JEFF GREENFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: ... this debate for as brief a period as possible to hear Governor Jesse Ventura tell us who the next senator for Minnesota for the next few days will be.</s>GOV. JESSE VENTURA (I), MINNESOTA: Today, three very powerful institutions, the Republican Party, the Democratic farmer labor party, and the Minnesota media are conspiring to limit the hard-earned rights of ordinary citizens to rise up and compete for elected office without having to be a Democrat or a Republican. In 1996, Dean Barkley was a candidate for the United States Senate on the third party ticket from Minnesota. In that election, he earned more than 5 percent of the vote, and according to Minnesota law, earned major party status for his party. This bit of historical facts seems to have been forgotten, or just simply ignored, by Democrats, by Republicans, and by you, the media. Today, I am making an appointment to the United States Senate to fill the vacant seat of Senator Paul Wellstone. And you can be assured, I have not forgotten. My appointee is as qualified to serve the people of Minnesota as any Democrat or Republican. In fact, if you consider life experiences outside of government and politics, my appointee may be better qualified than either of those two major -- quote -- "major party" candidates, but I guess the term "major party" doesn't apply anymore, does it? Because when you earn it, the bar gets changed every week. It doesn't matter. My appointee is a person of the highest integrity, has a keen sense of what is in the best interests of ordinary Minnesotans, and will put the people's interests before the party's interest. Ladies and gentlemen, meet the interim United States state senator from Minnesota Independent Party member Dean Barkley. Thank you.</s>GREENFIELD: We're going to rejoin the debate right now, and we'll tell you more about Dean Barkley when we have a chance.
Ventura Makes Choice for Interim Senator