With news from Minnesota Public Radio. I'm Mike Mulcahy Eveleth mines in the women who sued the company for sexual harassment and sex discrimination have reached a settlement just as a trial to determine damages for the women was scheduled to begin next week negotiators for the women and the mines insurance company reach the settlement after a 12-hour negotiating session yesterday under the terms of the settlement neither side can say how much money the women will receive but there are some hints it will be substantial the settlement two payments will be distributed by January 15th bringing an end to the decade-long lawsuit State attorney-general. Skip Humphrey announced today. The state is received 102 million dollars from tobacco companies that will be dedicated to anti-smoking programs. Humphrey says, the money was earmarked as part of Minnesota settlement with the five big tobacco companies. This was part of the court-ordered efforts to see that we get directly dollars to individuals thatAre addicted to nicotine and that want to have the help and assistance to get off that nicotine. Humphrey says today's cheque is in addition to the payments the legislature will decide how to spend the first payment of that money 240 million dollars came in September the next payment 220 million dollars arrives on January 4th. That's the day Jesse Ventura takes office is Minnesota's next Governor looking at the weather for today partly cloudy in the Northeast partial clearing this afternoon around the rest of the State House from 10 below to around ten above tonight a chance for some light snow in Southwestern Minnesota toward morning. The Lowe's around twenty five below in the far north to near zero in the southwest right now. Rochester has partly sunny skies 6 above in St. Cloud. It's cloudy in for above and the Twin Cities some flurries 6 above zero that's news on Mike Mulcahy programming an NPR is supported by the Twin Cities food and wine experience Valentine's Day weekend and a half.Convention Center programs available at Lunds and Byerly's or 612-371-5857. Good afternoon, and welcome back to mid-day on this New Year's Eve are on Minnesota Public Radio. I'm Gary acting glad you could join us. Well today on midday. We've been reviewing some of the major Minnesota news stories of 1998. And this our we're going to focus on the biggest Minnesota news story of 1998 may be the biggest story of the decade on November 3rd former pro wrestler Jesse Ventura Deadwood. All the experts claimed simply could not be done on November 3rd, Mr. Ventura was elected governor of the state of Minnesota. That's our we've been joined by three folks who had front row seats for this amazing upset Dean Barclay. Cyndy. Brucato and Eric Johnson key advisors to Jesse Ventura Norm Coleman and Skip Humphrey will also be opening the phone lines for your questions and comments. But first of all the story of the year, there's Minnesota public radio's Martin Koski. Jesse Ventura was not supposed to win reporters politicians and the usual pundits all assumed. He'd be an also-ran an interest. Sideshow in a crowded race for governor Ventura himself when he announced his bid last January sounded as though he'd be happy with a respectable third-place will notice in the Olympics. They give medals for gold silver and bronze they honor three athletes and yet in our political regime we seem to only on or two and therefore I think as of this year in the state of Minnesota, we're going to follow the lead of the Olympics and we're going to have three viable candidates come November the Reform Party embraced Ventura in part because it needed a candidate would be sure to get at least 5% of the vote in the fall election. Thereby allowing the party to keep its major party status and the state campaign funds to go with it. Ventura is famous name made him just the man for the job. Jesse The Body Ventura right after this retired pro wrestler and former Suburban Mayer stayed in the Limelight with his Daily Show on am talk radio the show gave him plenty of opportunity to rail against big government politicians and sales taxes on used cars one side of me is laughing you had to pay more than my Porsche this year. He's pompous SOB's over there with pull crap like that again the radio show is also what got the Democrats and Republicans to notice Ventura Party leaders complained it gave him an unfair Advantage even though they also insisted Ventura didn't really pose any threat to their candidates KFAN radio listen to their complaints and took him off the air in mid-july Ventura turn the set back to his political advantage of a wife and children and bills to pay and I'm now the only candidate who was forced to leave his job to run for office. This was the early version of what became a favorite Campaign theme he worked hard for a living is Republican and Democrat rivals on the other hand work for the government and campaigned on government time Ventura honed his message during the summer and concentrated on two major promises smaller class sizes and public schools and a money back guarantee for Minnesota taxpayers billion dollars of taxpayer money is held hostage in St. Paul as Democrats and Republicans fight over how to spend. I'm Jesse Ventura Reform Party candidate for governor. I'll fight to get those Republicans and Democrats to return the four billion in excess taxes. They took from you that's $1,000 for every person in Minnesota. It's your money and how to spend. It should be your decision. Not the politicians never mind that than tours add had some of the details wrong. The four billion dollar Surplus was not available for refunds any more about half of it had been spent and the other half was already going toward various kinds of tax relief the promise caught the Public's attention and by September poll showed support for Ventura climbing and we need to make those kind of Television debates also seem to give a boost to Ventura spoil numbers while Republican Norm Coleman and Democrat. Skip Humphrey change Barb's Ventura said between them looking like the grown up in the group that deserves a chance to get in on this match is obviously who's above all of this. By the end of September Ventura was making real Headway. Even on the Iron Range traditionally considered a dfl stronghold in a gubernatorial debate and Rudy perpich his hometown of Hibbing Ventura had the crowd in the palm of his hand as he preached lower taxes snowmobile friendly environmental policies and old-fashioned patriotism. I saw the education My mom was