Ventura to Appear at Paul Shadow Convention
EmailABC’s Z. Byron Wolf Reports: We already knew the bearded Grover Norquist and the bedraggled former bowtie-wearing pundit Tucker Carlson would address Texas Congressman and libertarian Republican Ron Paul’s shadow convention – aka The Rally for the Republic – in Minneapolis later this summer.
But those two men, anti-tax and libertarian though they may be, are, lets face it, nerds. And the other speakers, former Congressman and Arizona political scion Barry Goldwater Jr. and legal expert Bruce Fein aren’t much better. In order to harness some of that youthful energy that marked his Presidential campaign, Paul needed some star power and it seems he’s got it.
In video on his website today, Paul announced that former Minneapolis Governor and professional wrestler, erstwhile Mexico surfer dude and anti-establishment independent politics rock star Jesse Ventura, even though he has ruled out a bid to shake up the US Senate race in Minnesota and is in no way a Republican, will take part in the rally.
The Rally for the Republic on Sept. 2 at the Target Center (holds 18,000 and 7,000 tickets have been sold according to a Paul staffer) in Minneapolis, is set to caps off a week of activities sponsored by Paul’s new Political Action group, the Campaign for Liberty, from book signings and a concert to the "Campaign for Liberty Real Politics Training School," which is being billed to supporters as "your opportunity to learn the skills‚ strategies‚ and techniques necessary to be an effective activist‚ from top experts in the field."
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Is Paul, having dropped out of the race, still so much of a perceived threat that you need to revive the smear campaign? C’mon. If this is the best you can do, please just go back to the silence treatment on Paul. The sheeple are already with you. The people are with Paul and real freedom, not the NWO. Ugh.
Posted by: Glen | July 31, 2008, 6:22 pm 6:22 pm
What a pathetic attempt to belittle an event the supports all that this country is about. Keep feeding the sheep you twit.
Posted by: Rex | July 31, 2008, 6:30 pm 6:30 pm
Hey Byron: Go jump in a lake you lobbyist-owned yellow journalist.
Posted by: Larry | July 31, 2008, 6:30 pm 6:30 pm
What’s a Z. Byron Wolf anyway? I know of Tucker Carlson, but have not heard of Z. Byron. Hey Z., is this the type of reporting that you perceive will make a name for yourself? Soon more will try to ride on Dr. Paul’s cuff as their eyes and minds are opened.
Posted by: Dwezel | July 31, 2008, 6:49 pm 6:49 pm
Bryan- Does your ID badge read ABC or Disney Corp? Just curious.
Posted by: Kent | July 31, 2008, 6:54 pm 6:54 pm
Ventura was governor of Minnesota, not Minneapolis. Also, the rally (being a singular noun) should “cap off” the week, not “caps off” the week. Please try proofreading sometime.
Posted by: Eric | July 31, 2008, 7:21 pm 7:21 pm
Awesome news! Can’t wait to go.
Posted by: Mitch | July 31, 2008, 7:47 pm 7:47 pm
Slow news day–so trivial–boring.
Posted by: MLH | July 31, 2008, 7:53 pm 7:53 pm
Minneapolis Governor???
Pitiful ABC, absolutely pitiful.
Posted by: Ra | July 31, 2008, 8:02 pm 8:02 pm
We wont let the establishment create another false~flag event WE ARE AWAKE NOW AND WATCHING YOU.
Posted by: Steve | July 31, 2008, 8:06 pm 8:06 pm
Hello??????
Minneapolis Governor?
MSM is one of the reasons people are so ill informed.
I wish I was closer and could attend the rally.
Ron Paul still has my vote.
He’s the only candidate fit to be President.
Posted by: granny miller | July 31, 2008, 8:13 pm 8:13 pm
I think Tucker Carlson’s behavior is unfair and low, but dont call him bedraggled, as though that is some kind of real quality of his. Grow up, and leave the mud to the right wing.
Posted by: Bruce Becker | July 31, 2008, 8:18 pm 8:18 pm
Oh, my mistake, you are throwing mud on Tucker, rather than offering substance, BECAUSE YOU ARE a right wing ##**#.
