instead of trying to
prohibit the growth, we need to direct it in a manner that allows for the best
use of the land and resources.
Support systems such as sewer and water lines should be extended to the
new development, so as to limit the stress those septic systems and wells
put on the environment. Farmers and individuals however, need to be
protected from being forced to sell their land due to skyrocketing property
taxes or utility assessments.
Back To Issues Links List
Copyright © 1998. All rights reserved. Prepared and paid for by the Jesse Ventura For Governor Volunteer
Committee 7060 Valley Creek Plaza #115-101, Woodbury, MN 55125.
Office: (612)585-0102 Fax:(612) 585-0315 Toll Free: (888) 868-3537
lofl
11/6/98 10:37 AM
�Jesse Ventura On Crime
http://www.jesseventura.org/issues/iscrime.htm
Jesse Ventura For Minnesota Governor
Home Page
Jesse Ventura On The Issues
Site Contents
Crime
Death Penalty
Federal law pre-empts state law. Although Minnesota does not have the
death penalty under its laws, the sentence does exist in Minnesota under
certain federal laws. Until a sentence of life in prison always actually means
life in prison without possibility of parole, we can not eliminate the death
penalty.
Medical Use of Marijuana
Making marijuana legal for medical use would ease many individuals'
intractable pain. Studies and individuals have indicated that medical use of
marijuana can significantly aid sufferers of glaucoma, chronic pain and the
pain associated with terminal cancer. Because the use of marijuana can
relieve symptoms with minimal side effects to the user, at a reasonable cost,
and can be administered under the care and advice of a physician, we
should not withhold this treatment option from so many people who could
benefit from it.
Back To Issues Links List
Copyright © 1998. All rights reserved. Prepared and paid for by the Jesse Ventura For Governor Volunteer
Committee 7060 Valley Creek Plaza #115-101, Woodbury, MN 55125.
Office: (612) 585-0102 Fax: (612) 585-0315 Toll Free: (888) 868-3537
lofl
11/6/98 10:38 AM
�Jesse Ventura On Education
http://www.jesseventura.org/issues/iseducat.htm
Jesse Ventura For Minnesota Governor
Home Page
Jesse Ventura On The Issues
Site Contents
Education
Note: As Mae Schunk's biography shows, Jesse's running mate is a
career educator. Jesse picked Mae as his running mate because of her
strengths in education. Jesse's positions on education were developed with
a heavy reliance on Mae's expertise in this field.
Jesse knows taxes and public finance. He knows how to get things done in
government. Mae is strong in education and knows what needs to be done
to improve the quality of education in Minnesota. Education is a top priority
for both Jesse and Mae. Together, "The Body" and "The Teacher" serving
as Governor and Lt. Governor will address education in Minnesota as
outlined below.
General Overview
Schools are top-heavy with administration costs that can and should be cut
to ensure that we are providing our children with the education that they
really need. Curriculums should be reviewed to ensure that the classes
being taught are relevant, educational and applicable to the children's lives.
Pouring more and more money into the school system is not the answer, if it
doesn't fix the problem. Overall, Minnesota's schools are among the best in
the USA, but recent test scores show that there is still room for
improvement.
Student/Teacher Ratios In The Classroom
See Position Paper On This Topic
Computers and Internet Access
I support the current initiatives to provide computer and Internet access for
all of our public schools. The public/private cooperation that is currently in
effect to lay the cable network to outstate Minnesota is an example of how
the State can effectively work with private businesses to everyone's
advantage.
Mainstreaming Disability Students
Mainstreaming students with disabilities into the public school system is
generally a win/win situation. My daughter has a disability and I have seen
only positive results from her being mainstreamed into the regular schools.
There may be some situations or a few students with disabilities for whom
mainstreaming is not in their best interests, but I believe those cases are few
and far between.
Busing
Desegregation busing
We have tried desegregation busing, and found it did not work. I say get rid
of it. We need to return to having neighborhood schools. Every individual in
Minnesota has a choice in where they live. By making the choice of where
they live, they should be making a simultaneous choice of where their
lof5
11/6/98 10:40 AM
�Jesse Ventura On Education
http://www.jesseventura.org/issues/iseducat.htm
children will be attending school. Neighborhood schools encourage pride in
school teams, students and the neighborhoods. They create harmony. If you
are living, working and attending school in your own neighborhood, you will
be more likely to know your neighbors, take care of your residence and
watch out for each other.
School Bus Seatbelts
Installing seatbelts on school buses could save lives and reduce the number
and severity of injuries. We have improved school bus safety in every other
way; let's stop overlooking one of the most basic. Car seatbelts save
thousands of lives every year. If a school bus seatbelt saves even one life, it
is money well spent.