a nurse in North Africa. And he taught me what it was like to serve your country still despite ventouras rise in the polls most politicians and reporters assume the only role Ventura would play in the election. Was that a spoiler conventional wisdom held that Jesse Ventura hurt Republicans more than Democrats and Norm Coleman showed signs of taking that threat. Seriously. I respectfully say to those who support Jesse Ventura that he makes a lot of sense but he's not going to be skip Humphrey before you cast a protest don't think about what if it cost you in Freedom and taxes how arrogant and pompous is it to tell you how to vote. Because I'll tell you what you want to know. What a wasted vote is a wasted vote is not voting your heart and your conscience that is a wasted vote. The Democrats also seem to buy the spoiler scenario believing that the enemy of their enemy was their friend to that end the Humphrey campaign made sure Ventura was included in the major debates. But as the campaign moved into its final month, the unthinkable happened the bump in the polls Ventura got from the debates just kept on growing and it seemed to be coming at the expense of skip Humphrey then less than two weeks before the election Ventura brought up the topic of legalizing prostitution. I don't want to give people all panic because I know how they take things out of context, but I think that we need to look at solving the social problems in a different manner than what we have been now because what we're doing now to me is not Progressive, it's not if it's not working. Stated this position before but this time the media and his opponents were paying attention local news lead with a story and Norm Coleman and Skip Humphrey went on the attack the path to a brighter Futures. Minnesota is is not going to be sewn through social experimentation. I got to tell you it's not going to be sown or sewn bye-bye is prostitution zones as a Jesse Ventura with talk about women young and old and children should be very deeply concerned about all of us. We are not going to allow. Legalized prostitution in this statement or responded to the potential campaign crisis by saying his comments have been taken out of context and that he did not necessarily favor legalizing prostitution as it turns out the prostitution flap was hardly a bump in the road for Jesse Ventura bolstered by Reverend tv ads in the final week and an RV motorcade tour across the state. He was on his way to beating Coleman by 3 percentage points and Humphrey the one time leader by nine points at election night headquarters Ventura supporters dance themselves into a frenzy giddy with the thought that they've done something historic. I didn't think you'd get in I really didn't a few weeks ago and I thought I might have to vote for Humphrey and then when it all started turning for Jesse, I thought that's it. I'm going for him. I think we're sending us a message to the nation. Wake up people like us are all over the world. Even as the vote tallies were still coming in Democrats and Republicans tried to figure out what hit them at the time Kathy Czar was executive director of the dfl party. I think we gave him a pass. I think the party is the candidates and and the Press let him get away with latitude and slogans and I hope we don't live to regret that the party later forces are to resign her post as D flr searched for explanations for the devastating loss in the governor's race and also their loss of the majority in the House of Representatives Republicans took some Comfort Inn Ventura is Win Governor ardy Carlson figured, Minnesota. Selected another version of himself a socially moderate physical conservative and he was careful not to second-guess been to his qualifications to run. The state is Jesse Ventura qualified to do the work you've done. When the people speak their judgment is my judgment. Here is the next governor of the state of Minnesota. Jesse Ventura Now it's 1998 and the American dream lives on in Minnesota has reached shot the world. Since election day Ventura has been relatively quiet immersing himself in the huge task of hiring a new Administration and learning the inner workings of state government. He says he doesn't want to give away his plan of action head of time. He says people will find out what he has in mind once he's sworn in as the state's 38th governor on January 4th at the state capitol Eyemart in connestee, Minnesota Public Radio. We will have live coverage of the inauguration on Mondays. Midday. And then on Tuesday Governor, Jesse Ventura will be here in our Studios to take your questions couple of things to mark down live coverage of the inauguration Monday. Jesse Ventura here over the noon hour on Tuesday right now. We're going to take a closer. Look at this year's campaign for governor. One of the most interesting in Minnesota State history to be sure to have Sharon the studio or three folks who played key roles in the campaign Dean Barclay was Jesse been to his campaign chair. Cindy brocato is whether she served as no Coleman's communications director and Eric Johnson is here. He was skip pumphrey's senior advisor course. We invite you to join our conversation as well. But looking back at Jesse Ventura is election as governor of the state of Minnesota the story of 1998 how it happened what lessons have been learned what it might mean for the future. Give us a call with your questions at 651-227-6000 as well. Get used to the area code. That's the Saint Paul area code now. It is a local call by-the-way. 651-227-6002 Twin Cities 1-800 +242-282-865-1227 6000 or 1 800-242-2828. Thanks for coming in today. Thank you. Teen let me start with you at what point did you realize? That Jesse Ventura was actually going to win the election that when you were hoping you might win but at what point did you say goodness he's going to win. Well, there's a difference in when I thought he could when I thought we had I didn't really want to think about it too much because they can get away with you but it was an election day. When I started listening to the voter turnout reports special and the Campesina verse to Minnesota, but they said they were lined up around the block and that they'd already had more people vote by one and they had the whole time for years before cuz we knew we needed about a 60% voter turnout. We need to activate the unmotivated voter at that point in time. I thought maybe we've done it because of the report of the heavy voter. Turnout If It's Been Awhile by Turner, I knew that we're history