Date: 7/15/2009

Larry King: Joining us now from Minneapolis is the former governor of Minnesota, the bestselling author of “Don’t Start the Revolution Without Me”, Jesse Ventura. Jesse, have appointed as governor of more than 70 judges while you were in office. How does Judge Sotomayor impress you as a nominee?

Jesse Ventura: Well first of all, Larry, she has already held numerous appointments. She was appointed by President George H.W. Bush, I believe, to the federal bench. So, this is a woman with a very vast amount of experience and, you know, when they get to these hearings it’s more about political posturing of the two political parties, in my opinion. It’s almost laughable. Because if the appointment is a Democratic appointment all the Republicans attack. If it’s a Republican appointment then the Democrats attack. And it seems to be the litmus test is always Roe v. Wade. You know, they all want to know how are you going to vote on Roe v. Wade (abortion). So that’s how it all comes through the wash to me. She’s totally qualified and in my opinion should be appointed to the bench.

Larry King: Al Franken finally got into the United States Senate from your state.

Jesse Ventura: Yea.

Larry King: What did you make of that whole election?

Jesse Ventura: Well, it was the whole process, Larry. The election was so close that it required the recount regardless of lawsuits or the court or anything like that. And then when the recount was completed they did it slowly and hopefully correctly. Then, you know, Senator Coleman had his option of challenging to the court. He took it to the Minnesota Supreme Court, lost, and it ended there.

What I find more disturbing is this, Larry: there have been letters to the editor here in Minnesota now saying how embarrassing it is that we’ve now elected a writer-comedian just as before we elected a pro-wrestler. Well, I think that Minnesota truly is following what our forefathers had in mind of a citizen government. I’m more disturbed that people think we should elect career politicians and lawyers, you know.

What this country was founded upon, Larry, was people bringing their life experience, be a citizen government, and the one positive thing I can say about Al Franken over Norm Coleman is that at least this is his time. Senator Coleman has been cashing government checks for 35 years. And I find that very strange out of a Republican.

Larry King: By the way, Senator Franken questioned judge Sotomayor today. Here is an exerpt, we’ll get your comments.

Al Franken: What was the one case in Barry Mason that…

Sonia Sotomayor: I wish I remembered the name of the episode, but I don’t. I just was always struck that there was only one case where his client was actually guilty.

Al Franken: And you don’t remember that case?

Sonia Sotomayor: I know that I should remember the name of it, but I haven’t looked at the episode.

Al Franken: Didn’t the White House prepare you for that?

Larry King: That needed a little humor today, didn’t it Jesse?

Jesse Ventura: Well, I suppose, but again total nonsense. I guess I would counter and say my friend Vince Bugliosi only lost one case too. He was successful in the 105 out of a 106 prosecution convictions. So it’s possible.

Larry King: Did you consider running for that Senate seat?

Jesse Ventura: Yes, I did. It came down to a flip of a coin. I flipped the coin and it came up tails and I said, “Head’s I run, tails I don’t”. It’s kind of funny, Larry, because everywhere I go in the twin cities people come up to me all the time and say to me we wouldn’t have had this problem if I’d have ran, but that’s neither here nor there, I didn’t want to do it.

Larry King: Let’s move to the soon-to-be former governor Palin. What do you make of her resigning?

Jesse Ventura: She’s a quitter. Let me put it to you this way, Larry, and by not being sexist: she could never make it as a frogman or a Navy Seal, because if you utter the words “I Quit” in BUDS (basic underwater demolition seal) training, you’re gone. I don’t remember one person in my class that quit. I remember every person I graduated with. It offends me over the fact that she told the people of Alaska she wanted to be their governor, and that’s a four year commitment and now right in the middle she quits? Well, if she’s got plans of running for higher office I would never vote for her because if it gets too hot in the kitchen she is liable to quit.

Larry King: You think there is an underlying reason maybe we don’t know?

Jesse Ventura: Well, I don’t think she was put under any more scrutiny with the media than I was as an independent. My children were attacked in Minnesota, everything I did was put under the microscope. But the point is, Larry, you don’t quit. When you make an obligation and you take an oath, doesn’t it mean anything anymore?

Larry King: We’ll be back with more of Jesse Ventura who is never dull, and his book is “Don’t Start the Revolution Without Me”. We’ve got two web exclusives for you on this Sotomayor confirmation hearing.

Let’s take a call for governor Ventura. Santi, California, hello.

Santi: Hi, how are you?

Larry King: Fine.

Santi: I wanted to ask Mr. Ventura if he is having any future plans of running for, you know, governor or state senator or something on or beyond that and I like his stand on average people getting more involved in their citizenry.