School Bus Monitors
In addition to putting seatbelts on the school buses, I believe we should put
a monitor on each bus. The monitor would help supervise the students,
leaving the driving to the bus driver. To find a monitor for each school bus,
we could create a volunteer base made up of parents, retirees, concerned
citizens and neighbors. Another potential base of volunteers could come
from welfare recipients in need of basic job training skills. There are ways to
work this out. If we are innovative and put our minds to it, we can do it.
Standardized Testing
Schools should be teaching all of our students certain minimum standards,
such as basic reading, writing and mathematical skills. We should keep
governmental interference into our schools to a minimum. We should have
no unfunded mandates from the federal government, and any skills testing
should be done at the local level. The Federal government should stay out
of our local schools unless there is a situation so bad that it is declared a
disaster, each school is and should continue to be unique. The classes that
each school offers its students beyond the basics may not be of equal value
to all students. Teaching should not become synonymous with fast food
franchises. We must allow teachers and schools to teach students in their
districts the courses that will benefit them the most.
Vouchers
I am a proud product ofthe Minnesota public school system. Instead of
giving families vouchers, tax credits or deductions to help their children get
into private schools, I believe we should be supporting our public school
systems. A recent survey showed that 72% ofthe respondents preferred
improving public schools to vouchers. 21% wanted vouchers and 7% were
unsure. When a good system becomes inefficient or ineffective, the best
solution is not necessarily to just get rid ofthe system. The best solution is
to identify the problem areas and promptly implement solutions to fix them.
Instead of bashing our public school system, we should be identifying what
works and why it works. We should then be copying or adapting that solution
in the problem areas. If the parents, businesses and communities all work
together to support our teachers and schools, we can conquer the problems.
Business and Higher Education
Industry and business should be asked to make provision for student jobs
and some on-the-job training. If a student worker looks promising, there
could be consideration for grants to further that student's education. The
2 of 5
11/6/98 10:40 AM
�Jesse Ventura On Education
http://www.jesseventura.org/issues/iseducat.htm
student could be encouraged to make a commitment to stay with the
company for a pre-determined amount of time, so the company could feel
confident that they would be recouping their investment. If the student
chooses to leave before the time commitment had expired, he or she would
accept responsibility to repay a pro-rata share of the sums the company
provided for education.
Business/education partnerships with institutions of learning need to be
promoted. Business wants educated/skilled workers. More involvement by
the business sector in the education field would be encouraging to post-high
school graduates.
Student and Family Financial Responsibilities For Higher Education
It is the responsibility of the parents to supplement their children's college
education. The student, too, can contribute to his/her education with part
time and summer jobs with businesses and industry. There is scholarship
and grant money available for those students who do exceptionally well in
school. Lower interest loans are also available.
Students should take some financial responsibility for their post-high school
education. Few people appreciate things that have been given to them as
much as they do the things they have earned. College education should not
be a free ride. The student and families should take the initial responsibility.
Grants, loans, and part-time jobs should address the next level of
responsibility. If the voters are willing to support the cost, the State of
Minnesota should accept the final step in responsibility and pay for the
student's last year of college education. Consideration should be made for
disadvantaged students who demonstrate high potential for successful post
high school education.
When I talk with students on the campaign trail, and they ask me about
State-paid tuition, most come around to my way of thinking when I explain
that by paying their own tuition today, they will avoid higher taxes to pay
other people's tuition for the rest of their working lives.
Parental Involvement in K-12 Education
Without full parental involvement and support, we will not turn our public
schools around. There are multiple ways we can encourage or obtain
familial involvement. We can:
a. Provide meaningful activities for parents, grandparents and senior
citizens to participate and be involved in the education of children.
b. Provide programs for parents that include academic classes, literacy
training, early childhood education, children's health care, and
assistance in finding helpful services in the community. Create a
community of learners. Provide after-school classes for parents and
children to learn together.
c. Teach parents how to help students with homework and about the
importance of communication with the teachers. Encourage parents to
read to their children every day.
d. Encourage and expect parents to be part of the governance process of
the school.
e. Use technology to link parents to the classroom for homework hot lines
and for communication between parents and teachers.
Aggressive and Disruptive Classroom Behavior
3 of 5
11/6/98 10:40 AM
�Jesse Ventura On Education
http://www.jesseventura.org/issues/iseducat.htm
Aggressive and disruptive classroom behavior interferes with teaching and
learning. To avoid and limit this behavior, we can:
a. Teach conflict management and peer mediation to students starting in
Kindergarten through grade 8. Negative comments lead to abusive
physical behavior, which leads to fear, lack of motivation to learn and
poor achievement.
b. Develop a systematic procedure for solving disruptive behavior and
violence problems.