that they had to be a very heavy turn off. So then I started airing thinking that maybe we had. Eric Cindy at what point did you folks? Realize that Ventura was probably going to beat your candidate and Humphrey campaign. I don't believe any of us realized it until election night. And in fact, it was I think well into election night. You may recall Bob that the national network tracking exit polls showed initially Humphrey winning by a few points. That was a morning track in the afternoon track Humphrey and Coleman were neck-and-neck and been true was still trailing by significant margin and that was consistent with all of our internal polling for for several weeks. So we really didn't see it until that evening of being the person on the campaign what what started the trouble me was the debates the performance in the debates in in in this is offering kudos to the governor-elect. He was great and it troubled me. They are at my candidate that Norm Coleman who is equally facile equally charming and and probably has more breath of knowledge was was not was not gaining the advantage in those debates. And in that was deliberate on the part of the campaign organization and at night I think from from the from both campaigns. I'm in here if you can. Want to speak to the Humphrey campaign here, but I know the Coleman campaign it was a decision made no, no. No, you just let Jesse go out there you and Jessie agree on almost everything. Let him Pummel Humphrey and from my perspective being the TV person looking at it. I all I said was I don't like what I'm seeing on that to you know, I mean if I'm a consultant and I am I would say change your change this isn't right you can handle and that's when that just started the trouble me not so I think probably Technically when the when the race was decided with Eric was right it was that day it was that day when those undecided voters in those voters would never voted before. When do the polls in no no genius poster in the world's going to pick that up and in a nor did anybody but I think the signal came earlier Parts in the Coleman campaign and I think in some ways we were pursuing the same strategies are internal tracking polls had Humphrey and Coleman in a if there's not a dead heat a very close race in our pause. It was always single digits with Coleman and Humphrey and I think the Humphrey Coleman campaign for Focus like a laser beam on each other and in some ways this this is a classic race. It's a classic 3 candidate race are the two leading candidates focus on each other and lava bombs at each other frankly millions of dollars and in negative ads and the candidate who is standing on the sidelines in a sense is able to walk up the middle. That's what happened in the California Democratic primary with El Chucky and his opponent and you have lieutenant governor Gray Davis walking right up the middle who stayed Above and Beyond The Fray Dean Barclay, would you agree with that analysis that Jesse Ventura benefited greatly from the fact that he was largely ignored. Oh, absolutely. No, I've been through this before and I've been a category three times I get the three-time loser here, but I did learn something very valuable as how the other two major party candidates. I probably going to treat you. I told me either going to ignore you or they going to agree with everything you have to say and you have to clearly differentiate yourself from them. Let them beat each other up and then come in as the as the person above it all and deliver the singers in Jessie was perfect. I mean, this was his format it was was that was mass media and they played the role perfectly. I don't I think in hindsight, they probably wouldn't have done anything differently because nobody anticipated the ability for us to motivate the unmotivated voter. They aren't Paul there discounted they put off to the side and our whole strategy was to motivate that group of otters cuz without motivating them we had no chance of winning. I will say this Dean I think that Norm Coleman himself and there were a few other voices that the campaign we're more inclined to to take. Jesse Ventura is the legitimate candidate. They're individuals including the candidate himself who were much more inclined to take Jesse Ventura as the legitimate candidate who were much more inclined to go one-on-one SS. Skip Humphrey ignore went one-on-one took to come back and and to call him call Jesse on the things that it has ever bathe her. That's exactly what you're doing for. So there was that inclination. I think you know, I don't think this would have been done in hindsight. I think that there were other voices. I think that it's the mechanics of a campaign. Sometimes you have a few individuals who go by their gut with little benefit of some research & polling and sometimes you have this great group think that basically goes by a template on Sunday and I'll quite frankly I was sitting there since I was waiting for that to occur They going to change their strategy and every debate that went on that they continue to be the same thing my smile got brighter and brighter because it's his Scout don't think I understand how they're coming off what you know me. It wasn't hyperfly GI who's running the ships over there and I was just amazed at their strategies did not change, especially when he got on the mid-twenties when they knew that there was a threat out there when your 14 15, that's one thing but when he was getting a 24 25% there were still a couple debates to go and they didn't change that that really surprised you were there any issues that that made a difference in this campaign or did it all to meet Lee come down to the three candidates? I'll take a stab at that because I remember in the spring when when it was KSTP. Am Jason Lewis the taxpayers association. We're doing the rallies at the Capitol about putting the money back when we kept on saying we've got to get over there and sees that issue before Norm does or the Republicans door one that unfortunately Jesse went over there and spoke and got involved in that and give the money back and I think that was a pretty central theme door campaign that the other two parties didn't grab onto they kind of gave us that one that really surprised me that we didn't have Republican candidates may be didn't surprise me. The one in the Democratic candidates over the release the Republicans did not go over and participate in those rails you for the TV commercial before billions fighting. A. A. That really became a central focus of our campaign and they