Ventura Upset Over Wellstone Service

greenspun.com : LUSENET : Current News - Homefront Preparations : One Thread

By Associated Press

October 30, 2002, 1:18 PM EST

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura, upset by what he felt was a partisan tone of a memorial service to honor the late Sen. Paul Wellstone, said he will try to appoint an independent instead of a Democrat to temporarily fill Wellstone's seat.

Ventura had said he favored a replacement from Wellstone's party, but that was before he walked out of Tuesday night's memorial service. Ventura referred to a speech by one of Wellstone's closest friends, Rick Kahn, in which Kahn said to the crowd, "I'm begging you to help us win this Senate election for Paul Wellstone."

"I wanted to hear the sons. But Rick Kahn's, I found his so offensive to me as an Independent, or to anyone who is not necessarily going to vote for Senator Wellstone who still respects him and came to pay their respects," Ventura said. "It drove the first lady to tears."

"I will try to find an independent," Ventura said Wednesday on a talk radio show, though he did not say who he might name.

Ventura later backed off his statements somewhat, saying: "I haven't ruled anything out." Among the options, he said, is to appoint "a regular citizen" with no connection to politics.

The appointee would only serve for a few weeks. Wellstone was up for re-election, and former Vice President Walter Mondale said Wednesday he would run in Wellstone's place against Republican Norm Coleman.

-- Anonymous, October 30, 2002

Answers

I was going to post some of the comments from Lucianne.com but they're on the second thread already, way too many to post here!

It would be SO much fun if Ventura would appoint a Reoublican to fill Wellstone's place until they take office in January (and not a few days as I mistakenly posted elsewhere).

-- Anonymous, October 30, 2002


Posted on Wed, Oct. 30, 2002 story:PUB_DESC

Ventura says he might appoint an independent to fill Wellstone seat

BY JIM RAGSDALE PIONEER PRESS

Gov. Jesse Ventura said today he walked out in the middle of U.S. Sen. Paul Wellstone’s memorial service Tuesday night when he felt the content became blatantly political, which he said reduced his wife, Terry Ventura, to tears.

He also told radio interviewers this morning that his disgust with that part of the memorial service may deter him from appointing a Democrat to fill out the remainder of Wellstone’s term. He said he is seriously considering appointing an average citizen with no political experience or political interests — a move that could affect the balance of power in the U.S. Senate, where Democrats and Republicans are locked in a tight battle for control.

"I can pretty well tell you now I’m going to appoint someone of neither party," said Ventura, who had previously said he would probably appoint a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor party. Wellstone was a DFLer.

Ventura, appearing on KSTP-AM radio, said he became upset when Wellstone friend Rick Kahn changed the tone of the memorial service at Williams Arena Tuesday night. The service was held to honor the memory of the senator, his wife, Sheila, his daughter, Marcia, and five others killed in the crash of a campaign plane near Eveleth on Friday.

Kahn set aside the memorializing of earlier speakers and made an appeal to honor Wellstone by winning Tuesday’s Senate election. Former Vice President Walter Mondale, who attended the ceremony and was repeatedly cheered by the crowd, is expected to take Wellstone’s place on the ballot today.

Kahn’s speech came before Wellstone’s two sons and Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin spoke. Ventura said while he appreciated the memorials offered earlier in the ceremony, he and his wife immediately were offended by the political content of Kahn’s speech. The Venturas got up and left the arena, he said.

"I wanted to be there -- I wanted to pay my respects to Paul Wellstone," Ventura said, even though he said he found many of Wellstone’s positions to be "socialist."

"I predicted, I said, be prepared, this will be political," Ventura said of his comments to his wife. "All the way through Sheila Wellstone, I turned to the first lady and said, 'My God, I’m wrong.'" He was referring to speeches made on behalf of Sheila Wellstone and other victims.

"And then Rick Kahn got up," he added. "I tried as hard as I could, because I wanted to hear the sons speak. But I couldn’t make it. I said, I can’t put up with this. And I’ll tell you what else I found just abominable -- when they booed Trent Lott."

Lott, the Republican leader of the U.S. Senate, and Ventura himself were booed when the dignitaries entered the arena before the event, which was packed with the Wellstone faithful. "It’s like booing someone at a funeral," Ventura said.

Of his decision to leave, he said, "It wasn’t an easy thing to do ... but I thought, I’m not going to sit through this. It’s ridiculous." He said Terry Ventura "gave me the go-ahead. She said, 'When you’re ready, I’m ready.' ... I listened for a couple more and said, 'I can’t take this any more.' I said, 'I’m out of here.'"

He said his wife cried on the way home, upset about the way the ceremony may have affected the families of the victims. Ventura said he will never attend another such memorial if it occurs during an election year.

The election occurs on Tuesday, Nov. 5. The U.S. Congress is expected to go into session on Nov. 12 to resolve the budget and deal with other issues. The new Minnesota senator isn’t expected to take office until Nov. 19, when the results of the votes are canvassed. And because of a legal fight over absentee ballots already sent in with Wellstone’s name on them, Ventura has expressed fears that the winner will be prevented from being seated because of litigation.

Ventura said he is concerned that if the Democratic Senate candidate loses and Wellstone’s absentee ballots aren’t counted, "then it does create an unfair election" that could trigger lengthy litigation. And he said if the lawsuit ties things up, his appointee may serve as long as a year -- until a special election next November.

Ventura said he will probably appoint an interim senator, and likely will make his choice known after the polls close next Tuesday, so as not to influence the election.

