Declaring himself "the most dangerous man in America," former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura hinted Sunday at a possible campaign for president in 2008. Ventura, the featured opening night speaker at Dickinson College's 42nd Annual Public Affairs Symposium (PAS), officially spoke on "Fitness, Physique & Psyche." However, it was quickly clear that the political arena remains his passion. Ventura, 53, charmed the audience with anecdotes of his political past while taking risky positions on some of the most delicate issues of the day â€" such as same-sex marriage and First Amendment rights. "Can anybody tell me something that government don't regulate?" he asked.
"Your sleep," a man yelled out.
"Sure they do," Ventura responded without pause. "They got them tags on the mattresses, don't they?.. There's nothing government don't regulate. And I don't think that's right."
For the record, the ex-pro wrestler assessed his chances of running for president as "unlikely." But he sure sounded like a candidate. "I can beat these guys —and they need to be beaten," Ventura said. "We have a two-party system in America and it sucks." If he were to run for president, Ventura hardly has to worry about being criticized for waffling on tough issues. He calls himself a fiscal conservative and a social liberal "just like most of you."
The First Amendment? Ventura claims America's government is siding with "morality over freedom." The war in Iraq? The former Navy SEAL and Vietnam veteran is opposed. Gay marriage? Ventura has a plan to solve that one too: have all marriages —gay and straight —officially recognized as civil unions by governments. He told a story of a gay former wrestler who was barred from his long-time companion's hospital room because he was not a spouse or next-of-kin. "Government has no right to tell you who to fall in love with," he said to loud applause. "Let the churches acknowledge marriage. Then the churches could decide not to acknowledge gay marriage — and they have every right to do that."
Now Ventura teaches at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government as a visiting fellow in the Institute of Politics, where his group study focuses on third-party politics. Urging Dickinson students to "become the third party movement," he reminded the audience that three political parties thrived during Abe Lincoln's day. To prepare for life as a college professor, Ventura grew a wild mane of long hair and a full beard that he had braided to resemble Captain Sparrow, a character in the 2003 cinema hit, "Pirates of the Caribbean." Pointing to his appearance, Ventura bragged: "There isn't a Republican or a Democrat in this United States who would have the (gumption) to do this."
The picture at the link convinces me he's got a shot. |