Prevention of Vioience in our Public Schools
Our schools should be a safe place for our children to go to each day. They
should not be in fear of weapons or acts of violence. To promote a safe
place we can:
a. Support initiatives that schools and communities take to prevent acts
of violence.
b. Call on parents to be more responsible for their children's behavior and
to ensure that their children do not have access to any weapon.
Improving Public Education
We must improve our public schools. Unfortunately, the answer is not as
simple as "give the schools more money." What can we do? We can:
a. Improve student literacy by expecting all children to read by the end of
first grade.
b. Help students develop a firm foundation of learning skills by reducing
primary class sizes, grades K-3.
c. Improve math and science achievement through problem solving in
real life learning experiences.
d. Encourage and enlist greater parent participation in school
improvement efforts and in decision making.
e. Become a community of partners in learning: create a strong sense of
responsibility and accountability for teachers, students and parents,
provide a variety of opportunities for parents to learn and be involved
in their children's education throughout the year.
f. Encourage more school-community partnerships to provide volunteer
tutoring, mentorships, internships and school-to-work programs.
g. Support and take part in school and community initiatives to prevent
acts of violence.
h. Encourage all high school students to take a class about parenting and
family responsibility.
i. Provide quality time for professional staff development to improve
curriculum instruction.
j . Provide a curriculum that reflects cultural diversity,
k. Wire every classroom to the Internet and provide staff development for
training, effective curriculum suggestions and adequate resources.
I. Provide opportunity for community service programs that will apply to
academic credit for graduation,
m. Provide more creative programs for all interested students for after
school and during the summer,
n. Develop high expectations,
o. Act as if we mean it (because we do) when we say,
"KIDS BELONG IN SCHOOL!"
4 of 5
11/6/98 10:40 AM
�Jesse Ventura On Education
http://www.jesseventura.org/issues/iseducat.htm
Back To Issues Links List
Copyright © 1998. All rights reserved. Prepared and paid for by the Jesse Ventura For Governor Volunteer
Committee 7060 Valley Creek Plaza #115-101, Woodbury, MN 55125.
Office: (612) 585-0102 Fax: (612) 585-0315 Toll Free: (888) 868-3537
5 of 5
11/6/98 10:40 A M
�Jesse Ventura On Student/Teacher Ratios
http://www.jesseventura.org/issues/isedurat.htm
Jesse Ventura For Minnesota Governor
Home Page
Ventura/Schunk Position Paper:
Student/Teacher Ratios
Site Contents
Issued September 21, 1998
Revised September 29, 1998
How We Will Reduce
Minnesota Public School Student/Teacher Ratios
Without Increasing The State Budget Or Raising Taxes
In Minnesota's ongoing public education debate, virtually everyone agrees
that a lower student/teacher ratio is preferable to a higher one. Public
education will be a top priority in the Ventura/Schunk administration. We are
issuing this position paper to explain exactly how we will achieve a 17/1
student/teacher ratio (or better) in grades K-6, and how we will do so without
increasing the state budget or raising taxes.
Current law (MN Statute 124A.225) targets a student/teacher ratio of 17 to 1
in public school grades K-6. Hundreds of millions of dollars have been
appropriated and distributed to the school districts to achieve that ratio
($281,369,046 in the last four fiscal years). With these facts in front of us,
the question is...
If the law targets it and the money has already been
distributed to fund it, why has the 17/1
student/teacher ratio in grades K-6 not been achieved
in a large number of Minnesota's public school
districts?
We believe the short answer is, (1) no one is monitoring how the
appropriated money is actually being spent, (2) local school boards and
administrators, being pressed by a wide variety of other problems, may be
using this designated money for other purposes, (3) there is no
accountability or enforcement mechanism in place to ensure this taxpayer
money is spent the way the law requires, and (4) the well-intentioned law is
sometimes undermined by a loophole in the law itself, and by certain
reporting practices at the district level (districts may be in compliance on
paper, but a visual inspection of the classroms show student/teacher ratios
that exceed 17/1).
The good news is, the money has already been appropriated. No budget
increase, tax increase, or new program is necessary to accomplish the 17/1
student/teacher ratio. To achieve this ratio we will take the following actions
as Governor and Lt. Governor:
1. We will begin by focusing the public spotlight on the legally-required
student/teacher ratio. We believe we can motivate most school districts to
comply with the law by simply focusing the public spotlight on this money
and its intended use.