gave it to us just flabbergasted that nobody else sees that opportunity to take that issue. About speaking for the Humphrey campaign. I don't believe there was a you know an overwhelming or telling single issue that propelled Jesse to the to the Forefront. I've said before when Dean and I've spoken that Jesse got elected more with an attitude than with an agenda. And I think if you did exit polling on those who voted for him, they they wouldn't identify specific agenda or specific issue, but it was it was more Jessie Persona and his Persona, just Rose like a meteor in the last 2 weeks that I can't paint will it in the fact that it did the issue. I think it was kind. There was a something a little bit more General vague that worked against the Democratic and Republican candidates. And that was I think of a rejection of overt partisanship what was going on in Washington, although not articulated. Particularly, it was a it was a thought pain getting weary of this washing. It's definite did translate Jesse Ventura showed himself as the independent or or or proclaimed himself the independent voice the nonpartisan candidate the and and and I think that it would have been alive for either one of them either collmenter Humphrey to say they weren't partisan because they are but I think his Proclamation is resonated with people. I think they like that. I think that you look at what was happening in Washington you saw and believe me. I know Clinton fan, I think you ought to be gone, but I think that the behavior that the republicans in Congress took way too much flea and what was going on at Hibbing the bait there was another famous quote we're going after each other and just got up and says, wait a minute. I thought we were in the Hibbing, Minnesota not Washington DC zip right into it. He got a standing ovation. I mean, he hit it, right. He hit a homerun there. That is this more of what we see in Washington here, aren't we above this all this is Minnesota shouldn't we be doing things differently, Washington? Let's have a three-way debate here. Let's talk about the issues. Just say you're a viable candidate. Let's get down to brass tacks. And when when Norm Coleman said that that the quote that was in Martin costumes report when he mentioned, you know. Basically don't throw away your vote and he was all you know, we got back to the campaign and everybody, you know, what just know my thought was more more go ahead and make this legitimate. This is not you know, we're Knights nothing personal Jesse. You're the one that's calling these guys tassel loafer lawyers in analysis from a person on the street and this guy did not for him politics was a spectator sport he voted and I was talking to a group of folks on the street and just curious about why they both The way they bought it and this guy was Ventura support her and I asked him and he said, you know, there are no issues this year than anyone gave a damn about and Jesse through a kegger toys for Jesse and I think I think that's that's a way of stating Jesse was a terrifically entertaining campaigner. He was a great communicator. He's been behind the mic many times. Can you put a lot of smiles on people's faces? Even the people who lost I think are generally excited about what does this mean swell, you know, if we sat there and in Norman I talked about this afterwards during the debate and I and I told him I said, you know, Jesse would be up there tonight and I would be thinking myself point. He's right here. He's right I mean You know, I agree with his political principles were not the problem at all though. They posed a unique problem for Norm Coleman because Party politics aside, they worth are similar candidate. So what do you do there? How do you take on basically you're you know, you're you're you're Twins separated-at-birth and an inn there was it was it would the campaign for the Coleman campaign did not decide how to do that. They didn't do that. They will they didn't figure out how to get back from the right that they had to go to get them not to get the endorsement to get back to probably where he was closer. They never really made my transition. Where are you? That's why we did so well on the suburbs. We've got a number of listeners who I have questions, but one one quick question before we get to our first caller hear Isley party endorsement mean anything anymore. Is it have any value whatsoever? Eric well, I'll get my personal views on this eternal general have to speak for himself. But my my senses the party endorsement process is broken and needs to be fixed. There are more people that attended at Windsor Vikings games than participating caucus in party caucuses and there are some significant reforms have been proposed by Secretary of State John grow. That would really bring people back into the process and and reform the system. They've been rejecting the passed by the legislature. I know they're going to be attempts to connect them again in the future, but you're going into the Democratic Convention. I told the Dean Smith at the Star Tribune. I said look in a skip Humphrey could wrestle six billion dollars from the tobacco industry. He could eliminate gang violence as we know it and he could bring peace to the Middle East and those delegates would still say yeah, but will you abide by our endorsement? Yeah, that's that's not the view of the people on the street back the reforms the many many reforms that have been proposed in terms of the party endorsement process. And of course, I work closely with a governor who never got his party's endorsement who may have actually a run again. He probably would have gotten the party's endorsement because I think I agree with you I agree with you, but but but but the the the absolute adherence to platform principles and the process by which the candidates are selected. It's grueling it's difficult and in the end it has proven to be inconsequential we had the pleasure of knowing what's wrong with the other two parties when we created our own and we have set up a system that is user-friendly it invites people in the only have to go to the caucus to be a State Delegate. You don't have to buy Buy all of them. You need two-thirds vote for a person to become Elena become a simple thing. You have to agree with we don't have a lot of platform message through right. Now. The Reform Party endorsement actually is a huge positive in our party as we get larger right on Noah said we don't want to grow and become what we detest but I don't think so. We've got a structural different