Ben Affleck Says There's 'Nobody Alive' Who Believes US Politics is Going Well — And Explains Why He Won't Personally Run for Office

Former Batman Ben Affleck has revealed the reason he won't run for political office, despite claiming there is a "collective disappointment" in how U.S. politics is currently trending.

Affleck is soon set to star in Animals, a political thriller for Netflix in which he plays a Los Angeles mayoral candidate involved in the criminal underworld.

Back in the early 2000s, Affleck occasionally expressed interest in following suit (minus the criminal underworld bit), but despite calls from many of his fellow cast members for him to genuinely pursue a political career, Affleck has now spoken out to squash the suggestion and reveal why he has no interest in public office — while simultaneously airing his unhappiness with the current state of the country.

"We don't ask the question of 'what are your qualifications to hold public office?' any longer," Affleck began, talking to Variety. "It's, 'You wanna join the circus? Who's the biggest carny?'

"Whatever side of the aisle you're on, …