2. Where step 1 is insufficient, we will use the democratic process to achieve
the 17/1 student/teacher ratio. We will personally travel to the school
districts in question, to find and endorse school board candidates that
support both the letter and spirit of 17/1 ratio law (irrespective of party
affiliation). We will then mobilize our Ventura/Schunk supporters in those
districts to help elect these candidates to school board seats.
lof2
11/6/98 10:41 AM
�Jesse Ventura On Student/Teacher Ratios
http://www.jesseventura.org/issues/isedurat.htm
3. We will urge the Legislature to close the loopholes in the law, and in
district accounting and reporting practices, that can now be used by certain
districts under certain conditions to direct student/teacher ratio money to
other ends. It makes no sense to appropriate money to reduce the
student/teacher ratio and simultaneously provide loopholes for the money to
go elsewhere. We believe the Legislature will agree when we put the public
spotlight on the loopholes. With voters urging their Representatives and
Senators to close the loopholes, and with the Governor's office behind this
initiative, we believe we can motivate the Legislature to clarify the law and
close the loopholes that now undermine the student/teacher ratio.
4. Where all else fails, and while we are generally reluctant to bring the
heavy hand of state government into local matters, we will enforce the 17/1
ratio law. If steps 1, 2, and 3 do not achieve the desired result, we will direct
the Department of Children and Family Learning to monitor district
compliance with the law, and to take aggressive enforcement actions where
appropriate. If additional CFL staff members are required to do so, we will
find the money elsewhere in the state budget to fund those positions.
Insufficient classroom space is frequently offered as an excuse for why the
17/1 ratio has not been achieved. The law is a classroom ratio law, not a
classroom space law. The money is for more teachers, not more space.
While you might need more space to accommodate more students, you
don't need more space to add more teachers.
Conclusive evidence exists that student teacher ratios of 15/1 to 17/1 are
more effective than larger classes and have a powerful impact on student
achievement. When implemented, this education reform will enhance the
education and classroom life experience of every K-6 public school student
in the state.
We're here for the kids. When it comes to improving the student/teacher
ratio, we're not going to mess around, and we're not going to play political
games with the competing education constituencies for the benefit of our
political careers.
We're different than our career-politician opponents. When it comes to
education, the constituency that concerns us most is the children in our
public schools. While most of them are not old enough to vote for us, and
none of them belong to special interest groups that have money to
contribute to candidate campaigns, their education and their future is far
more important to us than our re-election and our political careers.
Again, we're not messing around. If Minnesota voters elect Jesse Ventura
and Mae Schunk as their Governor and Lt. Governor, every public school in
Minnesota will have a 17/1 student/teacher ratio (or better) in grades K-6.
Back To Issues Links List
To The Ventura Schunk Class Size Task Force Home Page
Copyright © 1998. All rights reserved. Prepared and paid for by the Jesse Ventura For Governor Volunteer
Committee 7060 Valley Creek Plaza #115-101, Woodbury, MN 55125.
Office: (612) 585-0102 Fax:(612) 585-0315 Toll Free: (888) 868-3537
2 of 2
11/6/98 10:41 AM
�Jesse Ventura On The Envrionment
http://www.jesseventura.org/issues/isenviro.htm
Jesse Ventura For Minnesota Governor
Home Page
Jesse Ventura On The Issues
Site Contents
Environment
Recycling
Humans in general are very wasteful with our natural resources. Recycling is
positive way to conserve and preserve our limited resources. We could
however be managing our current recycling programs better and more
cost-efficiently than we currently are. We should be actively searching out
effective and efficient ways to recycle the resources we are consuming each
day.
The largest problem right now is there is too much raw product to be
recycled especially plastic, and too little finished product. There is not a
large enough market for products made of recycled materials, because the
cost is still too high to make it a competitively priced resource.
Back To Issues Links List
Copyright © 1998. All rights reserved. Prepared and paid for by the Jesse Ventura For Governor Volunteer
Committee 7060 Valley Creek Plaza #115-101, Woodbury, MN 55125.
Office: (612) 585-0102 Fax:(612) 585-0315 Toll Free: (888) 868-3537
lofl
11/6/98 10:42 AM
�Jesse Ventura On Government & Political Reform
http://www.jesseventura.org/issues/isgovref.htm
Jesse Ventura For Minnesota Governor
Home Page
Jesse Ventura On The Issues
Site Contents
Government And Political Reform
Overview
Our political system needs reform, now. Campaigns have become so
expensive that the average person cannot afford to run for office without
se ling out to the special interest groups. We also need to get rid of the soft
money before the political parties and the candidates get too used to it, and
completely dependent upon it. This is wrong.
Campaigns should be based on the issues ofthe day, not on who has the
most money or greatest access to the special interest groups. I will not
accept money from any PACs or special interest groups. My votes will
belong to the people, not to whoever is paying me to vote for their
preference. I believe in public funding of campaigns. That would encourage
all qualified candidates to enter the field, not just those who are financially
well off. Each major-party candidate after the primary elections should
receive equal funding.
Political Action Committees (PACs)
Taking special interest money or PAC money binds and indebts the receiver
to the donor. By refusing special interest group and PAC donations, Jesse
Ventura can be accountable to the people, not to the group paying him to
vote for their interest.
