Ventura talked to McCain about making independent presidential bid

ST. PAUL (AP) -- Gov. Jesse Ventura said today he spoke with U.S. Sen. John McCain more than a week ago about an independent presidential bid and the Arizona Republican assured him he would remain with his party.

Ventura said he isn't trying to persuade McCain to run as an independent. ''That's totally the senator's business,'' Ventura said, but added, ''He'd make it interesting.

McCain spokesman Dan McLagan said the senator is on vacation all week and ''there are no current plans for meeting with the governor.''

He declined to comment on whether McCain would be interested in running on a third party ticket, reiterating that McCain is on vacation for the week.

The comments came a day after Ventura political aides told WCCO-TV they would like to get a face-to-face meeting between Ventura and McCain, possibly within days. And they believe McCain could win.

''That's the thing that I think John has to decide. Does he want to break from the Republican Party?'' Ventura adviser Dean Barkley said Monday. ''Does he really have the chutzpah to say, 'I can do what Teddy Roosevelt tried to do'?''

Roosevelt quit the Republican Party and ran unsuccessfully .