Posted by: Bruce Becker | July 31, 2008, 8:20 pm 8:20 pm
Good lord, I wasted a perfectly good mouse click to come here?
Posted by: Darryl Schmitz | July 31, 2008, 8:36 pm 8:36 pm
What a long way you have come, ABC. You did not even recognize Ron Paul’s existence during the primary.
Posted by: TruthNow015658 | July 31, 2008, 8:51 pm 8:51 pm
@Darrly Schmitz–I love your sense of humor. Much better than most postings. Thanks for the laugh.
Posted by: Mary | July 31, 2008, 10:13 pm 10:13 pm
Hey, Byron, this isn’t the BOX (TV) or Dead Tree Media, where the average viewer/reader is about 80 and thinks McCain just escaped from vietNAAAM, So stop with the not-so-subtle-TV psychology tricks of character assassination and other forms of ridicule. Tell your boss you won’t do it anymore, that you want to be a real journalist, not a FOXY-news puppet.
Journalism is meant to describe, not discredit, events or people. Terms such as “bedraggled, nerds, not much better, and shadow convention” are misused and inappropriate.
Posted by: Scott Harmon | July 31, 2008, 11:24 pm 11:24 pm
Shocking that you have not bothered to note that they sold over 7000 tickets in a matter of days. That is amazing. ALready half sold out in days! How many tickets have been sold to the loser GOP convention? I am sure they did not sell 7000 in days like this amazing convention that will blow away the GOP losing convention. Go Ron Paul and Ventura!!
Freedom and liberty for the people not sheeple!
Posted by: Chris Loff | July 31, 2008, 11:45 pm 11:45 pm
Wish I could be there. I am about 1500 miles to far away. Ron Paul is the man, and Jesse is one of my favorite politicians to hear speak. Truth to power.
Posted by: Ben Straub | July 31, 2008, 11:58 pm 11:58 pm
I guess I am a nerd to. Unfortunately we are reducing the number of nerds in this country. The youth are becoming cooler and lazier and fatter by the day. China and India have a very large number of nerds. That is probably why they are on the rise and we are in decline. Go Ron Paul.
Posted by: Huh | August 1, 2008, 12:10 am 12:10 am
If your definition of “nerd” is educated, honest, courageous and having character then Dr. Paul is a nerd. I guess in your eyes then that makes McCain, Obama and Bush “cool”. I say we need more nerds in federal government.
Posted by: Don | August 1, 2008, 8:53 am 8:53 am
My eye sight is going with my age but I can see alot better now!
Long live America and Dr.Ron Paul!
Posted by: Rick Massey | August 1, 2008, 9:30 am 9:30 am
Ventura is really crazy I meet him a couple of time years ago at wrestling matches and he had eyes of a madman!
Posted by: Marcus | August 1, 2008, 9:53 am 9:53 am
This is the completely degrading. The reporter should be reprimanded.
Posted by: Carol Ann | August 1, 2008, 9:57 am 9:57 am
hey bryon, i’m surprised abc let’s you use their site as your personal bullshit blog … this must be one of your private diary entries written by the fireplace at home
you made a big mistake buddy
Posted by: Bryon Gay Wolf | August 1, 2008, 11:36 am 11:36 am
by the way mr wolf you only make yourself look even more stupid be trying to make someone like ventura seem like an idiot … you owe a great debt to mr ventura and it must have not done you any justice in your childish rant, but if you added that he is a former U.S. Navy Seal … your bullshit would be 100x more time apparent than it already is
Posted by: broyn gay wolf | August 1, 2008, 11:39 am 11:39 am
Minneapolis doesn’t have a governor. Minnesota does.
Posted by: Michael Swaine | August 1, 2008, 11:43 am 11:43 am
ABC should stop with this garbage and reveal the source of the bogus anthrax information they fed to the public back in 2001. If they do not ABC news is complicit in the this trumped up war with Iraq.
Posted by: Juan Valdez | August 1, 2008, 11:47 am 11:47 am
Nerds…LOL So nerdy and so kooky that they need to be trashed by you? I smell fear. I welcome your scorn, you will help to open the eyes of one more person with your words. You are bringing them home to us.
