Ventura: 'I am not seeking reelection'
Star Tribune
Robert Whereatt
Published Jun 18, 2002
Gov. Jesse Ventura said today he will not seek a second term, saying the allegations that his son misused the governor's mansion for late-night parties at least partly influenced his decision.
"I am not seeking reelection again," Ventura said during an appearance late this morning on Minnesota Public Radio. "I will not run again."
Asked on the air whether he might change his mind and seek another term, Ventura said, "Usually, when I make a decision I stick with it." Pressed further on the chances he'll do an about-face, he added: "No, not from this end."
If Ventura doesn't change his mind before a July 16 filing deadline, it almost certainly means the end of Minnesota's three-way government. He was elected as a member of the Reform Party, though he later split for a new party, the Independence Party.
Ventura also said today that his decision was "partly tied to the tie-in over the silliness over the residence."
Then, more than 40 minutes into his radio appearance, Ventura said he made his decision before his recently completed trip this month to China. He said he kept quiet about his future because he didn't want the Far East trade mission "to be overshadowed by the politics, by the dirtiness, by everything that would happen."
The announcement follows by one day news reports that Ventura's son, Tyrel, 22, sometimes used the governor's official residence for parties without his parents present. Staff members complained about the mess that was left behind by the middle-of-the-night gatherings while the governor and his wife, Terry, were not in the residence. The staffers noted evidence of drinking during these parties and the various items that were broken.
The allegations came out a few weeks after the mansion was closed in a symbolic budget tug of war between the governor and the Legislature. The residence was reopened recently on a limited basis, but its longtime staff members were not brought back.
"My son is a terrific kid, and he's being libeled, he's being slandered," Ventura said on the radio.
Terry Ventura, joining the radio show just before noon, said: "I feel like being First Lady has been a little like childbirth: There's a lot of pain, but the end result is worth it."
The governor said: "I will always protect my family first. You've got to have your heart and soul into these types of jobs. You've got to want to do it.
"I feel that it's time to go back into the private sector."
Ventura's stunning election in 1998 as a third-party candidate grabbed national and international attention. The former pro wrestler, Brooklyn Park mayor and part-time Hollywood actor quickly became a favorite of the TV talk-show circuit -- whether it was Letterman, Leno or Russert. He also wrote two books after his election, was paid to referee a pro wrestling event and was a commentator for the quickly defunct XFL football league.
He new-found celebrity brought with it questions among the public and legislators about whether he was representing the state properly and possibly exploiting the office for his personal financial gain.
Referring back to the allegations involving his son and the mansion, he continued: "Anyone can attack you over policy; that you expect in the arena of politics. But when they start attacking your family -- and I made this decision before this latest bunch of lies -- but when they say they've had to clean up. ... they've had to clean up after me, too. That's in their job description, to have to clean up.
"I think they lost sight of the fact that they work for me."
Earlier this morning, Ventura told his staff and cabinet the news, according to a staff member who attended the closed-door meeting. He met in the reception room of his Capitol office suite at 10 a.m. The meeting broke up shortly after 10:30 a.m. He then went on MPR shortly after 11 a.m.
Regarding the contentions about his son's parties, Ventura said: "I behaved far worse at his age that what he's behaved."
He then went on to note how difficult it is to "do these public service jobs when you know that your family can be assassinated by the media at any point."
He added: "What your personal family life is, or your private life should be left private."
Later today, Ventura planned to give interviews to two television stations, Twin Cities Public Television, Channel 2, and KSTP, Channel 5, said governor's aide David Ruth. It was the governor's decision, Ruth said.
Before Terry Ventura joined her husband on the air, she attended a news conference in West St. Paul this morning announcing grants from the charity Ventura for Minnesota Inc. (VMI). She declined to comment about her husband's decision, but did say that one of the things she's most enjoyed about being First Lady has been her involvmenet with VMI and the Jade Foundation. She said she thought VMI would continue after Ventura leaves office.
He said that his decision has nothing to do with the relative strength of his opponents, State Sen. Roger Moe for the DFL and State House Majority Leader Tim Pawlenty for the Republicans. The Green Party, which has major party status in Minnesota, has nominated Ken Pentel. Ventura's party has yet to choose a nominee.
"I had a much tougher field in 1998 -- I had to defeat the son of the great Hubert Humphrey; I had to defeat a very popular St. Paul mayor."
Any accomplishments left undone? "I certainly wish I could have gotten unicameral (reducing the Legislature from two chambers to one) on the ballot."
And who will get his vote for governor? "I won't vote for either of them [Moe or Pawlenty] for governor because they showed me their true colors this session. They put their own agenda ahead of the state's agenda."
-- Staff writers Rosalind Bentley, Loren Omoto, J. Pinkley and Paul Walsh contributed to this report.