Term Limits
The time for term limits is here. No one should serve their country for a term
longer than that ofthe President ofthe United States. If someone wants to
serve more than eight years, they should be forced to sit out for two years in
between their races. This will require the individuals to get out of the system
and back to the people so they will not be so disconnected from the voters.
Leg/s/afors'Pay
If we increase the pay of the legislators, they could afford to take the job and
devote all of their working hours to the position. This would give the
legislators greater incentive to address the legislative business and make
them more available to their constituents. Eliminating legislators' pension
pay would also reduce the cost of running government, remove the incentive
to become a career politician and encourage those who run to do so
because they truly want to provide a service to the public.
Initiative and Referendum
Initiative and Referendums give people the right to bring things before the
general population that the legislature cannot or will not. Government is
supposed to be for the people, by the people. The powers of initiative and
referendum directly support that proposition. We must ensure, however, that
these powers are not overly broad as they can lead to abuse and the
destruction of minority or unpopular viewpoints. Initiative and Referendum
must not be used to limit free speech.
1 of 2
11/6/98 10:44 AM
�Jesse Ventura On Government & Political Ret'orm
http://www.jesseventura.org/issues/isgovref.htm
Tort Reform
Tort reform can help our business community. One method of reform would
be to put caps on medical malpractice cases so that the awards are truly
proportional to the damages.
Unicameral Legislature
A unicameral legislature will cut government expense, increase the
legislators' accountability to their constituents and improve efficiency.
Nowhere other than in our government do we pay two groups to perform the
identical job. If we eliminated one ofthe legislative bodies, we would also
eliminate the conference committees. A unicameral legislature would limit
the amount of vote trading and political protection that legislators currently
practice. If we make each term four years in length, then the legislators can
focus on their jobs, not on campaigning and fundraising for the next election,
the day after they win the first election.
Year-Round Legislature
Having a year round legislature would prevent the need for costly special
sessions. If one year ofthe two-year cycle were devoted to new legislation
and the second year to reviewing and analyzing old legislation, the voters
would know the laws on the books are current and applicable to the situation
at hand. The legislators would truly be available to their constituents year
round, in more than name only.
Back To Issues Links List
Copyright © 1998. All rights reserved. Prepared and paid for by the Jesse Ventura For Governor Volunteer
Committee 7060 Valley Creek Plaza #115-101, Woodbury, MN 55125.
Office: (612) 585-0102 Fax: (612) 585-0315 Toll Free: (888) 868-3537
2 of 2
11/6/98 10:44 A M
�Jesse Ventura On Guns
http://www.jesseventura.org/issues/isguns.htm
Jesse Ventura For Minnesota Governor
Home Page
Jesse Ventura On The Issues
Site Contents
Guns
Concealed Weapons
I will support legislation that permits some citizens to carry concealed
weapons. I will not give carte blanch approval to all types of concealed
weapons. People who want to carry concealed weapons should be prepared
to demonstrate certain competencies with their guns, just as the police must
do.
People who want to carry concealed weapons must be able to prove that
they can use a gun safely, hit a silhouette target rather than innocent
bystanders, and prove they have no criminal history. Applicants should
complete a gun safety and training course for their requested weapons.
They should be able to show competency and accuracy in weapon use, both
at the time of purchase and periodically thereafter.
Back To Issues Links List
Copyright © 1998. All rights reserved. Prepared and paid for by the Jesse Ventura For Governor Volunteer
Committee 7060 Valley Creek Plaza #115-101, Woodbury, MN 55125.
Office: (612) 585-0102 Fax: (612) 585-0315 Toll Free: (888) 868-3537
lofl
11/6/98 10:51 AM
�Jesse Ventura On Healthcare
http://wwwjesseventura.org/issues/ishealth.htm
Jesse Ventura For Minnesota Governor
Home Page
Jesse Ventura On The Issues
Site Contents
Healthcare
Mandating Insurance Coverage
Government interference should be kept to a minimum. The government
and insurance companies should not be telling physicians how to practice.
What works for some may not work for others. If there are cases where a
new treatment works, by curing a patient or adding significant amounts of
time to their life, the treatment may no longer be experimental.
Minnesota Care
Minnesota Care has been good for the children in our state. We should
make stronger efforts to identify the children who are eligible to be in the
system, but are currently without healthcare. The State should also be
paying for immunization shots for children to immunize them against
communicable diseases such as chicken pox, whooping cough and the flu.
Back To Issues Links List
Copyright © 1998. All rights reserved. Prepared and paid for by the Jesse Ventura For Governor Volunteer
Committee 7060 Valley Creek Plaza #115-101, Woodbury, MN 55125.
