Former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura, who recently joked about becoming Donald Trump’s presidential running mate, took to CNN to offer some advice to his long-time friend.
Appearing on “New Day” with Chris Cuomo, the self-proclaimed “voice of the independent voter” initially said he would consider running with either Trump or Democratic contender Bernie Sanders “if either of them truly wanted to grab the independent” vote.
Ventura said:
“I think Donald Trump is wonderful, that he’s shaking the system and it needs to be shaken to its core. We have a government in Washington that’s broken clearly and it needs to be shaken up and Trump is doing that and so is Bernie Sanders. I look at both their campaigns and I see great parallels to my campaign in Minnesota where the media attacks you at every direction but yet the people stand and support you.”
In 1998, while running as an independent, Ventura, of pro-wrestling fame, beat out both Republican and Democratic candidates on the way to serving his one term as Minnesota governor.
Jesse Ventura: Donald Trump, Bernie Sanders campaigns remind me of mine http://t.co/2CJPS2Xedb #ThirdParty pic.twitter.com/LDBFkJDM0F
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) August 14, 2015
In a later interview with CNN’s Don Lemon, The Examiner reports that Ventura’s accolades soon turned to disapproval with the “dictator”-like way Trump is handling parts of his campaign:
“‘He’s (Trump) not the benevolent dictator, not like you are when you’re head of a corporation. He has to understand that government is a system of checks and balances, and people have to work together and compromises have to happen.’
Ventura was also extremely critical of Trump’s recent immigration plan, calling it ‘ridiculous.’ ‘If you build a 20 foot wall,’ Ventura said, ‘I’ll find someone with a 21 foot ladder.’”
Ventura ended the interview with an outright endorsement of Bernie Sanders, saying:
“Bernie Sanders. He’s my hero right now.”
Sanders, a senator from Vermont, has described himself as a socialist who is passionate about ending corruption in D.C. and “focusing on the shrinking middle class and growing gap between the rich and everyone else.”
Found at IJ Review