MPR: Ventura Road Show Hits Nixon Country

Ventura Road Show Hits Nixon Country
By Laura McCallum
May 28, 1999

Six hundred people packed the Richard Nixon Library in Yorba Linda, California yesterday to hear Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura talk about politics and his new autobiography, "I Ain't Got Time to Bleed." The crowd cheered for Ventura's political successes, laughed at his jokes, and bought hundreds of books at $20 apiece.

VENTURA APPEARED TO HAVE THIS California audience in the palm of his hand. They loved his stories of battling entrenched city officials in Brooklyn Park and taking on the two major parties while running for governor.


Ventura signs books at Nixon Library. Photo: Laura McCallum

Ventura told of being brutally honest while in campaign debates. "I got asked a question and I gave an answer: 'I don't know,'" Ventura told the crowd, which laughed in recognition of the situation. "Talk to a career politician and for a career politician that's death. You're finished. For me, it made me stronger because of the fact I simply said 'I don't know, but if it's important I'll find out.' I don't claim to know everything. Yet your career politican will give you three minutes of rhetoric and when they're done, you'll sit back and go 'what the hell did they say?'"

The apparent lovefest continued when Ventura talked about his book. The stories about his experiences with prostitutes while in the military, which were criticized by Minnesota lawmakers, were greeted with laughter and applause in California.

"I thought it was unique and funny that I'm probably the only human being standing on the face of the earth today that's gone to a Nevada ranch and been paid," Ventura said. Then, mindful of the reaction back home as the audience roared, Ventura said, "I'm glad you have a sense of humor. The damned press don't."

Ventura said he may have done some stupid things when he was younger and he wasn't thinking about the fact he might be a role model for kids later in life.

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