than what my message to the Democrats and Republican leadership. They want to take a look at some reform measures. They really honestly should go to our website pulled on our Constitution and look how we structured our party cuz they could learn a lot cuz we spent a year-and-a-half putting that together and that we came from Democrats Republicans would be in there. It's at this is what's wrong. How can we make it better? And we've really got some good reform measures within our own party just one quick addition to that. It is the structure were talking about here not the principles necessarily because there is one thing that I think people collectively can't participate on that's why Arne Carlson, although he disagrees with many delegates on a couple of their key issues may have been ended up in his endorsement. How do you want again because in the aggregate these Or republican principles and philosophies and there's nothing wrong with saying this is what I believe in. This is what I am. I am a Republican senator got his Republican the Reform Party endorse candidates for Governor in a row because I already was are endorsed candidate in 1994. Now we have Jessie Ware talking this hour about the 1998 campaign for governor Campaign, which ended up with the surprising victory of Jesse Ventura. He's going to be a sworn in on Monday. We'll have live coverage. Of course at the inauguration this last day of the year. We're looking back at that campaign in Berkeley is weather. So Jesse Ventura his campaign chair. Cyndy brucato is here. She served is Norm Coleman communications director Eric Johnson was skip Humphrey senior adviser, and he has joined us as well. Let me give you the phone number. Again. 651-227-6000. Side the Twin Cities one 802-422-8280 or go ahead place a couple points for comment for supper. I was deeply offended by the portrayal of mature Ventura the Steam and sort of almost being a stupid especially the Cooper mention that he thought he ran a 6th grade commercial campaign. And from the other two sides. All I saw was believed in Minnesota, which I would leave the state if I didn't and that tax commercial that soft one that the Republicans that ran over there this frantic woman and she was happy and cheery at the end also like to point out that there's more to politics besides on style and content. There's also a third variable called method and I'll tell you get to the content and it's not just personality. We had two attorneys running we both practice an adversarial style. Probably probably learn that law school and one of the problems with the two political parties and I apologize. Mr. Barclays, but is at this address. I think I believe he might have been attorney at one time is adversarial style continues into the play. Process end of offer enterra was actually a very good vote on for a better political method to answer I fear would you guys agree? I don't agree with the blanket condemnation of attorneys. Although you know, I like Shakespeare's line to but I think that I think that the the background that both the skip Humphrey in Norm Coleman brought was one of some estimation I disagree that because you have gone there because you've studied because you have learned a little bit about how government works because you've devoted yourself to public service that that automatically in some people's minds disqualifies you as a candidate should be automatic qualification, but nor should it be to the opposite. What about the sense in you kept kept hearing this a lot that wind especially on the especially with the debates. It seemed like that was the time this came through the most you have two people and it was repeated again on the biography program last night where you had to politicians and then a regular guy, they're perfect backdrop and and I think the words in the in the in the report work. He made him look like bozos. What he made them look like very typical politician's the contrast and they were stuck in that probably cuz of the relationship with each other to they've known each other for a long time and I think they were really getting that was part of their legal back on. I don't like a lot of lawyers myself now, thank goodness. Maybe I don't have to practice law anymore. But he's got a point they are trained to do that and they were into that confrontational style that allow Jesse the sit back and be uniquely different. I mean, it was almost like they were the straight men and end in the comedic relief came in and it was a perfect scenario. The shows the Brilliance of Jesse Ventura communication skills because he was able to portray himself as the common man in a sense and and the candidate from Utah from the streets and it's ironic because you only realise Jesse was the candidate who actually drove a Porsche who was in Hollywood movies who lived in apparently I do, you know a fantastic Ranch home up in the in the suburbs with some significant acreage and there you have Norm Coleman and Skip Humphrey and I'll Norm drives. Skip drives in 89 Oldsmobile lives in a regular Street and New Hope Minnesota. But Jesse was able to portray them as being the younger. To be none adversary because he wasn't ever put in a position where he had to be but I guarantee you he doesn't strike me as somebody that would have backed away and would have given a mild response had either one of the candidates on a consistent basis dealt with Jesse Ventura as they dealt with each other if they had done that though what they not have come off as going to beating up on this average guy who just wants wants to be part of the process. I think that the typical wisdom is as they thought that Jesse would fall back and then The fight to get his people which way were they going to fall after he lost his momentum with drop the 10 points Grizzly. So I think there was a fear. I may just be taking for it. They didn't want to go too tough on Jessica. They didn't want to alienate those people that once they went to the pool were going to make a logical choice between the lesser of two evils. I think it's some ways Gary there. There was a catch 22 for the for the campaign's because if you start attacking Jesse you in a very close race, which is what the Coleman and comfrey campaigns believe it was you risked alienating The Venture of Voters who would then cross over and vote for the other candidate and push him over the line that was overthinking as far as I'm concerned. Thank you for that. Overthink. Well is a pretty pretty tricky thing to do. I don't think I would have happened