Matthew McConaughey doesn't rule out a run for office in 2024, but says he would be reluctant

THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

Matthew McConaughey, who has previously flirted with running for office, says it would be “arrogant not to” consider a presidential run.

Speaking to attendees at the Dreamforce conference in San Francisco this week, the “Interstellar” actor, who has not identified with either the Republicans or Democrats, said that he would not rule out running for the Oval Office in 2024, SF Gate reported.

The yearly conference, which is organized by Salesforce, attracts a slew of celebrity speakers to address a largely liberal audience in Silicon Valley. 

“Yeah, I’ll consider it in the future, I’d be arrogant not to, absolutely I would consider it,” said McConaughey. “If I got into any form of politics I’d be remiss not to also go in as an artist and a storyteller; help put a narrative together. You’re the CEO of a state and a nation, a lot of compartmentalization and choices to be made. They scare me but I’m not afraid of ’em.”

McConaughey made his remarks in a conversation with Salesforce co-CEO Marc Benioff, which included comments on the school shooting that happened in his hometown of Uvalde, Texas. 

“If that happened to me I would be pulled into it,” McConaughey added, noting his reluctance to run for office unless asked to do so. “If I’m living right, which I’m trying to, we get pulled into things … it’s inevitable. I didn’t choose it, it chose me.”

Speaking on the extreme divisions currently afflicting politics in the United States, the actor remained optimistic about there being room to reach out to both sides of the aisle.

“There’s definitely a greater divide now than there has been,” he said. “One thing is we have to admit that part of that divide is the Kool-Aid we’re being sold. The divide is not as thick as we’re being sold; most of us are much more near the middle than we’re being told.”

He noted that both parties have good points, and that it is necessary to reconcile the points both Democrats and Republicans are making without a hard line in between them.

“[To] the Left, this is about regulation, this is about keeping the weapon out of the bad guy’s hand, [to] the Right, this is about mental health, but each one of them would put a period after their argument,” he said. “You’re right, just put a comma after your argument. Both of your arguments are much closer to the solution than each of them independently.”