Star Tribune
Robert Whereatt
Published Jun 18, 2002
Gov. Jesse Ventura said today he will not seek a second term, saying the allegations that his son misused the governor's mansion for late-night parties at least partly influenced his decision.
"I am not seeking reelection again," Ventura said during an appearance late this morning on Minnesota Public Radio. "I will not run again."
Asked on the air whether he might change his mind and seek another term, Ventura said, "Usually, when I make a decision I stick with it." Pressed further on the chances he'll do an about-face, he added: "No, not from this end."
If Ventura doesn't change his mind before a July 16 filing deadline, it almost certainly means the end of Minnesota's three-way government. He was elected as a member of the Reform Party, though he later split for a new party, the Independence Party.
Ventura also said today that his decision was "partly tied to the tie-in over the silliness over the residence."
Then, more than 40 minutes into his radio appearance, Ventura said he made his decision before his recently completed trip this month to China. He said he kept quiet about his future because he didn't want the Far East trade mission "to be overshadowed by the politics, by the dirtiness, by everything that would happen."
The announcement follows by one day news reports that Ventura's son, Tyrel, 22, sometimes used the governor's official residence for parties without his parents present. Staff members complained about the mess that was left behind by the middle-of-the-night gatherings while the governor and his wife, Terry, were not in the residence. The staffers noted evidence of drinking during these parties and the various items that were broken.
The allegations came out a few weeks after the mansion was closed in a symbolic budget tug of war between the governor and the Legislature. The residence was reopened recently on a limited basis, but its longtime staff members were not brought back.
"My son is a terrific kid, and he's being libeled, he's being slandered," Ventura said on the radio.
Terry Ventura, joining the radio show just before noon, said: "I feel like being First Lady has been a little like childbirth: There's a lot of pain, but the end result is worth it."
The governor said: "I will always protect my family first. You've got to have your heart and soul into these types of jobs. You've got to want to do it.
"I feel that it's time to go back into the private sector."
Ventura's stunning election in 1998 as a third-party candidate grabbed national and international attention. The former pro wrestler, Brooklyn Park mayor and part-time Hollywood actor quickly became a favorite of the TV talk-show circuit -- whether it was Letterman, Leno or Russert. He also wrote two books after his election, was paid to referee a pro wrestling event and was a commentator for the quickly defunct XFL football league.
He new-found celebrity brought with it questions among the public and legislators about whether he was representing the state properly and possibly exploiting the office for his personal financial gain.
Referring back to the allegations involving his son and the mansion, he continued: "Anyone can attack you over policy; that you expect in the arena of politics. But when they start attacking your family -- and I made this decision before this latest bunch of lies -- but when they say they've had to clean up. ... they've had to clean up after me, too. That's in their job description, to have to clean up.
"I think they lost sight of the fact that they work for me."
Earlier this morning, Ventura told his staff and cabinet the news, according to a staff member who attended the closed-door meeting. He met in the reception room of his Capitol office suite at 10 a.m. The meeting broke up shortly after 10:30 a.m. He then went on MPR shortly after 11 a.m.
Regarding the contentions about his son's parties, Ventura said: "I behaved far worse at his age that what he's behaved."
He then went on to note how difficult it is to "do these public service jobs when you know that your family can be assassinated by the media at any point."
He added: "What your personal family life is, or your private life should be left private."
Later today, Ventura planned to give interviews to two television stations, Twin Cities Public Television, Channel 2, and KSTP, Channel 5, said governor's aide David Ruth. It was the governor's decision, Ruth said.
Before Terry Ventura joined her husband on the air, she attended a news conference in West St. Paul this morning announcing grants from the charity Ventura for Minnesota Inc. (VMI). She declined to comment about her husband's decision, but did say that one of the things she's most enjoyed about being First Lady has been her involvmenet with VMI and the Jade Foundation. She said she thought VMI would continue after Ventura leaves office.
He said that his decision has nothing to do with the relative strength of his opponents, State Sen. Roger Moe for the DFL and State House Majority Leader Tim Pawlenty for the Republicans. The Green Party, which has major party status in Minnesota, has nominated Ken Pentel. Ventura's party has yet to choose a nominee.
"I had a much tougher field in 1998 -- I had to defeat the son of the great Hubert Humphrey; I had to defeat a very popular St. Paul mayor."
Any accomplishments left undone? "I certainly wish I could have gotten unicameral (reducing the Legislature from two chambers to one) on the ballot."
And who will get his vote for governor? "I won't vote for either of them [Moe or Pawlenty] for governor because they showed me their true colors this session. They put their own agenda ahead of the state's agenda."
-- Staff writers Rosalind Bentley, Loren Omoto, J. Pinkley and Paul Walsh contributed to this report.