at all and I think adversarial discussion debates are by their nature adversarial. I mean, it's going to start in high school you you basically take on that. Take on those positions the fact I thought that is good observation that they were both lawyers that Humphrey and in Colma kind of came together as lawyers, but but by and large and you know adversarial positions are Illuminating and I think that had Jesse been treated as the equal in those debate you would have seen a third position being eliminated. I think you would have seen a third adversary Jeff your question. Please pretty close attention to all this and I've yet to hear from skip Humphrey and what he thought about the whole situation has he done an interview where somebody got an answer out of him? Well right after the right after the election, but Erica, what's what's what have you heard from? Skip the news conference today and spoke with the capital press Corps me. His view is the the voters have spoken. And Jesse is the governor elect and he will support him and and do whatever he can to make him a success back to the phones by Your question, please think it was a fortunate thing in retrospect that you didn't get the campaign matching money until the end of the money would have been spent too early. And then secondly, I was fortunate enough to go to that first meeting up at benchwarmer. Bob something Brooklyn Park probably a year-and-a-half before the election of here before the election. I was just interesting to see the group of people that wanted to come up and hear what Jesse had to say that first day people that wanted to see the restroom people that wanted to see if is this guy for real and it was interesting the group of people that were have been involved in the previous campaigns the older women in the Is this the volunteers? The first one is I think we got to Miami. We only got nine days out. I mean, I'm just getting your media buys and everything in place that you happen to do is just a nightmare but no, I don't think that made a huge difference is we never planned on spending our money until the last 2 weeks what the latest 5 days but we planned on doing was starting out 2 weeks. So it did the last five days. It may have helped us cuz actually we could almost match the last part of the campaign cuz we saved all my money we couldn't match the soft as but I think add for add we are on enough we had the appearance of parity and that was that was going to be done regardless of whether we would have gotten the money a month before 2 months before we'd always planned on doing a last 2 weeks Blitz with everything that we had. So that didn't alter it that much will we see no more low-budget campaigns in the future. I mean, here's a fellow who who was outspent 1621 something like that and one collectively 6 to 1. The other two candidates always been 321 we had great great name recognition going in but then the other candidates did too. So can we expect more low-budget campaigns? What do you want from us to actually raise it, but I think I think it shows an interest in that you can still win and compete being buyouts pampered by how much I mean there is a threshold that you have to get to in order to actually have a chance of winning and I think it shows that you don't have to have more money but you have to have a certain amount. They have a chance to win it and we just barely got that certain amount Gary. This is Eric. I think Dina is right. You have to have a certain amount to get out your message, but just comparing it is in a 6 to 1 ratio. I don't think accurately reflects what was going on here that that six sided. Humphrey and Coleman expenditures, you got a recall that a lot of that was an attack ads aimed at each other and it included I guess above and beyond that were major expenditures by independent groups attacking either skip or norm and your Jesse fortunately for him got a free pass on on those independent expenditure attack which we spend a lot of resources trying to defend it was and I had an interest in this is Dean Barclay going to be interesting. We had a taxpayers Association. I spoke and I had to head lobbies for Education Minnesota there and when we got done me an interesting comment, he said Willis was the easy part of my day. Now I have to go to the Board of Education Minnesota and explain why we spend $600,000 on skip Humphrey and it came in third and that's as they spent six hundred thousand and soft money. I want candidate and we spent 424 total campaign. That's how sick this system is becoming and I don't know where it's going. In the words of the Who We Won't Get Fooled Again lyrics right in this was a this was a three-way race that was fought by two people allowing the third-party candidate to reap all kinds of benefits from this including a lower level of expenditures and had that had that money been distributed equally as you know, if if if the Coleman campaign said we have to and you know, by the way that was part of the reason I was very practical reasoning cats during the campaign on one person basically from the financial can we afford to do battle with two candidates. It Fair events was expensive to do it. And what was impounded I was it to be all these tremendous free. If you did a three-way race, I think you'd see those minimums rice. We certainly didn't Jesse Ventura get a real bump from people who said God she's you know, he is below budget candidate here. He's not bought and paid for and so on so forth certainly no strings attached. He did that number of times. You have a free agent. I'm going to do what's good for Minnesota. No one's going to buy me. I hear we got a t-shirt coming out today with Jesse Ventura action figure with a lobbyist in a headlock and say no lobbyist allowed in Minnesota. I mean, obviously that was his appeal. I think people are tired of that that's part of dissatisfaction. That's why I nationally only one-third of the electric boat it they don't think it matters anymore. That's the message that the other two parties. Don't get you tell me. What do you mean no fly me a song loud in Minnesota ever heard of the First Amendment are they allowed to speak to seven you're never going to be sending a message the simplistic message to get Sarah virgin and it resonated with some people that I still don't think that was the compelling message but recognize to a Minnesota lobbyist contributions and Pac contributions are restricted like almost no other state in the Union. It's a very small percentage of the overall correct now to