Jesse Ventura: I’d consider being Ron Paul’s VP

Former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura announced today that he would consider becoming Ron Paul’s running mate — but only if the congressman runs for president on the Libertarian ticket.

The colorful political figure, who led Iowa’s neighbor to the north from 1999 to 2003, made the proclamation during an interview on ABC’s “Good Morning America.”
“If Ron Paul runs as an independent, I will give great consideration to being his running mate,” Ventura said on-air, noting that his new book, “63 Documents the Government Doesn’t Want You to Read,” is dedicated to the Texas legislator.

Paul won the Libertarian Party’s nomination for the 1988 presidential race, and vied for the Republican nomination in 2008. He has paid visits to Iowa and New Hampshire in the past month, but has yet to announce whether he plans to enter the 2012 race.

There’s no indication that Paul has spoke to Ventura, a former professional wrestler, about his presidential aspirations. During the ABC interview, “The Body” offered his views on two other potential Republican presidential candidates from his home state — Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann and Tim Pawlenty, who replaced Ventura as the state’s governor and held the post through Jan. 3.

Ventura said he has no use for candidates who tow a party line.

“I will not be a Democrat or a Republican,” he said. “They are the problem, not the solution.”