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Show Alo The Salt Lake TribuneNATION Thursday, June 24,1999 VenturaWrestles With Respectability Despite the machobluster, Minnesota governor has showneffective leadership CHICAGOTRIBUNE ST. PAUL,Minn. — It’s hard to put it delicately, but Minnesota Gov. Jesse Venturacredits his lat- est political coup to the frequent gastric distress sufferedbyhis pet pooch, Franklin the bulldog. As Venturaseesit, the key to breaking a legislative deadlock over the state budget washis sly threat to summon bickering Republican and Democratic leaders to the governor's mansion and then lock them into a small room with Franklin. “It might have violated the Geneva convention,” he deadpanned the other day after a deal wasfi- nally struck. “But you do what yougotta do.” That sentiment has been a kind of mantra for the 47-year-old Ventura, the loose-tongued former pro wrestler whose upset win in a three-way governor's race last November propelled him to national celebrity Hehas been on Letterman and Leno, been to the Oscars and the National Press Club, licensed his likeness fora line of Jesse Ventu- ra action figures, and even written a tell-all autobiography laced with sex, drugs and profanity. media, he says, simply sold him short as a candidate and misread his intentions. “I’m a Reform Party governor who stands in the center, who takes the best from the right and the best from theleft, and that’s the great thing about being in my position, Venturasaid recently. Timingis everythingin politics, and Ventura as governor has reaped the bounty of a great local economy. Thetreasury is bulging with a record $2.8 billion surplus, and the state is about to get its first infusion of cash from a $6.1 billion legal settlement it reached with tobacco producers. As such, the debate under the Capitol domethis spring centered on surefire crowd pleasers such as tax rebates and ratecuts. “In good times, there’s a lot of hair to cover the bald spots,” said Duane Benson,executive director of the Minnesota Business Partnership, which represents CEOs of the state’s largest companies. saysit has been hardto turn it off. But legislators complain that for all his bluntness, Ventura sendsa lot of mixed signals. Never was that more evident than during negotiations over the state budget, when he suddenly switched from siding with Demo- crats in a standoff over tax-cut initiatives to siding with a Republican plan that he had previously rippedas “short-sighted” andfis- cally imprudent. After a deal was finally cut, Senate Democratic leader Roger Moe said Ventura's flip-flop left him flabbergasted and wary. “You knowtheold saying, ‘Fool meonce, shame on you, Fool me twice, shame on me,’” said Moe. “The administration is going to needa lot of things, and I'm certainly not going to do any heavy lifting for them from now on.” Democrat Tom Pugh, the minority leader in the House, was morecharitablein his assessment. Ventura, he said, was plagued by impatience and an “unsophisticated perception” of the legislative process. Still, Pugh added: “He’s com- mitted to what we think are some pretty good causes. He’s as devoted to our public-education system as any governor we've had in over a decade. If he stayed at it and devoted his tremendous personal skills and marketing skills to the state, he could leave a great lega- cy. a “But he might get bored.” Not that everything has gone smoothly. Overall, Ventura’s Cab- inet has received kudos, but black ministers marched on the Capitol a few months ago to complain that out of 25 department heads picked by Ventura not one was African-American. Ventura said few blacks applied for the posts. Being provocative and outrageous waspart of the act in wrestling and talk radio, and Ventura NEW MEDICATIONS STUDIED Taking part in an investigational research study is an excellent opportunity to learn more about a chronicillness and howtotreatit. The bookis set to hit stores na- tionwideby this weekend Withan egothe size of his bulging biceps and a mission to sabotage all pretense of political cor- rectness, the 6-foot-4-inch, 250- pound Ventura has kept Minnesotans alternately wincing and chortling in his first months DIABETES Volunteers with diabetes neededto participate in an investigational research drug study. To qualify you must be 65 yearsorolder, with a three monthhistory of diabetes. in office Paymentfor participation $200. Effective Governor: But get past the ceaseless self-promotion ASTHMA and machoshtick, political insid- ers agree, and Ventura hasso far been surprisingly effective as governor ‘When he came on the scene, everyone hit the foxholes and thought, ‘Holy cow, this guy's go- ing to blow upthe whole place,’ " said Wy Spano, veteran statehouselobbyist