A Wrestler in the White House? Ventura Book Excerpt (The Steel Cage)

News has surfaced over the last few days about former Minnesota governor and pro wrestling great Jesse "The Body" Ventura teasing in his new book that he is considering running for president.

I was at Ventura's WWE Hall of Fame induction four years ago where he first hinted that he was considering vying for the Oval Office. At the conclusion of his induction speech, Ventura said something to the effect of, "Maybe we should put a wrestler in the White House in 2008." It didn't get near the reaction he would have hoped at the time, and I'd be surprised if the Body gets much attention now.

I got my hands on an advanced copy of Ventura's new book, "Don't Start the Revolution Without Me," which has few mention of his wrestling past except for this portion. As so many other wrestlers-turned mainstream stars do, Ventura tries to distance himself from his wrestling roots, until he could use WWE to promote something.

Here's the excerpt from Ventura's book, in which he envisions a meeting with WWE chairman Vince McMahon at WWE's Connecticut headquarters:

"Vince, you've always been a gambler. You've been P.T. Barnum on just about every stage in America. Except - I can bring you to the biggest stage out there. And that is the presidency of the Unites States.

"We come at it from this angle, Vince. The wrestling fans feel that they're being ignored. Just like the independent voters are. Well, this is America. America stands for freedom, a nation where anyone can run for the highest office in the land. So the WWE calls a press conference. You're going to create your own political party. The hell with Democrats and Republicans. The people want a WWE candidate!

"First you make this a legal political party. You run wrestling in just about every state. So you send your people out saying: do whatever it takes to get whoever we deem is going to be our candidate on the ballot. In all the states, people are collecting the signatures. As you do your various events, you have the crowd signing the petitions.

"The Democrats and the Republicans don't know what's going on. Is this real? Is it not? It's wrestling, after all. You, Vince, are of course the natural candidate. You're the leader, the brains behind it all. That's what we've got everybody thinking - up until the next WrestleMania approaches in March of 2008.

"Shortly before that is when I come on the scene to challenge you. Hey, Vince McMahon stands for corporate America! If this guy doesn't mean special interest, who would? He's got it tattooed to his forehead! I ridicule you; this time, I get to play the good guy and you're the villain! I turn you into the Democrats and the Republicans. Jesse Ventura comes out of retirement in the Baja to dethrone Vince.

"I become the WWE's candidate. At that point it all becomes real. No longer a gimmick. We're on the ballot in every state. And we haven't had to raise any money to get there.

"In the fall, if the two parties don't let me into their debates, then you hold your own. And if the other candidates don't show, you put up phony cardboard figures of them and make a mockery of the whole thing.

"Because we're also here to deliver the message to America: Look what we've turned into. I have every right to run. I was a mayor and know local government. I was a governor and know state government. It's a natural progression. I am qualified to be president. I've been there at every level but the federal, and how many governors become presidents? Lots. The point being that if they won't let me in, we cry foul.

"So that's the mechanism I came up with, Vince, sitting down here in the Baja with too much time on my hands. It comes down to this: I can't beat them conventionally. I can't go into this and be competitive by doing it their way. They'll destroy me too quickly. They've got to be tricked, fooled. Then you catch them in the final six months. I honestly believe, if the timing is correct, I can win. Because I also thank that, by the time we build up to WrestleMania next spring, people are really going to be sick of all these other candidates.

"That's the great thing about wrestling, it's there to create. You can take on anything, and nothing is beyond belief."

Ventura goes on to lay out a fantasy scenario where he would announce his presidency at WrestleMania 24 later this month. "This is no joke, folks, this is real!," he would tell the fans after pushing McMahon aside in the ring.

He describes a scene of 70,000 fans mostly cheering him on, while a few boo, and McMahon sneering at Ventura for stealing his thunder. The announcement would follow a battle royal involving wrestlers representing McMahon and others representing Ventura. Of course, Ventura's contingent would win. Ventura adds that "Muhammad Ali, seated at ringside, gave a thumbs-up to Ventura."

With just two weeks to WrestleMania, I'm going to go out on a limb and predict that this angle will not come to pass. And it's just as well. There's already a battle royal booked on the show.