Ventura says MSNBC booted him for not Supporting Iraq Invasion

**Ænema** · December 01, 2009, 10:21 PM

http://www.startribune.com/blogs/78150302.html

Conspiracy theorists awaiting Wednesday night's premiere of "Conspiracy Theory with Jesse Ventura" might take interest in a curious comment Ventura made in the Los Angeles Times this weekend.
Ventura, who has been doing the media rounds promoting his new venture on TruTV, told the paper that MSNBC cancelled his show "Jesse Ventura's America" in 2003 because he did not support the Iraq War. He said the network "in essence" paid him to be silent, which allowed him to purchase a house in Mexico.
This is not your first venture into TV hosting since leaving the governorship. What happened to "Jesse Ventura's America," which ran briefly on MSNBC in 2003?

It was awful. I was basically silenced. When I came out of office, I was the hottest commodity out there. There was a bidding war between CNN, Fox and MSNBC to get my services. MSNBC ultimately won. I was being groomed for a five day-a-week TV show by them. Then, all of a sudden, weird phone calls started happening: "Is it true Jesse doesn't support the war in Iraq?"

My contract said I couldn't do any other cable TV or any news shows, and they honored and paid it for the duration of it. So in essence I had my silence purchased. Why do you think you didn't hear from me for three years? I was under contract. They wouldn't even use me as a consultant!

When you live in Mexico, your houses all have names. I almost named my house Casa MSNBC because they bought it. I was paid like a professional athlete, and I got very wealthy. For doing nothing.
When Ventura's show was cancelled in 2003, a Star Tribune article noted that he was receiving "a reported" $2 million annually -- certainly enough to live comfortably in Baja. A source "close to the production" said at the time that the show was cancelled because of high production costs.
MSNBC did not respond to a request for comment this morning about the allegation, which has been re-reported on several media blogs. Though it seems like a fresh swipe at the network (and an odd one since they are considered liberal), a search of the Star Tribune archives - most of which is no longer available online - reveals that Ventura made the same claim in 2004.
[Ventura] said he no longer talks to news reporters partly because of media accounts of his son's parties in the governor's mansion and partly because of his exclusive contract with the cable-TV network MSNBC. Network spokesman Jeremy Gaines told the Associated Press that Ventura's contract only governs his television appearances.
"They won't put me on the air because I opposed the Iraq war from Day 1," he said of the network. "I honor my contract because they send me a check every two weeks."

So I guess it wasn't only Fox who appeared to support the invasion - the whole

ing media was in it from the get go.

**s.rwitt** · December 01, 2009, 10:23 PM

You have to remember that this was in 2003, when everyone generally supported Bush and the Iraq invasion. But when that support started to errode, so did MSNBC's. Funny how that works.

**Ænema** · December 01, 2009, 10:35 PM

I know. It's funny how everyone can jump behind the war wagon with Bush yet people are skeptical with Obama's decision to increase troops.

**Digbert** · December 02, 2009, 03:49 AM

Originally Posted by Ænema

I know. It's funny how everyone can jump behind the war wagon with Bush yet people are sceptical with Obama's decision to increase troops.

They are only sceptical with ~~Barry soetoro~~ I Mean Obama as most people who voted for him thought he would be different to Bush by actually pulling out troops and ending these stupid wars for Opium and Oil.

**Gaidin** · December 02, 2009, 09:43 AM

Originally Posted by Digbert

They are only sceptical with ~~Barry soetoro~~ I Mean Obama as most people who voted for him thought he would be different to Bush by actually pulling out troops and ending these stupid wars for Opium and Oil.

In a fit of irony Obama never claimed he would pull out from Afghanistan in his campaigning so I have no clue where this little emotion comes from in people.

**Digbert** · December 02, 2009, 09:50 AM

Originally Posted by Gaidin

In a fit of irony Obama never claimed he would pull out from Afghanistan in his campaigning so I have no clue where this little emotion comes from in people.

But when when your campaign slogan is "Change you can believe in" you would think there would be some form of change in his foreign policy.

**Admiral Piett** · December 02, 2009, 09:53 AM

Originally Posted by Digbert

But when when your campaign slogan is "Change you can believe in" you would think there would be some form of change in his foreign policy.

Actually I do specifically remember him campaigning quite a bit about expanding the war into Pakistan.

**motiv-8** · December 02, 2009, 04:04 PM

Originally Posted by Digbert

They are only sceptical with ~~Barry soetoro~~ I Mean Obama as most people who voted for him thought he would be different to Bush by actually pulling out troops and ending these stupid wars for Opium and Oil.

