‘Trump, Clinton - don’t be cowards! Let third-party candidate debate’ – Jesse Ventura to Larry King

With Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton being the most disliked US presidential candidates ever, the public should demand a third contender to take part in the debates, Jesse Ventura, ex-wrestler and Minnesota governor, told Larry King’s Politicking show.

According to Ventura, the Libertarian Party’s candidate, Gary Johnson, could provide a perfect alternative to the Republican and Democratic hopefuls.

“Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton – don’t de cowards! You want to be the head of the military. You want to be the commander-in-chief, then have enough courage to allow Gary Johnson in the debates,” Ventura said.

He was fully backed by Larry King on this one as the host reminded viewers that the two-party system isn’t stipulated in the US constitution.

“I know Gary Johnson very well. He deserves the attention. He deserves the floor,” King said.

Ventura quoted five-time presidential candidate Ralph Nader, who described the situation in US politics as a “two-party dictatorship.”    

“That’s exactly what we’re in,” the former Navy SEAL, pro-wrestler and actor turned political commentator said.

“This is the year, Larry! This is the year with these two candidates with negatives. This is the year… if people demanded a third person in those debates, you could see the rise of a third party in America,” he added.

Ventura said that America isn’t getting “quality individuals” because “our government has been taken over by and controlled by corporate money.”

The corporations have “taken over all of these two political parties [the Republicans and Democrats] completely. When they have their conventions this month, you’ll see the same lobbyists – but I call them bribers. The same bribers will be at both conventions, controlling our government by paying off our politicians. It’s convention time! It’s bribery month,” he explained.

Ventura also commented on Trump’s decision to choose Mike Pence as his vice presidential running mate in the 2016 election.

“He [Trump] obviously wants to go back and unify the old Republican guard, I guess. I kind of don’t like that out of him. I personally wish he would’ve picked that general that he was talking about [Michael Flynn] – another guy who had nothing to do with politics. I think that would’ve been truthfully a stronger pick for him to keep the ‘revolution’ in the Republican Party going,” he said.  

Indiana Governor Pence is currently “getting rave reviews from the old status-quo of the Republicans, who were all part of the ‘Dump Trump’ movement. If he brings this guy on board they’ll accept Donald for a while,” Ventura added.

He also said that he’s “very concerned” by the unjustified killings of African Americans by the police and fatal attacks on officers in retaliation, which has recently afflicted the US.

According to Ventura, the root causes of the problem are racism and America’s failed war on drugs.

“End the war on drugs… because that’s what militarized our police. That’s what makes the police violate the constitution… They knock down doors and come in shooting. It’s that attitude of ‘shoot first, ask questions later.’ That’s all stemmed from the failed war on drugs,” he explained.