Ventura’s exclusive deal with ABC miffs local reporters

Gov. Jesse Ventura’s exclusive arrangement with ABC News to be interviewed
at the site of the World Trade Center rubble for Good Morning America
has ignited criticism among Minnesota reporters, who were barred even from
forming a pool to accompany the governor. (According to today’s St. Paul
Pioneer Press, an enterprising reporter for CBS station WCCO-TV managed
to smuggle an amateur video camera to a person with access to the site, who
photographed Ventura talking to rescue workers and passing out messages of
support to them from Minnesota citizens.) The exclusive arrangement with
GMA prompted a shouting confrontation between reporter Kevin Diaz of
the Minneapolis Star Tribune and Ventura’s communications director
John Wodele that was interrupted by the governor. “John, don’t worry about
it,” Ventura told Wodele. “I’m not going to give any more interviews to the
local press anymore.”