Jesse Ventura: Well, I have no plans to do that right now. I did 6 years in the navy, 4 years as a mayor, 4 years as a governor and I’m liking private life a lot right now. You know Larry, I just want to tell you it’s my birthday today, and only for you would I come out and do an interview on my birthday. I played golf today at the tournament players club at Minneapolis where we just had the 3M championship of the seniors today, and then I come on with you on my birthday.

Larry King: I’m honored.

Jesse Ventura: Only for you, Larry, nobody else.

Larry King: Thank you. You’ve been a critic of media in your time. What do you make of the media coverage of Michael Jackson?

Jesse Ventura: Well, I think it’s overexposed by far, you know. Michael was a great entertainer, one of the biggest the world has ever seen. But, you know, to me enough is enough. You know, our media has gone far too much to the entertainment side and to the ratings side as opposed to the information side and the knowledge side. Honor Michael, do a tribute to him, but it should not last for weeks going into months.

Larry King: Congressman Peter King of New York, who shared the view of over coverage, called Michael a lowlife, a pervert and criticized society for glorifying him.

Jesse Ventura: What was he talking about, a few of his Republican colleagues? You know, who are they to talk? I mean, you got Republicans cheating on their wives left and right, you got them in the bathrooms at the airport here in Minnesota, and these are all the people that supposedly run on family values? You know, unless you got a clean closet keep your mouth shut.

Larry King: What part of a politician’s private live is our business?

Jesse Ventura: I think none of it, unless they run on a family value platform. If they tell you that they’re for this “family values” Larry, then that opens up a box of worms on them on the moral issues. I liked it better in the days of John F. Kennedy. Now, people talked that he had affairs, this and that. But, you know what, it wasn’t brought out to the public, they stuck to the issues and they stuck to governing. Look at it this way, Larry, they spent a hundred million dollars to discover Bill Clinton cheated on Hillary, when on 9-11 they only allocated 4 million to find out who killed 3,000 people.

Larry King: Another area. Ultimate Boxing has now replaced boxing.

Jesse Ventura: Ultimate fighting, you mean.

Larry King: Ultimate fighting. They don’t wear shoes, they kick, they fight, they jump on each other.

Jesse Ventura: Yep.

Larry King: What do you make of that sport?

Jesse Ventura: I think it’s terrific because I’ve been to them and I think it’s very professionally run, bar what Broc Lesnar did Saturday. I was ashamed of his behavior at the end of the fight. But for the most part they’re honorable, they’re respectful. These guys volunteer to do it, the referees are very good. I’ve been there. I think boxing is really more dangerous because in Ultimate Fighting the moment the guy is stunned, the referee jumps in and stops it. Where in boxing they give you standing eight-counts and they let it resume again and again and again. So I think this is less dangerous actually than boxing.

Larry King: The totals on the pay-per-view the other night were incredible. Why do you think the public likes it so much?

Jesse Ventura: Because it’s something new and they call it the ultimate martial arts. You combine wrestling, you combine jujitsu, karate, judo, boxing. It’s all combined and it’s all legal. Yet, you know, you can’t hit to the groin, you can’t do eye techniques or anything like that. But I think that’s what draws it. It’s the ultimate fighter. When all the arts are allowed to go, this is the ultimate winner.

Larry King: In your younger day would you have tried it?

Jesse Ventura: No, I don’t think so. As my instructor, Terry Moyd, told me in the Seals when we asked about hand to hand combat, he said to us, “with a stoner machine gun no one should ever get that close”.

Larry King: And finally, how’s Obama doing?

Jesse Ventura: I think it’s still, in my opinion, too early to judge. I will withhold judgment until he has been in office for at least one year. And then at that point in time I’ll look back at the first year and I’ll make some judgments. Right now he’s still getting his feet wet, but he’s doing a heck of a lot better than his predecessor did.

Larry King: Do you think he’s over exposed?

Jesse Ventura: I never believe any president of the United States is over exposed. You know, they’re the leader of the free world and the leader of the United States, and we need to know what they’re doing at all times.

Larry King: So you don’t mind a speech a day?

Jesse Ventura: No, because if you can turn the channel. You don’t have to watch it. You know that’s your option.

Larry King: Hey Jesse, thanks for doing this. Happy 58th birthday. God he’s 58. Happy 58th birthday to Jesse Ventura.

Jesse Ventura: It’s a golden birthday for me, Larry. Thank you because I was BUDS class 58 and now I am 58.

Larry King: Thank you so much, Jesse.

Jesse Ventura: Always welcome, my pleasure. You too, bye bye.

Larry King: Jesse Ventura.