"I think that what I will do -- and don’t hold me to this ... I think I will make the decision after the polls close that night, because of the fact that I don’t want my decision to have any influence whatsoever on the race," he said.

He had previously said he would probably appoint a Democrat, because even if Wellstone had lived and was defeated, he would have served until January and would have represented Minnesota at the Nov. 12 Congressional session.

But Ventura said disgust with the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party over the memorial has caused him to rethink that strategy. Asked if he thought the seat belongs to the Democrats until the end of Wellstone’s term, he said, "I thought it did until last night." He said he won’t give the interim appointment to a Republican, but said he will "try to find an independent."

He said he does not want his appointee to be interested in seeking the seat permanently. And he said that may be someone plucked from political obscurity.

"I’ve thought about going out and just picking a citizen," he said. "Somebody who has no political background. Somebody with a clean slate. Somebody who’s intelligent. See if there’s a citizen out there." He said he would not appoint himself, Lt. Gov. Mae Schunk or gubernatorial candidate Tim Penny if Penny loses.

He said economic development commissioner Rebecca Yanisch, a DFL Senate candidate two years ago, has told him she is interested. "I don’t think that’s anything to be offended about," he said of Yanisch’s expression of interest immediately following Wellstone’s death. But he said he probably will avoid candidates belonging to both parties.

"I’m starting to look at, just, John Q. Citizen," Ventura said. "Let’s put someone in there who has no political aspiration whatsoever ... I might look around and find someone who I trust, and who has no political leanings, whatsoever, and ask, would you do me a favor and be a senator for a few weeks?"

Even he accused others of blatant campaigning, Ventura began blasting both the Republican and Democratic-Farmer-Labor parties and praising his own Independence Party of Minnesota and its candidate, Tim Penny. He said the two parties are "inherently untruthful" and are hostage to special interests who fund their election campaigns.

Jim Ragsdale covers state government and politics and can be contacted at jragsdale@pioneerpress.com or (651) 228-5529.

-- Anonymous, October 30, 2002


Someone at Lucianne has just pointed out that Wellstone was Jewish and tradition holds that the family sit shiva for seven days. That means they are supposed to be in seclusion, I believe--maybe someone can clarify for me?

-- Anonymous, October 30, 2002

Apart from all the other observances for seven days, Mourners should refrain from any activity which might distract them from bereavement. Excessive distractions are viewed by Jewish tradition as a sign of disrespect for the deceased.

-- Anonymous, October 30, 2002

Ventura Threatens To Replace Wellstone With Independent

Wednesday October 30, 2002 1:29pm

St. Paul, Minn. (AP) - Gov. Jesse Ventura, upset by what he felt was the partisan tone of a memorial to honor the late Sen. Paul Wellstone, threatened Wednesday to appoint an independent instead of a Democrat to fill Wellstone's seat.

Ventura had said earlier that he was likely to make a temporary appointment, to maintain Minnesota's representation in Congress, and he favored a replacement from Wellstone's party.

But that was before he walked out of Tuesday night's memorial service for Wellstone.

"All bets are off," Ventura said.

But his comments late Wednesday morning were more conciliatory than ones he made a few hours earlier on talk radio when he said he would try to find an independent to temporarily serve in Wellstone's place until the election winner takes over.

"I haven't ruled anything out. All my options are open," the outgoing governor said in the later remarks, following a farewell visit to the state Department of Agriculture. Among those options, he said, is to appoint "a regular citizen," with no connection to politics.

The governor said he and his wife, Terry, were so upset they skipped the speeches by Wellstone's two sons.

"Certainly to turn a memorial service into a political rally, I found quite disturbing," Ventura said.

Ventura was particularly irritated with a speech by one of Wellstone's closest friends, Rick Kahn, in which he said to the crowd, "I'm begging you to help us win this Senate election for Paul Wellstone."

"I wanted to hear the sons. But Rick Kahn's, I found his so offensive to me as an Independent, or to anyone who is not necessarily going to vote for Senator Wellstone who still respects him and came to pay their respects," Ventura said. "It drove the first lady to tears."

Ventura's spokesman, John Wodele, said the governor is unlikely to announce his choice until sometime Tuesday, election day.

The temporary appointee would fill the seat until the election results are certified. The State Canvassing Board is scheduled to meet to certify election results on Nov. 19, but Ventura said it might take longer to certify the Senate results because of the complicated ballot counting procedures forced by Wellstone's death.

Walter Mondale on Wednesday said he would enter the race against Republican Norm Coleman if Minnesota Democrats nominated him Wednesday evening, something that was all but certain.

-- Anonymous, October 30, 2002



good for Jesse. so sorry to hear of the disrespect to the other mourners.

Not all Jews follow the rules. Just like some christians.

-- Anonymous, October 31, 2002


My recent exposure to shiva when when one of my female attorney bosses' dad died last year. I think the number of days may have to do with when shabbot occurs, but maybe not. The idea is that they open up their home and you go to their place to pay your respects. And you bring food usually because the aggrieved are not supposed to be doing anything. In my boss' case, her children and husband got to wait on her during that period. There was an informal service every day at dusk.

-- Anonymous, October 31, 2002

From what I gather, shiva begins when the deceased is buried. However, that was a Houston site and Texas Jews may do things differntly :-)

-- Anonymous, October 31, 2002

isn't there also something that happens a year after the death? tombstone or something?

-- Anonymous, October 31, 2002

Moderation questions? read the FAQ