By the way Mr Keillor, reading your book about being a Minnesotan Democrat is what made me decide to apply to the U of M. I just wanted to thank you for that, I'm having a great time!

(don't know if you read these)

Mr. Keillor,

I remember those years when Jesse Ventura was governor of Minnesota. I was a freshman in high school the year he avoided making the budget. This was just after 9/11. I was involved with a student political group that year and went with four others to Washington. There we met with other students, about four from each state, and crowded into one tiny hotel in Georgetown. Every night we held discussions about national and state politics. I remember the whole group holding long debates and touring the city. It marked the first time I'd been away from my family. I rode the subway alone, met Paul Wellstone and had my picture taken with him, went to Mcdonalds in Chinatown and toured Arlington. Yet there's one thing especially I'll never forget about that trip. One day a counselor called out on a crowded bus asking us Minnesotans what we thought of Jesse Ventura's avoidance of settling the budget. As one we all cringed and ducked behind our seats, the kids from other states all laughed. So, I wasn't proud of him, thought him a bit of an asshole. Later I moved to Saint Paul for college and now pass the governor's mansion almost every day. Knowing Pawlenty now lives there makes me want to do what I once did in high school, cringe and hide my head.

Yet watching Ventura in that clip and the others I followed on youtube.com made me miss him. I think it'd be a great thing to have him back in control again, just so everyone can stop bullshitting and simply speak the truth. I'm tired of this government and I think with such a man in charge I might be able to being ashamed and simply be proud again. If he runs I'll vote for him.

As always, Mr. Keillor is spot-on point and achingly honest. As a fellow observer, I appreciate his candor. Reference to Jesse-the-former-body Ventura's comments on the debacle that is Iraq as it hi-lights Mr. Ventura's putting himself right out there talking to people is an example of someone, no matter how over-all-out -there the guy is, honestly having his say.

I am so sick of people saying that "all politicians are the same." I want someone to give me an effective response to that stupid, stupid statement.. It is right up there with any statement that begins with "I heard of FoxNews last night....." fill in anything and the one certainty is that there is a 90 percent chance it is not "fair and balanced". .. it is totally bent and biased and crap.

Yes, Mr. Keillor, let us all continue to encourage Mr. Obama to speak out and speak the truth -- Jesse may have proved himself to be something of a egotistical wack-job but that does not mean he is not capable of stating the truth and, the scariest part is that they did elect him... they grabbed onto his bravado but neglected what he clearly lacked. Fortunately, our guy lacks nothing and appears to have the ability to understand that what he may not know must be carefully and mindfully learned. No more hiding out in the oval office or refusing to meet with the mothers of dead soldiers. We have had enough.

Knowledge, compassion, intelligent responses are critical; but, delivery of the message is strategic in getting the vote out. We need this change. It is hard to compete with the "fear" motivation; but, we have to smash that. I come back to FDR's famous statement that rings so true: We have nothing to fear but fear itself. Living in fear makes us unstable, freaked out and sick. I am so tired of people using it to manipulate us. I say it again, don't poop in my hand and tell me that it is chocolate... I have a nose.

Thank you.

Thanks.

Yes, we're both waiting for BHO to deliver something, anything...let's hope it's not continued disappointment.

Say anything you want about the Clintons, nasty or otherwise, at least they delivered defeat to the enemy, time and time again. Anyone that the repugs hold in such high disdain, is OK by me. In normal times (when their king isn't widely regarded as an idiot), the repugs would have absolutely no fear from your boy.

Thanks. When someone is as "unglued" and desperate to pretend she's not Republican, while spewing forth every single talking point that shamed Republicans today use ("Who me? What? Republican? No! Never! I just hate Obama, Clinton, etc."), it's as pathetic as Bill O'Reilly claiming he's not a Republican.

The major difference between Obama and Hillary there is a chance he might deliver on some of his promises, whereas Hillary is somewhat more prone to playing the panderer.

With Hillary, in essence, you were getting guarantee failure on the things where Obama was only probably going to fail.

So we went with Obama.

I really kinda wanna see a mashup of Obama carrying Blain's minigun from Predator.

I admire Jesse Ventura for his candor -- he is after all the only atheist elected to state-wide office that I'm aware of -- but at this point America needs much more than a colorful personality.

Al Franken is not only a public intellectual (in a post-intellectual era), he is unquestionably a damn fine man. He single-handedly took-on the most odious of the right-wing blow-hards (Limbaugh, Hannity, Coulter, O'Reilly, etc.) when they reigned unchallenged in our fawning media culture. Franken is a patriot.

The US Senate will be more representative of the peoples' interests when Al Franken replaces that opportunistic hack, Norm Coleman.

I did not say that you were a member of the Klan. I implied that your language ("that black guy") is relevant to whether people should pay any attention to you or not.

However--

Modjeska Simkins said that she would rather deal with racists who wear white sheets than racists who wear suits. At least they had the integrity to tell you where they stood.