This republican candidate to a special election for a vacated seat in the house of representatives waited too long to begin his wrestling career. He is confused about how someone could use his wrestling skills to run for an elected office. Thinking about Jesse Ventura who used his WWE fame to launch his bid for and successfully win the Minnesota governorship, millionaire Greg Richard Gianforte became highly confused about the wrestling ring and the electoral ring and practiced violent wrestling against a reporter who was asking him tough questions about healthcare.
Democrats had wrapped the healthcare issue around his neck like a constricting boa and it was choking him because although he wanted to publicly distance himself from it, a tape surfaced where he was praising the GOP bill. His Democratic opponent, Rob Quist, a folk musician, who was way behind has recently pulled close and the race is neck-and-neck.
So, last night the Guardian’s reporter Ben Jacobs busted into a room where Gianforte was going to give a televised interview and began to ask healthcare questions, particularly the CBO assessment that it would leave 23 million people uninsured in 10 years. Gianforte wanted to delay and defer his response until after the election which happens tonight. Seeing that the reporter cornered him and he would not easily get out, Gianforte thought that he had the opportunity to show this reporter that he was to be feared at wrestling. He sprung into action, and while saying he was sick and tired of Jacobs, he pulled a move on him that would make, Dusty Rhodes, Jesse Ventura, and the Rock very proud. In no time Jacobs found himself flat on the floor with broken glasses. “Body slammed” by the violent and skillful Gianteforte!
One is not sure if this highly technical maneuver to evade a sneaky reporter’s question will be enough to win Gianforte the seat but one thing is sure: Gianforte has been charged with assault. And that can earn him a vacant seat at the jailhouse.
People are calling on him to withdraw. Three newspapers that had previously endorsed him withdrew their endorsement this morning. Even if he does not withdraw, Gianforte has plenty of withdrawal awaiting him behind bars if convicted for this extraordinary move.
His opponent is not commenting on the incident, referring to it as a law enforcement matter. He is smart, Gianforte has gotten enough rope to hang himself so his opponent sees no advantage in piling on outwardly. But inwardly he must be thanking the millionaire for this late and generous gift. Quist has rapidly made the transition from folk music to politics unlike Gianforte who would not let go of wrestling.
Unfortunately the millionaire may have waited too long to show the world that he is not to be messed with and he has definitely chosen the wrong ring to do it. It seems one way or the other Gianforte will find himself a seat.
Marc-Arthur Pierre-Louis