Jesse Ventura

Rating:
Summary: Explaining Jesse Ventura and his political victory to kids
Review: Now that Jesse Ventura and his stint as governor of the Minnesota has been relegated to a footnote of American political history, this juvenile biography from the A&E "Biography" series reminds young readers of what all the excitement was about. The headlines and talking heads were all about the fact that Jesse "The Body" Ventura was a former professional wrestler, which overwhelmed what could (and perhaps should) have been the true story, which was that a third party candidate was voted into major office. The back cover of this book claims that Ventura's "upset election victory shook the structure of modern politics," but what we have seen in both Minnesota and across the United States is that his election was a political aberration. However, Keith Elliot Greenberg certainly explains why Ventura was the right person in the right place at the right time.

(I know some of you are wondering whether or not I voted for Ventura. No, I did not, because I did not think he had a chance to win. If I had thought that he really had a chance to win I probably would have voted for him because shaking the structure of modern politics certainly appeals to me.)

Greenberg begins with Ventura being sworn in as governor and points out that electing a professional wrestler is not the same as having a former actor Ronald Reagan be president, former NBA star Bill Bradley be senator, or Sonny Bono being a Congressman. He also emphasizes the idea that Minnesota has a reputation for being different when it comes to politics (a sidebar later in the book examines the state's renegade tradition), and points out that Arnold Schwarzenegger was sitting in the second row when Ventura was sworn in (they had been in the 1987 film "Predator" together, which speaks well for any attempt by Carl Weathers to become a governor).

The rest of the book tells the story of how James George Janos became a Navy SEAL, a professional wrestler, Hollywood actor, radio talk-show host, and mayor of Brooklyn Park. It was those last two that came together with Ross Perot's Reform party movement and voter outrage to get Ventura into the 1998 election. The chapter on Ventura running for Governor includes lots of quotations from the campaign, most of which make some telling point about the process of contemporary politics. Greenberg also covers Ventura's more controversial ideas, such as legalizing prostitution and not having the government pay for college education, and relates how the major party nominees for Governor ignored Ventura. Consequently, young readers will have an appreciation for the various factors beyond Ventura's one-liners that brought the political stars into alignment for his election.

This juvenile biography of Ventura does not cover his administration, which might be fitting because it was all down hill once he became Governor. That actually helps reinforce whatever lesson there is to learn here, because Ventura's term in office would be an entirely different story and a decidedly different lesson. The book is illustrated with photographs from Ventura's personal life, colorful career, and the political campaign. The back of the book includes footnotes sources and an index. Other paperback editions in the "Biography" series look at George Lucas, John Glenn, Legends of Dracula, Princess Diana, and Rosie O'Donnell (which makes me wonder why Glenn is on that list given the pop culture direction the rest of the titles seem to indicate).

Rating:
Summary: Explaining Jesse Ventura and his political victory to kids
Review: Now that Jesse Ventura and his stint as governor of the Minnesota has been relegated to a footnote of American political history, this juvenile biography from the A&E "Biography" series reminds young readers of what all the excitement was about. The headlines and talking heads were all about the fact that Jesse "The Body" Ventura was a former professional wrestler, which overwhelmed what could (and perhaps should) have been the true story, which was that a third party candidate was voted into major office. The back cover of this book claims that Ventura's "upset election victory shook the structure of modern politics," but what we have seen in both Minnesota and across the United States is that his election was a political aberration. However, Keith Elliot Greenberg certainly explains why Ventura was the right person in the right place at the right time.

(I know some of you are wondering whether or not I voted for Ventura. No, I did not, because I did not think he had a chance to win. If I had thought that he really had a chance to win I probably would have voted for him because shaking the structure of modern politics certainly appeals to me.)

Greenberg begins with Ventura being sworn in as governor and points out that electing a professional wrestler is not the same as having a former actor Ronald Reagan be president, former NBA star Bill Bradley be senator, or Sonny Bono being a Congressman. He also emphasizes the idea that Minnesota has a reputation for being different when it comes to politics (a sidebar later in the book examines the state's renegade tradition), and points out that Arnold Schwarzenegger was sitting in the second row when Ventura was sworn in (they had been in the 1987 film "Predator" together, which speaks well for any attempt by Carl Weathers to become a governor).

The rest of the book tells the story of how James George Janos became a Navy SEAL, a professional wrestler, Hollywood actor, radio talk-show host, and mayor of Brooklyn Park. It was those last two that came together with Ross Perot's Reform party movement and voter outrage to get Ventura into the 1998 election. The chapter on Ventura running for Governor includes lots of quotations from the campaign, most of which make some telling point about the process of contemporary politics. Greenberg also covers Ventura's more controversial ideas, such as legalizing prostitution and not having the government pay for college education, and relates how the major party nominees for Governor ignored Ventura. Consequently, young readers will have an appreciation for the various factors beyond Ventura's one-liners that brought the political stars into alignment for his election.

This juvenile biography of Ventura does not cover his administration, which might be fitting because it was all down hill once he became Governor. That actually helps reinforce whatever lesson there is to learn here, because Ventura's term in office would be an entirely different story and a decidedly different lesson. The book is illustrated with photographs from Ventura's personal life, colorful career, and the political campaign. The back of the book includes footnotes sources and an index. Other paperback editions in the "Biography" series look at George Lucas, John Glenn, Legends of Dracula, Princess Diana, and Rosie O'Donnell (which makes me wonder why Glenn is on that list given the pop culture direction the rest of the titles seem to indicate).