Jesse Ventura: I'd consider being Ron Paul's VP
Jesse Ventura, former pro wrestler-turned-Minnesota governor, is offering himself up as a possible running mate to Republican Rep. Ron Paul - though there is no indication that Paul has asked as much of him.
In a Monday interview with the "Good Morning America," Ventura, who was on the show promoting his book "63 Documents the Government Doesn't Want You to Read," said he would consider running with Ron Paul if the Texas politician ran as an Independent.
"I will tell you this. If Ron Paul runs as an Independent, I will give great consideration to being his running mate," Mr. Ventura said.
(Ventura, an independent, dedicated his book to Paul, who he described in the inscription as "the only federal elected official who will stand up for America on the congressional floor.")
Ventura emphasized, however, that he would not join Paul's ticket if he ran as a Republican.
"I will not be a Democrat or a Republican," he told George Stephanopoulos. "They are the problem, not the solution. We need to abolish political parties in this country."
Ron Paul, whose libertarian positions attracted a wide following during his run for the Republican nomination in 2008, has said he is as yet undecided about another presidential bid. He has not indicated that he would consider running as an Independent in 2012.
In a Tuesday interview with CNN's "American Morning," Ventura said he had not yet heard back from the Paul campaign about his offer.
"Nothing yet, I don't expect to," he said, adding, "it's no different than Donald Trump saying it."
Ventura also expressed doubts that a third-party candidate would have a serious hope of victory in the the 2012 elections.
"As Ralph Nader said, we live under a two-party dictatorship," he said. "And nobody else is let into the game."
On "Good Morning America," Ventura predicted that Sarah Palin would be the GOP's 2012 nominee.
"They're grooming her for it, she's got a TV show," he said.
