THE NATION; Promise of Ventura Era Disappears Into Oblivion; Politics: The Minnesota governor was often his own worst enemy. Many are disappointed in him. The Los Angeles Times; Los Angeles, Calif.; Jun 22, 2002; ERIC SLATER;

Abstract: A young mother in her "My governor can beat up your governor" T- shirt stood near a man who worked the night shift at a gas station, who was standing not far from an unemployed truck driver, who was looking across the room at [Jesse Ventura]'s movie pal Arnold Schwarzenegger. Patrick Passe was the unemployed truck driver at the Capitol on Jan. 4, 1999, there with his wife and infant daughter. He's employed now, has a second baby girl and is a political observer so astute that he can name Ventura-backed bills and tell you how far they got in the state Legislature--not very far, usually.

At a rock show this week benefiting local groups that favor abortion rights, it was difficult to find anyone with a nice word for Ventura, even though he has been an outspoken advocate of abortion rights. Michelle Shaw was at the show during a visit to her hometown. The 31-year-old grade school teacher moved to Arizona last year, "but I was here for most of the pain," she said of Ventura's tenure. "The rest I heard about. When I move back next May, this place will be Jesse-free." Al Wires, the lead guitarist for a local band called Faux Jean, was hardly more forgiving. "It's been an embarrassment," he said.

Most Minnesotans give Ventura credit for pushing through a light- rail plan for the Twin Cities, a novel property-tax reform package and a few other bills. The thing pretty much everyone liked most was the tax refunds he gave for three years--until the state ran out of money.But politics can be a nasty business, and in the end, Ventura decided one turn was enough for him.