Posted by: Eric | August 1, 2008, 12:00 pm 12:00 pm
Nerds…LOL So nerdy and so kooky that they need to be trashed by you? I smell fear. I welcome your scorn, you will help to open the eyes of one more person with your words. You are bringing them home to us.
Posted by: Eric | August 1, 2008, 12:00 pm 12:00 pm
“former Minneapolis Governor”
That should be “former Minnesota Governor”
Posted by: Eric Jaffa | August 1, 2008, 12:00 pm 12:00 pm
Hey fellow Paulites….CHILL! He called them nerds, big deal. I thought it was funny.
I understand being upset at so much of the traitor media but I hardly think this particular article is anything to get mad about.
Posted by: The Liberator | August 1, 2008, 12:18 pm 12:18 pm
Show your support for nerds! Digg here:
http://digg.com/politics/Nerds_5
Posted by: John MacArthur | August 1, 2008, 12:52 pm 12:52 pm
What has happened to the press/MSM is a shame. Nothing but smears and distortions coming out of it.
They used to be a proud tradition and institution which holds public officials accountable for their action or inaction.
Now they’re working against the American public. A disservice & disgrace to America. They’ve sold your soul when they crossed the line from a genuine public service to libel.
Was it worth it when you traded in your soul for a dollar? Are you a proud American and the value that it holds to set example for generation to come?
You’re probably “With No Shame” call yourself a Patriot, correct?
Are you a proud parent? Have you done something that made a different in your family? your local community? your city? your county? your state? your country?
Now, try answering these questions before ranting someone.
Posted by: American Morals | August 1, 2008, 1:09 pm 1:09 pm
Hey Z Byron! “Nerd” this!
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e30/libertybelle_photos/middle_finger_flame_jpg_w300h300.jpg
Posted by: Liberty_Belle | August 1, 2008, 1:17 pm 1:17 pm
American Morals: Great blog. Dan Rather recently wrote an article on the current day media and its owners. Edward R. Murrow would turn in his grave if he saw how low the bar is set for news reporting. If a journalist asks the hard questions, his days are numbered. So we are fed fluff instead of real news and people like Z are more than willing to comply.
Posted by: RweeThere | August 1, 2008, 2:15 pm 2:15 pm
Z? Z? Z?
Z?
Z?
Zebra?
Zoo?
hmmm
Zipper?
Zoolander?
hmmm…
Zit!
Hey Mr. Zit!
Let me pop your ignorance with a giant truth needle and let the puss ooze out of your stupid head.
Get a life! HAHAHA
What an idiot!
Posted by: Z is a Zit | August 1, 2008, 2:34 pm 2:34 pm
I think anyone who can garner 1.2 million votes and 50 million dollars in donations deserves some respect. ABC’s Z. Byron Wolf maybe that’s why ABC is tanking, I’ll see you in the unemployment line one day.
Posted by: Jim Brown | August 1, 2008, 3:29 pm 3:29 pm
Have a look at the boy that wrote this article, calling Ron Paul supporters nerds it’s worth a good laugh:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Z-Byron-Wolf/21220673687
And show your support for nerds! Digg here:
http://digg.com/politics/Nerds_5
:)
Posted by: John MacArthur | August 1, 2008, 8:40 pm 8:40 pm
I still hate you Byron Wolf. Nerd.
Posted by: Rhys | August 1, 2008, 8:43 pm 8:43 pm
Nerd? HAHAHA
Looked in the mirror lately?
You’d be my bitch in prison.
Sure do got a purty mouth…
Posted by: RonPaulNation | August 1, 2008, 8:57 pm 8:57 pm
Nerd? You are the nerd. Go support your big government pro-war pro-death pro-lobbyist anti-constitution pro communist garbage candidates of Obama and McCain.
Obama: Wants to invade Iran, Pakistan, voted to fund Iraq for hundreds of billions of dollars, voted for the patriot act, and a unbalanced budget of trillions of dollars
McCain: Same thing
Posted by: Obama | August 1, 2008, 11:05 pm 11:05 pm
ABC News has sunk to the level of the tabloids by allowing an article like this to be published under its banner. I’ll defend to the death their right of freedom of the press but stories that drip with sarcasm, ridicule, and name calling destroy all pretense of fair and factual journalism.