other factors that Jesse had going for him that made I think a huge difference in this Expenditure diversity number one Jesse had almost Universal name recognition. He was a celebrity I think in the future when you talk about low-budget candidates. It's going to be rare that you find a Jesse Ventura who is known Statewide. And where's that kind of reputation second Jesse and in the last 2-3 weeks got hundreds and hundreds of thousands of not a million dollars worth of free what we call free media the news coverage and Jesse was a master at the free media. He did a terrific job with that and he got a lot of a very significant media coverage that really enhanced his paid media buying a home run. It worked John John your question place. That was a perfect segue because you said no one saw coming. That's absolutely not true. It was an internet poll about about 10 days before the election. And what was interesting. Is it showed Norm Norm Coleman with 37% of the vote Jesse Ventura with 35 and Skip Humphrey with 28. Now with the exception of the flight flip flop with Norm Coleman and Jesse at the top that was amazingly prescient. And I think when I hear the the kind of very subtle condescension towards the electorate that I am hearing not just on this program, but on a number of programs trying to analyze what happened. I think they're still this huge disconnect between media professional politicians and what's going on with the rest of the country what we see our people are getting tired of big government and it's not that complicated. They're tired of big government. They see the two major political parties as the whole into one group or the other in the case of the dfl hear the teachers union in people that help they see statistics on it again on the Internet or 47% of 2. People employed in the state of Minnesota work in some way for the government. They see we we have an enormous number of people on the internet who are openly opposed to things like gun control high taxes and think that you're very very issue-oriented thing and the media and the professional pundits just seem to keep ignoring that and looking for some some some complex psychological explanation. So John you see this is purely an issue driven election open me to it. But then again look at skip Humphrey right largely issue-oriented name recognition. About 1/4 of the boat. I meant yeah, he's right. I mean that's true in terms of the issues in terms of where people voted if you were to stack up these issues. I suppose you would stay well with this was a vote for collectively to take the two top vote-getters. Here's what they stand for and clearly that's where people seem to be casting their votes in in and I think what Eric was implying though, when he when he was talking about this not there not being any overwhelming issue 19 set it to was that there was nothing urgent out there. This is just what we believe in this is as as opposed to my God, we have got terrible unemployment or we have taxes gone through the roof or 4 years in a row, you know, the caller raises the question of poles. He mentions internet polls and I want to do you want to talk a little bit about Paul's before we wrap up here the holes where they how would you rate the pollsters this time around myself? This is Dean Barclay about a d I'll just save them from a nap. I've been really against posters in a three-way race since I've been doing this they always always understate the third because of the way they scream people that haven't historically always voted. That's our base. They exclude our base right out from the start and they never accurately reflect. What's up to potential is it makes it more difficult getting recognition because of that fact, you know, I I wish we never did a pole again. I think they're a waste of time. I think they're inaccurate and I think they got to go back to school and figure out how they do it sending you been in the news media. And of course working campaigns. How would you rate a the polls performance this time around and do we need any polls? Media poles were I mean, of course they were inaccurate and in in in did exactly what Dean is talking about? The screen for voters was you know what I like how they got caught those people was pretty pretty we were talking about you remember Erica in Indy both of you remember the Pole right after the primary that showed skip Humphrey with a 20 some point lead and a huge dfl party ID and you know, we squat Coleman camping call it the Star Tribune. You doing why are you getting these people? But but I like poles I think they're useful data internally. I think they do show you something. Then I guess our poster at the at the Coleman campaign had shown pretty close to what we were those final results. I actually in the very last day when you find the quick catch the catch something that turned out to be realistic. So, you know, I think they're useful. There are also subject to Great interpretation and you have to know, you know, you have to trust your gut and where you going to how you're going to use them in the polls. Well, obviously they were inaccurate I think in large part because of what Dean suggested the the screening, you know your screen out certain voters because they're not likely to vote in historical, you know, you can do a hundred campaigns and 95 times when you do a real tight screen of Voters and get the most likely voters your results are going to be more accurate. But this is one of those races when that was clearly not the case and the pollsters buying large screened out. A lot of people who were considered to be unlikely voters, but who came out in droves in this race and I think that accounts for a for a large part of the of the disparity additionally, I think the year the public pollsters are looking again at their methods as well as the Star Tribune pole that Cindy referred to it showed Humphrey with a 20-point lead. That was really a two-edged sword for us because we knew in our internal pause that we were in a single-digit race with Norm Coleman and we had people King on our Laurels after they came out and when we knew it was an accurate as well say look in these races and I'll go back and they'll take any of the Minnesota poll of an accurate. We wouldn't have a major part in this day cuz they never showed me over 5% It was always one or 2% and both of my races for the Senate and they've never accurately in Minnesota brief history six years. We've had third-party candidate been accurate in a three-way race. They just haven't done it