Office: (612) 585-0102 Fax:(612) 585-0315 Toll Free: (888) 868-3537
lofl
11/6/98 10:52 AM
�Jesse Ventura On Immigration
http://www.jesseventura.org/issues/isimmigr.htm
Jesse Ventura For Minnesota Governor
Home Page
Jesse Ventura On The Issues
Site Contents
Immigration
Illegal Immigration
Illegal immigration is just that, illegal. We owe those individuals who are
illegally in the United States emergency medical treatment when it is
needed, but no education benefits, financial assistance or other benefits that
all legal immigrants and U.S. citizens are entitled to. The legal immigrants
and American citizens pay for their benefits through taxes illegal immigrants
do not. If we provide free education, non-emergency healthcare and other
services to illegal immigrants, our actions encourage and support illegal
activity, rather than discourage or punish it.
Legal Immigration
Legal immigrants should be granted all ofthe benefits the United States has
to offer. The United States encouraged or granted these individuals the right
to reside in our country, we should make them welcome. That is not to say
that legal immigrants should be given a free ride, they should know in
advance, that when they come to the United States, they are expected to
work and support themselves, just as natural-born citizens are expected to
do.
Back To Issues Links List
Copyright © 1998. All rights reserved. Prepared and paid for by the Jesse Ventura For Governor Volunteer
Committee 7060 Valley Creek Plaza #115-101, Woodbury, MN 55125.
Office: (612) 585-0102 Fax:(612) 585-0315 Toll Free: (888) 868-3537
lofl
11/6/98 10:53 AM
�Jesse Ventura On Infrastructure
http://www.jesseventura.org/issues/isinfras.htm
Jesse Ventura For Minnesota Governor
Home Page
Jesse Ventura On The Issues
Site Contents
Infrastructure
Transportation
All transportation related-user taxes, such as gas taxes, license fees etc.,
should be directly placed in the transportation department budget, rather
than going into the general budget. If all ofthe transportation-related taxes
were applied to the transportation budget, we should then be able to easily
determine if the budget is adequate, or if it needs to be increased or
decreased. The application of some of these taxes to other budgetary needs
has left the transportation system in a weakened condition.
The development and usage of a strong rail/bus system would be good not
only for the metropolitan area, but in the long-term it would be good for the
State. It should be developed in a wagon-wheel type plan, with the light rail
lines providing the spokes ofthe wheel, and a bus system/park and ride
system connecting the spokes. The Atlanta, Dallas, Chicago and
Washington, D.C. systems are good models. Development of commuter rail
and/or light rail systems will reduce congestion, pollution and wear and tear
on our freeways and streets.
Back To Issues Links List
Copyright © 1998. All rights reserved. Prepared and paid for by the Jesse Ventura For Governor Volunteer
Committee 7060 Valley Creek Plaza #115-101, Woodbury, MN 55125.
Office: (612) 585-0102 Fax:(612) 585-0315 Toll Free: (888) 868-3537
lofl
11/6/98 10:54 AM
�Jesse Ventura On Infrastructure
http://www.jesseventura.org/issues/isinfras.htm
Jesse Ventura For Minnesota Governor
Home Page
Jesse Ventura On The Issues
Site Contents
Infrastructure
Tra/ispo/taf/on
All transportation related-user taxes, such as gas taxes, license fees etc.,
should be directly placed in the transportation department budget, rather
than going into the general budget. If all of the transportation-related taxes
were applied to the transportation budget, we should then be able to easily
determine if the budget is adequate, or if it needs to be increased or
decreased. The application of some of these taxes to other budgetary needs
has left the transportation system in a weakened condition.
The development and usage of a strong rail/bus system would be good not
only for the metropolitan area, but in the long-term it would be good for the
State. It should be developed in a wagon-wheel type plan, with the light rail
lines providing the spokes of the wheel, and a bus system/park and ride
system connecting the spokes. The Atlanta, Dallas, Chicago and
Washington, D.C. systems are good models. Development of commuter rail
and/or light rail systems will reduce congestion, pollution and wear and tear
on our freeways and streets.
Back To Issues Links List
Copyright © 1998. All rights reserved. Prepared and paid for by the Jesse Ventura For Governor Volunteer
Committee 7060 Valley Creek Plaza #115-101, Woodbury, MN 55125.
Office: (612) 585-0102 Fax: (612) 585-0315 Toll Free. (888) 868-3537
lofl
11/6/98 10:55 AM
�Jesse Ventura On Infrastructure
http://www.jesseventura.org/issues/isinfras.htm
Jesse Ventura For Minnesota Governor
Home Page
Jesse Ventura On The Issues
Site Contents
Infrastructure
Transportaf/on
All transportation related-user taxes, such as gas taxes, license fees etc.,
should be directly placed in the transportation department budget, rather
than going into the general budget. If all of the transportation-related taxes
were applied to the transportation budget, we should then be able to easily
determine if the budget is adequate, or if it needs to be increased or
decreased. The application of some of these taxes to other budgetary needs
has left the transportation system in a weakened condition.