Posted by: Fritz | August 1, 2008, 11:18 pm 11:18 pm
What kind of an IDIOT thinks Jesse Ventura was the GOVERNOR OF A CITY?
ABC News? God how low has network stuff dropped?
LOL What a joke.
Tucker, who is mucho hot by the way is no nerd.
This reporter is just a plain idiot.
This is not a ‘shadow’ convention either. And they sold more tickets already than they can get volunteers for the GOP convention.
Someone needs to rub fingerprints on this guys nerdie glasses. Has anyone ever SEEN Byron Wolf? Pot kettle black.
Posted by: Tucker is hot | August 2, 2008, 12:15 am 12:15 am
Oh and who ever watched these Yellow journalism channels like ABC, CBS, and NBC?
YELLOW, pure YELLOW.
Posted by: Tucker is hot | August 2, 2008, 12:17 am 12:17 am
byron OH byron
you calling someone a nerd??
Just saw your picture from J Macarthur above, lol, my best description is dweeb.
Posted by: Reverend Jackson | August 2, 2008, 1:26 am 1:26 am
OH, and byron,,,byron, u listening??
They are selling 15000 seats, not 18000, and appx 3600 seats sold in the first 3 hours of going on sale.
that is one ticket every 3 Seconds!!
How many tickets do you think dimwits like yourself or big ears obama, or mcinsane can sell, and they are presidential candidates. They need to hang a steak around their neck to get a dog to pay any attention.
Posted by: Reverend Jackson | August 2, 2008, 1:30 am 1:30 am
LOL….I can’t stop laughing at this dorky picture of Z. Byron Wolf that John MacArthur linked us to.
(Are you the John MacArthur from Southern California?)
Then this other guy’s comment says that the Z in his name stands for Zit! That is too funny.
Zit Boy looks like he just got back from a Star Trek convention…. lol
LMAO…. oh my god, I’m laughing so hard tears are running down my cheeks.
Speaking of cheeks, can you imagine what a field day Bubba would have with Zit Boy if he ever went to prison?
Damn this is hilarious.
Do you think he rides a Sedgeway?
The Zit nerd needs to stop pretending he is a journalist and start doing ads for “Clearasil acne treatment”.
OK, I’ll stop.
Posted by: Todd in Sacramento | August 2, 2008, 2:06 am 2:06 am
More of the same-just like the politicians. Thank you ABC.
Posted by: daddysteve | August 2, 2008, 1:09 pm 1:09 pm
This article is another example of the left wing media trashing anyone who isn’t their ultra left wing darling Obama. The speakers at the Ron Paul Convention have the pulse of the people and speak for them. I am so glad to see that they will be there.
Posted by: Frank Herrmann | August 2, 2008, 2:15 pm 2:15 pm
Ouch, a month away from the convention and they still have 11,000 seats to sell.
Posted by: wat | August 2, 2008, 6:35 pm 6:35 pm
It takes a nerd to know one.
Posted by: justin | August 2, 2008, 9:46 pm 9:46 pm
Please report with integrity and open-mindedness. You did pursue your line of work in search of truth and providing information to the people. I am saddened by this smut.`
Posted by: Ryan | August 3, 2008, 12:15 am 12:15 am
emails are being removed off this sight
I can’t find 2 that were on their yesterday.
Posted by: Reverend Jackson | August 3, 2008, 1:02 am 1:02 am
Reverend Jackson please put back on the 2 emails that were removed and all of us will make a point of reading what has made ABC so worried. Thanks.
Posted by: ginger | August 5, 2008, 2:32 pm 2:32 pm
You misunderstand me ginger. Not that they are worried, but maybe limit the lengths of the reviews or something. There were just 2 responsed that I thought were funny that are no longer there. I am unable to put them back on though, I just laughed at them, didn’t memorize them. Cya
Posted by: Reverend Jackson | August 6, 2008, 1:03 am 1:03 am
This is an excellent article . Thanks a lot . I am grateful to you .
Posted by: العاب شمس الدين | September 7, 2008, 9:16 am 9:16 am