yet, but skip to one more collar on here before we have to wrap up, but I'll go ahead please. Yeah my own. I'm calling from Crystal and I'm trying to determine should I be politically active in the future? I got I took no part of this fallen and summer campaign season to be politically active in the West Metro Area work for one of the campaign like a like other people like hundreds of other people. I'm sure I spent hours Robin campaign, but that you're making phone calls for one of our local campaigns and in the end. It was all pretty moved. It had no. There wasn't any pay off at the end or Canon all their candidates one except the one that mattered. all about candidates except for arguing tutorial candidate won re-election, but In what the work that we were doing wasn't worth while sending our is dropping campaign literature and making phone calls people who probably regarding the phone calls. Equivalent to telemarketers wasn't worth his time. The speaker for the Humphrey campaign at absolutely if you want to make a difference get involved the and the fact that you win some and you lose some as part of this business and your you got legislative candidates who you worked for who won and they can serve in the legislature and make a difference and carry the views and agendas that you share sometimes, you know, hopefully at some point working a gubernatorial campaign are US Senate campaign or maybe a presidential campaign in and help out a winning candidate, but the people at the Grassroots level can and do make a difference not encourage you to stay involved. I think Jesse showed us the local politics is very important captured the attention of the world and that's where the changes happening that's where you know that the governors of this nation for the last eight years made some for some significant changes in the way. We operate it all states operated basically forcing Congress and the president to follow suit local politics is extremely important and you can't have an effect on that unless you get involved in that and then what have Is that you will get a candidate Victor Like Jesse Ventura that that shakes is all up it says but it still says you know what it was important. It was fun and it made me thinking and Anna and and yeah, I do it again for Dean Barkley have we changed what we what we might expect from the average person in terms of participation does by golly when that get out the vote effort was launched by the Republicans and the Democrats you guys to get buried because you didn't have all those people running around dropping literature and everything all they did after all those buy T-shirts and stuff not our our campaign up until the last two weeks with all volunteer-driven. We spent hardly any money for maybe ten thousand $20,000 total the whole time. It was all volunteer and I don't often speak for Jesse, but I will in this point, it's his last thing I think the most thing he's most proud of not only winning but the voter turnout the young kid that he got involved in politics again. He's hoping that's his lasting Legacy. Has he motivated a bunch of unmotivated youth to get involved in the political process and he's going to do everything you can while he's Governor to keep them involved and keep them excited to get them excited about being in politics regard to which party he goes and they go into democrat-republican Grassroots reform. Whatever is that he really wants to keep these new young people in bucket. That's good for a democracy. The more people the more the numbers are boc9. Tobacco. See the healthy. Our democracy will be we are going the wrong way Garrett. We were heading the wrong direction. Hopefully, this is a turn around just going to have any impact of the Minnesota election on National politics at all or flash in the pan type situation. We don't have a lot of time last night. This is Eric Johnson with a Humphrey campaign. I think you can both overstated and understated Ventura victory here. I think you're overstating if you fail to recognize that, you know, he won with 37% for reality. This was not a mandate in a sense in fact of the day. The election reporters were asking Skip and I'm sure they were asking Norm. How are you ever going to govern with only 37% because that's all you can get if you win the I think you also understand it when you fail to recognize that Jesse brought a lot of new people in the process. It's something that many people have tried to do and and most people have failed to do and Jesse has unique we brought people out to the polls come and get it on the front of the Capitol on Monday and look at the national, press the international press in this Ventura phenomena. That is bigger than Jessie is telling you that the public is out there looking for something different and whether it's going to translate in National politics soon or not remains to be seen. I don't think we know yet but it's got to tell you it's out there for the right person. I do think that there are some eyes from Washington looking this way though because as again as the is the matter with Clinton has escalated into kind of unpleasant territory, I think that I think The Minnesota race has shown is there is a different way to do it. Thanks for coming in today. Really? Appreciate it. Thank you insights on what happened on the big story 1998 the election of Jesse Ventura. We've been talking with Dean Barclay Jesse Ventura's campaign ad campaign cherished. Say Eric Johnson. Skip Humphrey senior advisor advisor. Cyndy brucato was normal Coleman's communications director. That's it for midday today. Hope you have a Happy New Year in a course live coverage of the inauguration coming up on Monday here on midday programming a Minnesota Public Radio is supported by the Pillsbury company Foundation caring for the community by giving kids a loving lift. Again. Thanks so much for tuning in. Have a great New Year, and we'll see you tomorrow. Kick-off 99. It's Lynne Rossetto Kasper this weekend The Splendid Table It's the Great American diet scam with Laura Fraser author of losing it. Be sure to join us Saturday at 2 and Sunday at 7 on Minnesota Public Radio know FM 91.1. You're listening to Minnesota Public Radio. We have some flurries. It's up to 7 degrees above zero. I can't allow me to buy FM 91.1 Minneapolis. And st. Paul the windshield by the way, I comfortable 7 below right now gradual clearing through the afternoon with a high near 10 of partly cloudy tonight low around five below and then tomorrow some light snow for the high about 5 above.