Tea Party winners: merely this year's version of Jesse Ventura

[PBass]

In 1998 Minnesota voters elected former pro wrestler Jesse (The Body) Ventura to be their governor. Jesse ran on a 'change' platform and didn't get a whole lot done while he was in office, regularly drawing ridicule on the national stage*. I think a lesson was learned, about electing flashy and loud political novices into office. Jesse served one term and then Minnesota moved on.

In 2012, after two years in the political spotlight, I think a lot of Tea Party voters will be embarrassed by their elected candidates, and wondering what the hell they were thinking when they cast their votes for some complete unknowns.

*to be fair, after reading his Wikipedia entry, Jesse Ventura did have some good positions - for example he was for Equal Rights for GLBT.

[Wednesdays]

1. But Jesse Ventura was sane.

nt

[RKP5637]

2. Yep!!! n/t

[A Cooper]

7. ROFL

:applause:

[myrna minx]

3. I was stunned when Ventura won (in a three way race) and

I was one of his biggest critics, but I would take him back any day over Timmy the tool Pawlenty.

[Toucano]

4. I have not heard anyone else say that yet, but it's DEAD ON!

When the babies get fussy the always go with a crazy pick. They don't know if they're hungry, sleepy or if they've soiled themselves.

Ross Perot, though not a winner, fits that category as well.

[democrat2thecore]

5. 'Ya Know

I'm one of those that found Ventura to be a pleasant surprise. You never knew where he was going to come down on an issue, was never afraid to be unpopular. He did, and does, say a lot of things I disagree with, but then again he says a lot of things I DO agree with that nobody else has the guts to say. He's a mixed bag - but that's Jesse.

[Angry Dragon]

6. I voted for jesse and was disappointed

he was for legalizing drugs and prostitution (the last one I do not agree with)

[Denninmi]

8. I agree.

The buyers remorse will set in swiftly.

Look how long it took Scott Brown to piss off the Mass Teahadists -- like 10 days.

Of course, he's not actually a true teabagger, he just played one on TV to get elected.

[southerncrone]

9. Jesse is soooo much better than ANY of the teabagger candidates!

He has a brain & isn't COMPLETELY right-radical.

[laughingliberal]

10. Much worse than Ventura. nt

[Bombtrack]

11. Why insult Jesse like that? He summed up the Tea Party pretty well last month on Stern

He basically said they were just a fraud that was pulling the GOP far to the crazy right.

Ventura might not have the fastest, dryest wit in the world, but he's very reasonable and save for a couple of absent-minded or defensive overkill moments he's got a good record on the stands he's taken on issues especially since he left office.

[krabigirl]

18. +1.

[mmonk]

12. Sorry but teabaggers are no Jesse Ventura.

He is lucid and sane.

[Poboy]

13. No way. Jessie may be unconventional, but is not batshit crazy.

To be honest, I kinda like him. He got more than a few good positions.

[w8liftinglady]

14. yea...I like jesse,too...he doesn't mind calling it as he sees it

[Odin2005]

15. I remember Jesse and he was 1,000,000 times better than these morons.

And he is an Atheist, he called religion a "crutch for the weak-minded."

[BlueIris]

16. Please don't equate Jesse Ventura to the Teabaggers.

Mr. Ventura played a small, but critical role in helping us keep the Senate balanced and he has spoken out against torture. I don't love everything he's ever done, but he did his part in the ways he could.

[krabigirl]

19. I agree. I like Jesse.

[Saboburns]

17. There's a lot of things I like about Ventura the Politician

I don't agree with all of his positions, but he's got a pretty decent progressive record. And i like the way he deals with WingNut bullshit.

[AndrewP]

20. No. Ventura may not have been great but he certainly was better than a Teabagger

I voted for Humphrey that year, but I thought Ventura turned out to be alright in his 4 years.

[Morning Dew]

21. Jesse wasn't a terrible Governor here.

He could have been much worse - and we got that with his successor (Tim Pawlenty).

[sixmile]

22. Nope

He hates the teabaggers. Heard him say it in no uncertain terms.