The development and usage of a strong rail/bus system would be good not
only for the metropolitan area, but in the long-term it would be good for the
State. It should be developed in a wagon-wheel type plan, with the light rail
lines providing the spokes ofthe wheel, and a bus system/park and ride
system connecting the spokes. The Atlanta, Dallas, Chicago and
Washington, D.C. systems are good models. Development of commuter rail
and/or light rail systems will reduce congestion, pollution and wear and tear
on our freeways and streets.
Back To Issues Links List
Copyright © 1998. All rights reserved. Prepared and paid for by the Jesse Ventura For Governor Volunteer
Committee 7060 Valley Creek Plaza #115-101, Woodbury, MN 55125.
Office: (612) 585-0102 Fax:(612)585-0315 Toll Free: (888) 868-3537
lofl
11/6/98 10:56 AM
�Jesse Ventura On Infrastructure
http://'www.jesseventura.org/issues/isinfras.htm
Jesse Ventura For Minnesota Governor
Home Page
Jesse Ventura On The Issues
Site Contents
Infrastructure
Transportation
All transportation related-user taxes, such as gas taxes, license fees etc.,
should be directly placed in the transportation department budget, rather
than going into the general budget. If all of the transportation-related taxes
were applied to the transportation budget, we should then be able to easily
determine if the budget is adequate, or if it needs to be increased or
decreased. The application of some of these taxes to other budgetary needs
has left the transportation system in a weakened condition.
The development and usage of a strong rail/bus system would be good not
only for the metropolitan area, but in the long-term it would be good for the
State. It should be developed in a wagon-wheel type plan, with the light rail
lines providing the spokes ofthe wheel, and a bus system/park and ride
system connecting the spokes. The Atlanta, Dallas, Chicago and
Washington, D.C. systems are good models. Development of commuter rail
and/or light rail systems will reduce congestion, pollution and wear and tear
on our freeways and streets.
Back To Issues Links List
Copyright © 1998. All rights reserved. Prepared and paid for by the Jesse Ventura For Governor Volunteer
Committee 7060 Valley Creek Plaza #115-101, Woodbury, MN 55125.
Office: (612) 585-0102 Fax:(612)585-0315 Toll Free: (888) 868-3537
lofl
11/6/98 10:56 AM
�Jesse Ventura On Social Issues
http://www.jesseventura.org/issues/issocisu.htm
Jesse Ventura For Minnesota Governor
Home Page
Jesse Ventura On The Issues
Site Contents
Social Issues
Abortion
The decision of whether or not to have an abortion does not belong in
politics. It belongs with the woman, her family, her physician and possibly
her clergy. The choice is personal, not political, and should stay that way.
We have too much governmental intrusion into peoples' lives, we should
decrease that intrusion, not impose it upon something that should be so
personal.
Back To Issues Links List
Copyright © 1998. All rights reserved. Prepared and paid for by the Jesse Ventura For Governor Volunteer
Committee 7060 Valley Creek Plaza #115-101, Woodbury, MN 55125.
Office: (612) 585-0102 Fax: (612) 585-0315 Toll Free: (888) 868-3537
lofl
11/6/98 10:57 AM
�Jesse Ventura On Taxation
http://www.jesseventura.org/issues/istax.htm
Jesse Ventura For Minnesota Governor
Home Page
Jesse Ventura On The Issues
Site Contents
Taxation
Sfafe Budget Surpluses
The legislature is overtaxing us when it piles up $4 billion in surpluses in 4
years. I support lowering residential property taxes and the state income tax.
I'd support a state law that automatically triggers the return of all surplus
funds to the people whose money produced the surplus. The return of
surplus funds would be triggered when the surplus exceeds a specified
percentage of the budget.
Consumption Taxes
A national consumption tax would equalize the federal tax burden. Those
who chose to save their money would no longer be penalized by the
system. The income tax penalizes people for working and for saving their
money in interest earning accounts. With a consumption tax, everyone
would only be taxed on what he or she chooses to purchase.
Such a system also allows individuals to get their money before the
government does. Each person then, in effect, decides how much the
government will get based upon their individual spending choices. If people
had to actively pay their taxes as opposed to the current passive system, it
would result in lower taxation and fewer pork barrel programs being passed.
Such a program would also ensure the government curbing its spending
when the economy is weak, and learning to live within its budget.
Back To Issues Links List
Copyright © 1998. All rights reserved. Prepared and paid for by the Jesse Ventura For Governor Volunteer
Committee 7060 Valley Creek Plaza #115-101, Woodbury, MN 55125.
