Billionaire businessman Mark Cuban, who has thrown his weight behind Vice President Kamala Harris, advised ABC Information on Tuesday that he tried to arrange a personal assembly between Elon Musk and Harris, however her crew declined.
Cuban mentioned the marketing campaign handed as a result of “they did not suppose Elon Musk might maintain the dialog personal.”
“The issues he says about Kamala are up to now off I assumed it could be useful for them to speak,” Cuban mentioned of Musk.
If Harris wins the race, Cuban mentioned he’d nonetheless attempt to arrange a dialog between Harris and Musk, provided that he is one of many “greatest entrepreneurs.” The transfer is “not political — it’s normal sense,” Cuban added.
Entrepreneur Mark Cuban speaks at a marketing campaign occasion for US Vice President Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris at College Wisconsin-La Crosse in La Crosse, Wisconsin, on October 17, 2024.
Craig Lassig/AFP by way of Getty Pictures
Cuban additionally mentioned that Musk’s pledge to offer away $1 million a day to voters for signing his political motion committee’s petition is a transfer out of “desperation” that would “backfire.”
With two weeks till Election Day, Cuban advised CNBC that the Harris marketing campaign’s largest problem is that “they don’t seem to be nice salespeople.”
Cuban elaborated, saying being a salesman just isn’t Harris’ power.
“Harris is simply not a very good salesperson — she’s robust on coverage, integrity, ethics, understanding, self-awareness, open-mindedness,” mentioned Cuban, a star of the ABC actuality TV present “Shark Tank” and the previous majority proprietor of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks. “She’s nice on politics for enterprise and insurance policies throughout the board. That is the place her strengths lie. Not everybody is a good salesperson.”
“Trump is the alternative. He’ll say issues that aren’t remotely true,” Cuban mentioned, including that Trump will repeat falsehoods to make the promote.
Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris speaks throughout a city corridor at Sharon Lynne Wilson Heart for the Arts in Brookfield, Wisc., Oct. 21, 2024.
Jacquelyn Martin/AP
Cuban mentioned he has talked to Harris’ crew about her enhancing as a salesman, however mentioned that within the dash to the end, “you are not going to ship her to a gross sales class at this level.”
“If I am voting for somebody who is moral and trustworthy — I will take the one who just isn’t an excellent salesperson,” Cuban mentioned, including that surrogates like himself may help make the promote on the path and that the candidate themself would not must be one of the best salesperson.
As Election Day quickly approaches, Cuban and different surrogates are speaking to voters in regards to the worth their candidate brings and their imaginative and prescient for the nation in what’s anticipated to be a detailed contest. Earlier this month, Cuban launched into a multi-day talking tour by means of battleground Pennsylvania touting the Harris-Walz ticket.
Cuban mentioned he spoke to Harris not too long ago, remarking that her schedule is “worse than an expert sports activities crew” so he wished to see how she’s doing.
“I requested her how she is. She’s doing effectively. She’s holding up. She’s a exercise machine. Harris is a exercise machine,” Cuban mentioned, referring to her train routine. “Whereas Donald Trump cannot see his toes.”
Cuban mentioned that Harris’ financial plan is an enchancment over Trump’s, which he mentioned would increase prices for companies and shoppers.
“The second largest line merchandise for each enterprise is healthcare, it is advantages, and he or she is seeking to reduce down these prices. Donald Trump has ideas of a plan,” Cuban mentioned, referencing Trump’s response throughout the ABC Information presidential debate when requested about his well being care plan.
“He mentioned he will do throughout the board tariffs. That might be 60% of every part. Virtually every part you purchase for Christmas is made in some unspecified time in the future from China. If that occurs this time subsequent 12 months, then each family goes to have to chop again on what they purchase for Christmas,” Cuban added.
SpaceX and Tesla founder Elon Musk participates in a city hall-style assembly to advertise early and absentee voting at Ridley Excessive Faculty on October 17, 2024 in Folsom, Pennsylvania.
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Pictures
Regardless of the polls tightening, Cuban insists that the momentum continues to be on Harris’ facet.
On July 23, Harris’ favorability ranking was 51.6% “unfavorable” and 38.6% “favorable,” in keeping with 538’s favorability averages. In the intervening time, 47.2% see her as unfavorable and 46.6% as favorable.
Cuban mentioned 13 weeks in the past, Harris’ “favorables had been unfavorable,” however issues have improved now.
“She was behind what Joe Biden was pulling on the time. And in these 13 weeks at worst she’s caught up and at greatest she’s forward. Do you understand how unimaginable that’s? Versus somebody who’s a former president and ran final cycle and has been campaigning nearly all the time since.”
