I mean, probably not. But you never know.
Actor Matthew McConaughey is apparently not interested in running for Texas governor unless he thinks the role would allow him to truly make a difference.
On Thursday, the Texas-born actor went on the New York Times Opinon’s Sway podcast, an interview show hosted by Kara Swisher, and explained what he meant by “measuring” a possible run for governor next year, saying he is still learning about politics from mentors — who he refrained from naming — and is considering how useful he would be in the position.
“Is that a place to make real change or is it a place where right now it’s a fixed game, you go in there, you just put on a bunch of band-aids, in fours year you walk out and they rip them off and you’re gone?” the actor told Swisher. “I’m not interested in that.”
The self-proclaimed “folk-singing philosopher, poet-statesman” went on to call politics a “broken business” when it comes to political ideologies and said he fears a civil war if politicians remain on a path of “preservation of party” while not truly considering their constituents. McConaughey also reasoned that he could have have more influence in an informal role.
With regards to fixing this issue, McConaughey said, “One side I’m arguing is ‘McConaughey exactly, that’s why you need to go get in there. The other side is ‘that’s a bag of rats man. Don’t touch that with a ten foot pole. You have another lane. You have another category to have influence and get done things you’d like to get done and help how you think you can help and even heal divides.'”
You can parse it out however you want. I tend to think that actual candidates are more definitive about their intentions, or at least follow a familiar script when they’re being teases (*cough* *cough* Beto *cough* *cough*). This reads more to me like someone who hasn’t fully engaged with the question, and his subsequent remarks about “third parties” and “aggressive centrism” are just pablum. It might read differently if he were busy articulating positions and how he differed from the establishment, but that requires taking positions and risking the discovery that they’re not as popular or as original and differentiating as you might think. But that’s just me. If you’re dying for him to run, you probably think he sounds like he’s raring to go. We’ll know soon enough. The Texas Signal, which actually listened to that podcast and transcribed some of its more interesting bits, has more.
Good, sometimes great actor, but no politician or serious contender for any role in that realm.
WANTED: DIFFERENCE MAKERS [Read job description before applying]
Re: “unless he thinks the role would allow him to truly make a difference.”
Blah … Has he had a chance to read up on the powers and roles of Texas Governor yet? The Guv gets to make a lot of appointments, including judges (to vacancies). That would be a difference-making opportunity right there independent of near-absolute powers to rule under the Disaster Act that can apparently be used to impose universal statewide bans on mask- and condom-wearing mandates, with ensuing litigation assured in the event of noncompliance.
And unlike Beto or Abbott, he could be recruiting talent from both sides on the spectrum, which would give that bifurcated talent pool/pipleline a reason to support him as a nonpartisan dispenser of patronage and plums.
Most importantly, a 3-way race lowers the margin for victory to below 50% (with no run-off) so both Beto and McCentrist could both benefit (i.e., be competitive as to the incumbent) as long as Count Middleroad van Centerville of Political Gravitas actually stays in the center and poaches enough moderate conservatives to pursue his alternative wishy-washy agenda.
WHERE IS WALDO ?
And while we on the topic of centrist politics and nonpartisanship, has anyone heard anything further from the SAM party?