It sounds ridiculous when you say it out loud, but a former host of reality TV series The Apprentice really does want to run for President. Insane, right? That being said, the only reason why you would bet against Arnold Schwarzenegger taking the next step in his dormant political career is because he’s not allowed to.
Despite being an American citizen since the early 1980s, the actor and former Governor of California is forbidden to even consider a tilt at the highest office in the land for the obvious reason that he wasn’t born in the country. There were murmurings during his stint at the helm of an entire state that an exception could be made, although it didn’t end up happening.
However, in an interview with CNN when he was asked if it was something he thought about to this day, Schwarzenegger didn’t just come clean and admit it, but he also stated that he could potentially win the whole damn thing.
“Well, yes, of course. I mean, I think the field was wide open in 2016. And I think the field is open right now. I mean, think about it right now. I mean, who is there? There is really not a person that can bring everyone together. Who is here today that people say okay, he’s not too old or he’s not too this or too that, or is that because it’s now a question about who do you vote against then who do you vote for? Absolutely. Put me in because it’s, look – it’s a no-brainer. I see so clearly how I could win that that election.”
The Austrian Oak may have left office with his approval ratings trending downwards, but the fruits of his labors were felt for years to come. There’s the terrifying chance that Donald Trump will end up landing the Republican nomination once more despite his legal woes, but one surefire way to prevent that would be to drop an Arnold-sized bomb on the field of candidates.