Jesse Ventura Unloads: The Parties, The Chickenhawks, And His Revolution

Pro-Wrestler-turned-Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura went on Larry King Live Tuesday and unloaded on a variety of topics, including his take on the 2008 presidential candidates, what he's looking for in a commander-in-chief, and whether he plans on running for president. Ventura told King that he thinks it's time for a revolution in the United States, that we are a nation of "lemmings," and that the only difference between the two major political parties and street gangs are that the politicians wear Brooks Brothers suits. After blasting the two-party "dictatorship" in America, he gave his opinion of the three presidential candidates (hint: it wasn't very favorable). And he reserved special judgment for the "chickenhawks" who he said marched the country into war in Iraq.

Watch Jesse Ventura talk about the need for a revolution:

Jesse Ventura on the 2008 presidential field:

Larry King asks Jesse Ventura if he is going to run for President:

Ventura rips the Chickenhawks:

Related: Jesse Ventura: I Live With Those Brown-Skinned People Who Frighten Lou Dobbs

Comments

[ranchobob]

Right on Jesse
the only way to go is to organize a third party in all state legislatures, get the third party restrictions lifted, get third party senators and congress persons in.
It could be done in 20 years if done with incredible focus and dedication

[Oldbuck]

what really scary is I agree with every thing Jessie says and he makes a lot of scenes

[MetalCanuck]

Thats reality but most don't want to see that.

[gonavy]

See, here's the problem Jesse. I'm trying to listen to what your saying, but all I can think about is that nasty strip of hair hanging on the back of your head. Very unattractive and distracting.

Question.
Does Jesse think really Iraq is the first government the US has overthrown?

I used to respect Jesse for his independent stance, but now he's just coming across as a kook who is smoking too much weed.

[joekonn]

Sounds more like viagra, meth or crack than weed. Much more likely it is steroids.

Jesse Ventura is good TV, after all he came out of the cartoon world of pro 'wrestling', also known as the ballet of the hippos. He is no dummy, but he has come to believe that if he says it loud enough, he will win any argument. Some of what he says is correct, but then that is true for 200,000,000+ other Americans. So why give him a pulpit? Get him on TV because he is entertaining, because he says outrageous things, not because he has shown any real substance.

Perhaps, if Obama took steroids and ran around in a leotard he would meet Ventura's standard for a president.

[Tannim]

Nah. Usually the "kooks" are just those of us that are way ahead of everyone else: Tesla, Ron Paul, Jesse Ventura, Tom Jefferson, you know, we call them "visionaries".

And they are usually correct at the time and ignored, then later the collective smack in the forehead hits accompained by the "He was right, how were we so STUPID to ignore and belittle him?" Then the cycle continues with the next "kook".

[markkraft]

I can understand his frustration, but to suggest that Barack Obama can't/won't get us out of Iraq is a stretch.

He's given in to cynicism... which I can't entirely fault him for. But if that's your world view, it narrows the possibilities for achieving real progress.

[samguy]

Jess if ur pro-gay marriage, I'm down with u bro! You still get high props from me for going after the "chickenhawks" who got us into the war. What better phrasing for men who asiduously avioided battle, got us into a war and slagged a decorated vet (Kerry)?

[KennyFox]

Jesse the Mind, baby!

[newslamp]

There's a video on Youtube called "Draft Jesse." They want him to run with Ron Paul.

[joekonn]

Draft Abbott and Costello!

Jesse Ventura and Ron Paul, now that is a thinking man's choice (sic)? They are unelectable, but, if elected, they would certainly end the war, and then ruin the economy (forgot W already did that) and make fools of the USA abroad (okay lil' Bush already did that, too).

Well, maybe Ventura-Paul would be better than Bush-Cheyney, or McCain-Lieberman, but his tenure in Minnesota suggests Jesse has the chutspa, but not the temperment or the skills to govern.

[newslamp]

Ventura V.P.

[Tannim]

They're only unelectable because most people are too stupid to vote for the visionaries with the right answers.

Some of us get it though. SOme of us warned you about Bush in 2000. We can only sya now, we told you so.

Maybe this time you'll listen? Nah, that would make sense and make history.

[MetalCanuck]

Your unelectable..

Stop telling people who is and who isn't electable. Thats TV speak.

[winningticket]

Thank you Jesse always! You are the man! It's refreshing to have someone who sees the world like I do. Too bad many American sheeple just go along and get along. And your thoughts about that despicable bigot Lou Dobbs is right on!

[ugmold]

Jesse,
I'd be your tag team partner anyday! Refreshing to hear.
ugmold

[danton59]

He's OK but can't give credbility with the mullet!

[WinceCarter]

It's lemmings who get distracted by such trivial detailsas hairstyles.