who also publishes a political newsletter. “He hasn't The Home Furnishings Mall is slipping into summer with the Haute Cuisine of casual dining sets and a great selection of Alexander Julian Designs to whet your appetite. Won't youjoin us? Participants with asthma receive up to $380 for participating in an investigational research drug study. Complimentary design service is available to our customers. Qualified volunteers, ages 12 years andolder, with a six-month history of asthma, using daily inhaled medications to control their symptoms,areinvited to call. done anything like that. He is al- mostvisibly growing up in front cal andlegislative process.” The first statewide official in the nationelected under the banner of Ross Perot’s Reform Party, Ventura campaigned as an outsid- er honor-boundto shakeup parti- 75 MALL HOME FUR) CALL 532-4526 of us in terms of an appreciation for, and knowledge of, the politi- The Finest Furnishings Found 7:00-4:00 p.m. MondaythroughFriday for information regarding these investigational research studies 995 W. Beardsley Place (2480 South) * Tel: (801) 973-7987 * Toll Free: www homefurnishingsmall.com INTERMOUNTAIN CLINICAL RESEARCH 150 South 1000 East, Salt Lake City 800-456-8759 B ES san polities and dynamite entrenched bureaucracies “Retaliate in “98” was the slogan tattooed across campaign Tshirts. In office, however, proved anything but thrower. he has a bomb As his first legislative session was drawing to a close Monday, Republicans and Democratsalike @ said he talked tough but ap THE 1999 UTAH ARTS FESTIVAL JU NE 24-27 Th URSDAY HEADLINER proachedhis responsibilities in a studied andserious way — at least when the cameras weren't rolling Ventura got most of what he asked for out of the Legislature including more spending for schools. disability programs and public transportation, www.uaf.org Legendary Blues guitarist and founder of Roomful of Blues that generally had him aligned with Democrats and seemed to run counter to his less-is-more s:uctoric as a candidate ture overrode his veto of abill SPONBSORED BY SCRIBE “He's very persuasive to the public and he really does havea bully pulpit to speak from.” said Republican / i } 4 ° (d ' that to leverage people Political veteransofall stripes continue to gush over the quality of his Cabinet, a bipartisan group of experienced administrators that Ventura was freeto pick be. cause he didn't have to offer the jobs as payoffs to party cronies Leaning heavily on the advice of those deputies, Ventura then laid out a state budget planthat was widely praised as thoughtful cautious and prudent. With the economy soaring, he proposed a package of tax cuts and rebates but one less generous than either Republicans or Democrats inthe Legislature had in mind Next to Illinois’ new governor George Ryan, who wants to cash in on good economic times with a $12 billion building spree, Ventu ra looked like a muscular Alan Greenspan. The presumption that this guy was a meathead and a Neander thal have not been proved" said Larry Jacobs, a political science professor at the University of Minnesota. ‘In terms of policy, he looks, frankly, like an establish ment politician, If anything, he’s Ve a“ ric Ventura insists he hasn't changed one bit. The es and Kids 12 and under FREE! $2 Seniors (60+) $2 Lunch Time Special (Thurs/Fri, noon to 3 pm) (ur! PI CK UP A GUIDE at over 50 locations, cluding any Starbucks Come down and listen to the sounds over 100 local and regional bands perform onfive stages! SOUL, BLUES, REGGAE, JAZZ, POP, CELTIC AND MORE! LOCAL MUSIC presented by Utah's award-winning microbrews: The Pat Carnahan Band Gaslight District Chola Soul Patrol Shanahy lively music of the British Isles 3urnished Brass Quintet 6:30 Friday Park Stage The Underpaid Professors Jesse Thurgood The Tempo Timers Insatiable High Desert Duo Lucarelli-Zwick Duo KlezBros Ripe Tomatoes 3 and by: PrROTEL nordstrom Zion Tribe rock, reggae & other world music 9:00 pm Saturday Park Stage The Moxie Tonic Medicine Show big band swim Swingorillas 8:30 Saturday Plaza Stage been moreliberal than heled us to believe by his libertarian rheto ADMISSION $5 Adults 10 p.m. Plaza Stage ingthe first Minnesota governor in 17 years to haveavetooverrid Dick Day, the minority leader in the Minnesota Senate He's smart enough to know how to use Thurs-Sat: noon to midnight Sun: noon to 10pm Thursday, June 24 that allows accident victims to sue over defective seat belts. It gave himthe dubious distinctionof be- aside, HOURS The Duke Robillard Band Oops: One setback came Mon day, however, when the Legisla den That blow TRIAD/DELTA CENTER positions painting * sculpture « pottery « jewelry \ street theater » ballet * glass studio * poetry * dance » music 4 { | |
