Reply #121: It's hard to find concrete examples about what did and didn't happen during his term -- much of it

[Brickbat]

was tied up in the Legislature. It was difficult for both parties to craft things that the governor would sign, and Ventura made it very clear that he wasn't interested in sitting down and doing some of the horse-trading work. He pretty much sat on a throne and waited for stuff to come to him that he could either sign or send back.

Much of what I remember was simply the tone that state politics took during that time. It became a total sideshow. He was such a whiner and the reps and senators got all holier than thou about dealing with him. Minnesota has such a strong public-minded tradition of politics; I found those four years hurtful and disappointing.