Jesse Ventura on Clinton, Trump: ‘If I'd have ran, I'd have beaten both these two’
If it were up to Jesse Ventura, marijuana would be legal, Gary Johnson would be president and the United States would abandon the two-party system.
Oh, and American media companies would act more like Russia’s.
That’s just some of what the former Minnesota governor, ex-professional wrestler and author told Yahoo News in a wide-ranging interview on Thursday.
Ventura dismissed concerns about Johnson’s qualifications after the Libertarian presidential nominee seemed to be unfamiliar with Aleppo during an appearance on MSNBC earlier in the day. Aleppo is the most populous city in Syria and the epicenter of the long and violent conflict that has sparked a global refugee crisis.
“Much ado about nothing,” Ventura said of the gaffe. “The reason is, Gary Johnson supports full withdrawal from the war. And I agree with him. So once you’ve withdrawn from the Middle East, who’s going to care about that city any more?”
Ventura, whose is promoting his new book, “Marijuana Manifesto,” chalked it up to fatigue.
“Gov. Johnson, I can imagine, as tired as he is — I’m on a book tour and I’m going 6 a.m. to midnight. He’s running for president — you think you’re not going to make a mistake?” Ventura said. “You think that’s going to stop me from voting for him? He’s going to end wars — to end the war on drugs too. These other two candidates, get ready: War is gonna continue.”
Ventura believes Johnson could win the presidency if he were allowed on the debate stage with Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.
“When I ran for governor of Minnesota, at Labor Day I was only polling 10 percent,” Ventura recalled. “I was allowed in the debates, and 60 days later I was governor. It can be done. It can be done if people can see an alternative.”
The 65-year-old Minneapolis native also dismissed the notion that there isn’t room for a third-party candidate in the current political climate.
“There isn’t room? If I’d have ran, I’d have beaten both these two,” Ventura said.
This is a bold claim given that third-party candidates have not enjoyed success in modern American politics — and because he last held office in 2003.
So why didn’t he run for president?
“Because I don’t want the job,” Ventura replied. “Why should I clean up a 150-year mess I didn’t make? The Democrats and Republicans made the mess.”
On the subject of legalization, Ventura said it’s clear drug prohibition has not worked.
“Addiction should be treated medically, not criminally,” he said.
Ventura said his position applied to all drugs, including heroin.
“A heroin addict — because they have nowhere to get it, they have to buy it in the back alley, they don’t know if it’s good or not, they die from it,” he said. “That doesn’t mean it’s going in the 7-Eleven. You may have an area in a hospital where an addict can go, and then try and cure the addict.”
Ventura wouldn’t say how often he smokes marijuana, only that when he does, he does so legally: in Colorado.
The outspoken Ventura, whose son, Tyrel, hosts a television show on the Russian government-backed RT America, said he is going to be hosting one soon too.
“I just signed a contract with the only people that let me speak freely: … Russia,” Ventura said. “I just signed a contract with RT America. I will be on there with my own show. I met Vladimir Putin in December and he assured me he will never interfere in anything I talk about.”