War for opium, that's hilarious! I have a new item to add to my list of ridiculous claims about the wars. Thanks a bunch!

Actually said he would end the war on the terror completeley

Obama said that? When? Was it during all those speeches that he declared Afghanistan a "necessary war" and pointed to it as the focal point for the continued campaign against terrorism?

In a round-about way, certainly in the way it was not meant.. Obama probably did say he'd like to end the war on terror -- by winning. I know, it's naive.

Originally Posted by ivan

If you're a person from Texas, but happen to be in California at the time of the election, can you still vote (from California)?

Yea, via absentee ballot. Also works if you're overseas IIRC.

**Admiral Piett** · December 02, 2009, 09:35 AM

I know some people don't like him, but I've always found his political views and his personality to be fascinating.

**Phier** · December 02, 2009, 12:06 PM

Originally Posted by Future Filmmaker

I know some people don't like him, but I've always found his political views and his personality to be fascinating.

I find psychotics to be fascinating, but that doesn't mean I value their opinion.

**Martin N** · December 02, 2009, 11:03 AM

In a fit of irony Obama never claimed he would pull out from Afghanistan in his campaigning so I have no clue where this little emotion comes from in people.

Actually said he would end the war on the terror completeley, which afghanistan is part of said war, though as indeed FF stated he did say he would expand into pakistan, so i dont know that kinda works but the only real campaign promise he kept was the expanded front in pakistan! haha.

I hope we realise now that the democrats and republicans are all the same side of the coin, no matter what side you choose the outcome will be the same, its a mirror image of the bush administration foreign, economic, and administration policies, the only thing thats changed in the past year is that the president is black instead of white, oh well, i know who ill be voting for in 3 years. Though the american public is so stupid in 3 years they will reelect obama.

**s.rwitt** · December 02, 2009, 11:16 AM

I hope we realise now that the democrats and republicans are all the same side of the coin

Wait, don't tell me you bought into the whole "hope and change" thing...

**Martin N** · December 02, 2009, 11:57 AM

No i naturally voted for ron paul, but as we all know - a libertarian has no hope of ever being a president, even if said libertarian is republican, but i did at one point kind of follow his mantra on so called change especially after Bush II, but so did millions of other americans, i liked his promise on ending the war among some other things. Dont you find it ironic though that People was scared to vote Mccain as he looked like he would be a carbon copy of bush, but just look at what we ended up voting in LOL.

Who did you have the pleasure of voting for S.rwitt if you dont mind me asking.

**s.rwitt** · December 02, 2009, 12:19 PM

Who did you have the pleasure of voting for S.rwitt if you dont mind me asking.

I didn't get the chance, I was at infantry school. I likely would have voted McCain, though grudgingly.

It wouldn't have mattered anyhow, I was in California but from Texas so no matter where I voted it wouldn't have changed anything since California was obviously going to Obama and Texas was obviously going to McCain.

**ivan_the_terrible** · December 02, 2009, 04:03 PM

Originally Posted by s.rwitt

I didn't get the chance, I was at infantry school. I likely would have voted McCain, though grudgingly.

It wouldn't have mattered anyhow, I was in California but from Texas so no matter where I voted it wouldn't have changed anything since California was obviously going to Obama and Texas was obviously going to McCain.

I've actually wondered about this. If you're a person from Texas, but happen to be in California at the time of the election, can you still vote (from California)?

Or can you only vote from your own state?

Also, are there provisions for military personel, such as yourself, who may not have control on where they are at election time?

**Gaidin** · December 02, 2009, 04:05 PM

Originally Posted by ivan_the_terrible

I've actually wondered about this. If you're a person from Texas, but happen to be in California at the time of the election, can you still vote (from California)?

Or can you only vote from your own state?

Also, are there provisions for military personel, such as yourself, who may not have control on where they are at election time?

You vote from your district by absentee ballot.

**~~BlackPirate~~** · December 02, 2009, 02:29 PM

But criticising your government is not patriotic.The good patriot must say "yes my government is right" in all occasions

**s.rwitt** · December 02, 2009, 02:40 PM

Do you even try to make relevant posts?

**~~BlackPirate~~** · December 02, 2009, 04:00 PM

Originally Posted by s.rwitt

Do you even try to make relevant posts?

I will put it differently for you to understand it.If he shouted "go to Iraq" he would be a patriot and his opinion would "fit" with what most people believed.People wanted to hear reasons about why US should go to Iraq and not reasons why they should not go.His criticism made him unpopular and therefore he couldnt have his own show