November 15, 1999 - Activist members of the Minnesota Reform Party spent the day Saturday discussing their political identity -- and rewriting their party's platform, one plank at a time. There were indications that the party's members are beginning to polarize into right and left wing camps.
November 1, 1999 - Governor Ventura leaves today on a ten-day trade mission to Japan. This isn't the first time a Minnesota governor has gone there -- Governor Carlson visited there in 1992 -- but it IS safe to say this is the first governor with some name-recognition among the Japanese. Minnesota Public Radio's Martin Kaste reports on how Ventura plans to use his fame to push products "made in Minnesota."
October 28, 1999 - Presidential candidate Pat Buchanan paid his first visit to the home state of Jesse Ventura today, since announcing his switch to Ventura's Reform Party. Buchanan, who left the Republican Party on Monday, continues to be diplomatic toward the Governor, saying he respects Ventura's importance in the party. Still, Buchanan was unable to get a personal meeting with Ventura during this visit to Minnesota -- and his presence here has highlighted a growing rift inside the state Reform Party.
October 25, 1999 - Republican presidential candidate Pat Buchanan has scheduled a news conference this morning, and most political observers expect him to announce his conversion to the Reform Party. The national leaders of the Reform Party are welcoming Buchanan, saying he shares much of the party's fiscally conservative, anti-free trade philosophy. But Minnesota Reform Party leaders say Buchanan is too conservative on social issues, and may end up ripping the party apart.
October 18, 1999 - Governor Ventura does NOT have to worry about facing a recall election in the near future. The Chief Justice of the State Supreme Court today struck down a petition by an environtmental activist to have Ventura recalled, saying the petition didn't make allegations serious enough to justify a recall election.
October 13, 1999 - Republican incumbent Rod Grams WAS the candidate with the most money in the bank for the 2000 U.S. Senate race -- that is, until today. That title now goes to Democrat Michael Ciresi, who officially entered the race this morning, and brought with him the millions of dollars he earned on Minnesota's landmark tobacco lawsuit last year. That case produced a $6 Billion dollar settlement for the state -- and $566 Million dollars in fees for Ciresi's law firm. Republicans say Ciresi's financial clout is formidable -- but not insurmountable. And before he can use his money against Grams he must win the DFL nomination.
October 6, 1999 - Governor Ventura took his cabinet to Mankato yesterday for the official roll-out of what he calls his "Big Plan." The Plan is the Governor's comprehensive vision for the rest of his term in office, and it emphasizes his philosophy of governing, rather than offering specific new policy proposals. The few legislators who attended the speech reacted with caution, and at least one lawmaker says he has a hard time taking Ventura's policy statements seriously, in light of Ventura's Playboy interview.
October 1, 1999 - Governor Ventura has offered an explanation for the controversial interview he gave Playboy magazine -- but he's stopping short of an apology. Politicians and some religious leaders have reacted angrily to a quote in which he criticizes organized religion. Many people also took offense at other comments from the interview, which they considered to be offensive to women and out of touch with the prevailing morality. Most of the outrage yesterday was directed at a portion of the interview in which Governor Ventura calls organized religion a "crutch for weak-minded people." Under mounting pressure from the media and fellow politicians, the Governor emerged from his office for a hastily called news conference and explained that he in fact does respect other people's religious beliefs. But he says he also harbors a certain degree of skepticism about religion.
September 28, 1999 - The Ventura Administration today formalized its request for federal help in building a light rail transit line in Minneapolis and Bloomington. This is the closest the state has come to building such a system since discussions of rail mass transit first began, more than three decades ago. Administration officials say they're confident the federal money will come through, but House Republicans who oppose light rail continue to cast doubt on the project's viability -- and its pricetag.
September 7, 1999 - With summer officially over, Minnesota's public schools are starting Year Two of the controversial "Profile of Learning" curriculum standards. Last spring, opponents of the Profile had a big impact at the state capitol with protests and constituent phone calls, and they convinced the Minnesota House to vote to scrap the system altogether -- a move that ultimately failed in the Senate. Despite their near-success, opponents of the Profile say the news media have misrepresented their positions and portrayed them as kooks -- and they say the people of Minnesota don't really know what's at stake.