Actor and writer Matthew McConaughey spoke extensively about the 2024 presidential election and hinted at a possible political run at the National Governors Association’s summer conference in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Friday.
Participating in a discussion about the role of culture in polarization, McConaughey joked with the governors about enjoying the Hollywood heavyweight’s tequila brand the night before, but also took a more serious tone about the “fun” element of American politics. He argued that “extremism seems to be moving further and further left and further and further right” and that “decency doesn’t seem to be up for debate.”
“I know it’s hard to sell success through the art of negotiation because it’s not as fun, sexy or exciting as a car wreck. We’re a nation of voyeurs,” McConaughey said. “Right now, I think we’re all caught up in short-term, short-term gains, so we sit at the negotiating table and we argue and we swear at each other. That’s what I see us doing in America. This is entertainment. I’m in the entertainment industry. Our leaders and our leaders don’t have to be in the entertainment industry.”
“Both extremes, right and left, have microphones. It’s more interesting that way,” he added.
McConaughey took the stage alongside Utah Governor Spencer Cox, a Republican and outgoing NGA chairman, and Colorado Governor Jared Polis, a Democrat and the new chairman-elect for 2024-2025.
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Actor Matthew McConaughey speaks at the National Governors Association’s 2024 Summer Conference, Friday, July 12, 2024, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy (Democrat) drew laughter from attendees when he joked that he “heard” McConaughey had enjoyed tequila with his wife the night before but “can’t remember anything,” before asking McConaughey if a run for public office, which he had previously considered, was still on his “dance card.”
“Yes, I have thought about running for office and being in this category,” McConaughey said. “I’ve been on a learning journey for probably the last six years trying to understand what this category means.”
“Do I have the intuition or the intelligence to know that it’s a good fit for me and that I’m the right fit for it? That would help. I’m still on a learning journey and, you know, days like these, I’m learning a lot. I learned a lot last night. I learned a lot from you last night. Through that tequila, through that tequila, sir,” he told Murphy.
McConaughey, a Texas native, had considered running for governor of Texas several years ago and was rumored to have also considered running for president.
In response to Murphy’s second question about who his favorite director is, McConaughey answered Richard Linklater, who gave him his breakthrough with the 1993 coming-of-age film “Beyond the Fused.”
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox greets actor Matthew McConaughey during the National Governors Association’s summer conference, Friday, July 12, 2024, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
“Okay, okay, okay,” McConaughey said, quoting his own famous line, eliciting cheers from the audience.
“Those are the first three words I ever said in the movie. And people always say, Are you annoyed? Are you tired of being introduced with those words? And I said, ‘No. I know who wrote it,'” McConaughey added.
Hawaii Governor Josh Green encouraged McConaughey to run and urged him not to succumb to pressure to choose a particular party, whether Republican or Democrat.
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“Don’t fall into the trap of thinking you have to stick to just one thing. I think you’re a really warm and likeable person. There are a lot of Republicans who want you to stay Republican and a lot of Democrats who want you to stay Democrat. Just be yourself, because that could be something special for all of us,” Greene said.
Actor Matthew McConaughey speaks at the National Governors Association’s 2024 Summer Conference, Friday, July 12, 2024, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
McConaughey argued that politicians are driven by social media attention and are no longer engaged in a “real competition” through thoughtful debate, and that America’s leaders need to become “better marketers” and salesmen who show the return on investing in “hope and belief.”
“If I were to immediately reject your position, it would be a lack of courage on my part. From the outset, it is not a real confrontation,” he said, acknowledging that part of it comes with “maintaining the party.”
“I want to hear more vision from our leaders, not just, ‘I want to do the opposite of what they want to do,'” McConaughey added. “What’s your vision for the future? Not just, ‘No, all I know is that I don’t want to do it that way, or it’s wrong.’ You look at the two presidential candidates right now, and there’s a lot of fear. And I’ll admit that fear is easier to sell than hope. Fear is easier to measure.”
However, the actor admitted that a “good deal” was a tough sell.
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“The train wreck is in bold, front-page print,” he said. “How do you sell belief? I think what this country needs more of right now is belief. Whether that’s literal belief in a driving force, in God, or belief in ourselves and our neighbors about what America can be, we need more belief.”
“I mean, you touched on so many important themes,” Cox responded. “I try to imagine a presidential candidate like this, talking about faith in something bigger than ourselves, in each other, in our neighbors, painting a positive vision for the country. We don’t see that anymore, because the fear is gone. sell.”
