Actually, that’s not a fair headline, because the answer is that he’s been the voice of reason for a long time.
As a barely-tolerated alien in the USA (taxed without representation) I didn’t get the chance to vote for Jesse in Minnesota, but I would have, and was not at all surprised that he won the governor’s race. It was a classic confrontation between two entitled, complacent party representatives and when Jesse was finally allowed to take part in the debates he exposed the false choice for what it was. The correct answer to the choice between Norm Coleman and Skip Humphrey was “none of the above”.
Jesse was an above-average governor in Minnesota and I’ve often appropriated one of his most famous lines – “you can’t legislate stupidity“. In the years since then, he’s popped up on the radar from time to time and I think he reflects a valid strain of libertarian thought (but much more to the left than to the right) and anti-establishment sentiment. I don’t agree with everything he has said or done, but overall I agree with him more than I do with the vast majority of American politicians.
So all I can say is that I agree with him 100% for his comments on Larry King last night that all those involved in the illegal torture over the past years should be prosecuted – from Bush and Cheney down the line. It’s a disgrace that there is even discusssion about whether or not this should happen.
In addition, I’ll say that Jesse was also a very talented colour commentator for the WWF (as it was at the time), although I have no idea how I know that.
