On several occasions, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban suggested that he would consider running to become the President of the United States. The billionaire previously stated he would more likely run as a Republican, but said if he were to challenge current President Donald Trump head-to-head, he'd have to do it as a third-party candidate. Early polls even showed that Cuban would beat Trump in some key states during the 2020 election, too.
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Prior to Dallas' game against the Brooklyn Nets back in 2019, the New York Daily News spoke with Cuban about his interest in running for president. While he didn't decline a potential bid in the future, Cuban said that "it's something that if circumstances were right I would do," but hopefully that day never comes. The last thing we need is another television star-turned-political candidate running for president.
Regardless if you like what President Trump has done or not, you would be naive to deny that his presidency has figuratively — and literally — built a wall through our country. Liberal neighbors hate conservative ones now more than ever before, and Republicans can't scroll Facebook without reposting every single terrible joke at a Democrat's expense. That happened because Trump rallied his base with pointed rhetoric meant to fracture his opponents, which spilled over to both sides of the aisle.
It would become a Barnum and Bailey's Circus if Mark Cuban ran for president against Trump.
President Trump on Mark Cuban Running for President
I know Mark Cuban well. He backed me big-time but I wasn't interested in taking all of his calls.He's not smart enough to run for president!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 12, 2017
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"You have to show people how they can have an upside and how problems are solvable, but you can't just say 'the government will figure it out,'" Cuban told the Daily News. "You've got to get right to the heart of the matter and get to the details first. Sort of like a business plan. That way every voter can see them."
Cuban preached economic hope and running to show he's not a traditional politician, just like Trump did when he won the 2016 Presidential Election. Cuban added that the Democratic Party is clearly divided, and he can see the potential opportunity to use his influence and wealth to make a run at the White House.
During an interview on Fox News, Cuban reiterated that he's "not saying no" to a potential presidential bid. He added that because the deadline to file as an independent candidate in 2020 has already passed in many states, "it's not something that I'm actively pursuing," but the coronavirus pandemic and spread of COVID-19 means he's not ruling it out.
Cuban said, "I'm just keeping the door open. ... You just don't know what can happen between now and November."
Mark Cuban Talks Potential Presidential Run
"You just don’t know what could happen between now and November."
Mark Cuban on whether or not he will be running for President this year. #FNS #FoxNews pic.twitter.com/gG899KktHH— Fox News Sunday (@FoxNewsSunday) April 12, 2020
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I'm not saying Mark Cuban isn't smart enough to be president. I mean, I haven't built multiple successful businesses or owned an NBA franchise, so he's better qualified than I am. I'm confident he has the wits and ambition to put together a presidential run, but that's completely different from the outside perception he'd receive.
Could you imagine how much Trump would dump on the 'Shark Tank' investor? What would become the deciding factor for swing voters: legitimate political policy or who came up with the best nickname for their opponent? Trump and Cuban have already traded shots in the past, and this thing would become an absolute fiasco.
How soon they forget .... pic.twitter.com/VXcfnjj4qX
— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) February 12, 2017
The presidency shouldn't be an online popularity contest, but that's exactly what it's becoming. What does an NBA owner know about foreign policy? How can a public figure who wasn't aware of serious workplace misconduct against women in his own front office ever expect to win the trust of most Americans?
This isn't a reality TV show. This is a farce, and anyone putting serious stock in Cuban running for president is just naive.
Then again, stranger things have happened.