Office: (612) 585-0102 Fax: (612) 585-0315 Toll Free: (888) 868-3537
lofl
11/6/98 10:57 AM
�Jesse Ventura On Technology
http://www.jesseventura.org/issues/istech.htni
Jesse Ventura For Minnesota Governor
Home Page
Jesse Ventura On The Issues
Site Contents
Technology
Privacy in Advanced Technology
Governmental regulation and intrusion into advanced technology items such
as the Internet should be kept to a minimum. Other than enacting laws
aimed at limiting children's access to things like pornography, government
should take a hands-off approach. There are numerous programs now
available that will allow parents to block their children's access to sites they
do not approve of. Parents are ultimately responsible for their children.
Government does not need to step into the parent role: they should be
allowed to make their own decisions as to what they wish to let their children
be exposed to.
Back To Issues Links List
lofl
11/6/98 10:58 AM
�Jesse Ventura On Transportation
http://www.jesseventura.org/issues/istransp.htm
Jesse Ventura For Minnesota Governor
Home Page
Jesse Ventura On The Issues
Site Contents
Transportation
High Vehicle Occupancy Lanes (sane lanes)
Instead of dedicating the sane lanes to the use of a few people, the lanes
should be opened up and used to their full capacity. If the lanes were
switched each morning and evening to allow for another lane to be open
during rush hour traffic, it would reduce the congestion and decrease
commute times. This would likely also reduce the amount of road rage that
has been increasing on our freeways in the last few years.
Rail Transport
Light rail transport (LRT) and commuter rail would both be good for the State
of Minnesota in the long-term. I personally was able to experience the
benefit of LRT when I used to travel to At anta on business. Instead of
paying $30.00 for a trip from the airport to downtown by taxi, it cost me just a
couple of dollars to arrive at my location by LRT. By building LRT and using
our bus system in a wheel system with the LRT being the spokes and the
bus system being the connecting parts, we can make the most efficient use
of our transportation system. Use ofthe LRT will increase the use of mass
transportation, reduce our dependence on the roads, reduce pollution and
congestion, and ultimately save money that would otherwise be spent on
road repair and expansion.
Back To Issues Links List
Copyright © 1998. All rights reserved. Prepared and paid for by the Jesse Ventura For Governor Volunteer
Committee 7060 Valley Creek Plaza #115-101, Woodbury, MN 55125.
Office: (612) 585-0102 Fax:(612)585-0315 Toll Free: (888) 868-3537
lofl
11/6/98 10:59 AM
�
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Michael Waldman
Description
An account of the resource
<p>Michael Waldman was Assistant to the President and Director of Speechwriting from 1995-1999. His responsibilities were writing and editing nearly 2,000 speeches, which included four State of the Union speeches and two Inaugural Addresses. From 1993 -1995 he served as Special Assistant to the President for Policy Coordination.</p>
<p>The collection generally consists of copies of speeches and speech drafts, talking points, memoranda, background material, correspondence, reports, handwritten notes, articles, clippings, and presidential schedules. A large volume of this collection was for the State of the Union speeches. Many of the speech drafts are heavily annotated with additions or deletions. There are a lot of articles and clippings in this collection.</p>
<p>Due to the size of this collection it has been divided into two segments. Use links below for access to the individual segments:<br /><a href="http://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=43&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=2006-0469-F+Segment+1">Segment One</a><br /><a href="http://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=43&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=2006-0469-F+Segment+2">Segment Two</a></p>
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Michael Waldman
Office of Speechwriting
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1993-1999
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
2006-0469-F
Extent
The size or duration of the resource.
Segment One contains 1071 folders in 72 boxes.
Segment Two contains 868 folders in 66 boxes.
Provenance
A statement of any changes in ownership and custody of the resource since its creation that are significant for its authenticity, integrity, and interpretation. The statement may include a description of any changes successive custodians made to the resource.
Clinton Presidential Records: White House Staff and Office Files
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
William J. Clinton Presidential Library & Museum
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Adobe Acrobat Document
Text
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text.
Original Format
The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data
paper
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Jesse Ventura [Binder]
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Office of Speechwriting
Michael Waldman
Is Part Of
A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included.
Box 26
<a href="http://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/items/show/36404"> Collection Finding Aid</a>
<a href="https://catalog.archives.gov/id/7763296">National Archives Catalog Description</a>
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
2006-0469-F Segment 2
Provenance
A statement of any changes in ownership and custody of the resource since its creation that are significant for its authenticity, integrity, and interpretation. The statement may include a description of any changes successive custodians made to the resource.
White House Staff and Office Files
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
William J. Clinton Presidential Library & Museum
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Adobe Acrobat Document
Medium
The material or physical carrier of the resource.
Preservation-Reproduction-Reference
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
6/3/2015
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
7763296
42-t-7763296-20060469F-Seg2-026-004-2015