[MetalCanuck]

Only idiots are distracted by such things. Thats why you are a lemming.

[wm1066]

He was a crappy Governor, he failed to head off a very preventable strike, he spent more time on talk shows than doing State business, he abolished a very effective auto emmission test because it cost him money to put tabs on all his high end sports cars.
And I voted for this idiot thinking he would do the things he talked about.
In the end he never was able to rise above his 'rassler stick' , he never became the statesman we thought he would be. He can talk tough and thats it, only talk.

[Tannim]

No, he was opposed at every step of the way by the authoritarians in the legislature, who sold out the people of Minnesota for their own agendas long ago. That doesn't make Ventura a crappy governor. It does make a crappy legislature, elected by the people, so the blame lies with the people.

[phatphing]

Looks like Jesse's a Ron Paul Revolutionary!

Dr Paul already has more military contributions that ALL the candidates Democratic and Republican COMBINED!

Now we have a Seal on board,... BRING IT!

[gonavy]

He's not "on board". Didn't you hear him say that it would be too hard.

Yah, much easier to throw tomatoes from the audience at the guy actually trying to get things done.

[nazgul]

Another topic discussed was Chelsea Clinton and the Lewinsky situation, which Jesse said was completely irrelevant.

In a sane world where bedroom matters ARE considered irrelevant in determining job qualification and performance, I would agree. Europe handles these situations much differently, and they found the Starr investigation, political marketing of the scandal and impeachment a complete travesty of civilization. As these facts demonstrate, however, any reality-based crowd here America MUST face the fact the U.S. lacks sanity in this quarter.

Therefore, the Lewinsky subject is entirely relevant as a practical matter in this single regard: does it and the potential for future scandal present a liability for Hillary's candidacy and administraion. Might the Democratic Party lose the election or one again rely upon a crippled administration because of this issue?

My answer is ABSOLUTELY. Sorry, but I don't believe for one minute that Bill has been cured of his addiction. Nor do I believe that the country is prepared to maturely assess, accept and move beyond a sex scandal in the White House.

In literature they call this harmatia: the tragic hero's tragic flaw. It's often critical to both the hero's success and downfall. Bill's is his philandering/sexual addiction. Hillary's is her devotion to Bill.

[3fingerbrown]

Generally good comment, except I don't think you can call what Clinton did with the intern a "bedroom matter." It was more an "office matter," and therein lies the problem. We can't allow the president to sexually prey on the most junior member of his staff and lie about it later, and then let him off the hook completely because we're afraid the French might think us uncivilized. It's not as though Clinton had a discreet mistress stashed away someplace--that's what I'd call a bedroom matter.

I voted for Clinton twice and thought his impeachment was the darkest blot on American political history (who knew Bush/Cheney would come along and shatter the record?), but Clinton deserved some kind of official reprimand for his reckless in-the-office, on-the-job sexual malfeasance, just as the boss of any company would.

[newworldman777]

As is often the case, people of high intelligence (Bill Clinton) who have the talents to get things done, also have weaknesses in other areas. In Bill's case, his weakness is women (as it would be mine as well, if I had his power and money, which draw women like flies to honey). Our obsession with exposing this "flaw" among our leaders will undoubtedly prevent our most talented people from seeking office, leaving us with the likes of George W. Bush.

[steel71]

Ventura, would get my vote too. I know he’s not a CFR puppet posing as a man or woman of the people. I like his stance concerning the gold standard (most people lack knowledge of monetary policy, including the bozos in D.C.). I’m sorry to disappoint the socialist (Marxist) , but our country isn’t a capitalist economy: it’s corporatist, which is nothing more than monopolization thanks to legal lobbyist tactics that are endorsed by the likes of Hillary Clinton. I hope people wake up to the real powers that be in our country before we lose it.

[rlmcintosh]

Looks like a lot of folks responding here are Ron Paul supporters whether they know it or not! :)

BTW Ron Paul IS IN FACT STILL IN THIS RACE.
The Republican National Convention should be very interesting as the popular vote (the numbers you see reported on TV) have very little to do with how the delegates get selected. I would put money on the idea that at least a quarter of the delegates arriving in September will be Ron Paulers. More importantly it will be interesting to see how many delegates walk out of the convention as Ron Paul supporters. It really is time for a Velvet Revolution in this country.

[MetalCanuck]

I see that too, a lot of people are actually Ron Paul supporters but don't know it and are voting against their own interests.

[DennyCrane]

I agree 100%. War should be a last resort and it should be for something you yourself are willing risk your life for. I hate these armchair warhawks who ask other people to send their kids to fight. Ventura is also right about Obama. Obama is the best that the Democrats have to offer, but his effectiveness will be limited by his party, not himself. The 2-party system needs to be scrapped. We shouldn't have political parties cause an elected official always has to answer to his party first.