Mark Cuban revealed that former Vice President Kamala Harris had considered him as a potential running mate in her bid for the White House last year – but he turned her down.
The billionaire entrepreneur, who served as a high-profile surrogate for Harris’s failed campaign, made the shocking admission in a sneak preview of “The Bulwark” podcast after host Tim Miller pressed him about “some green room gossip at MSNBC” related to the request.
The former “Shark Tank” judge said the Democrat’s team had reached out to ask him to submit vetting materials – but he felt a review of his extensive background would be a waste of time.
“My response was I’m not very good as the number two person,” Cuban told Miller in a clip of Friday’s episode.
“And so if the last thing we need is me telling Kamala, you know, the president that, no, that’s a dumb idea. And I’m not real good at the shaking hands and kissing babies.”
Miller responded by telling the Dallas Mavericks minority owner that he may have been a bigger – and “meaningfully different” – asset to Harris’s campaign than Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who she ultimately chose to join her losing ticket.
“I mean, obviously it would have been different,” Cuban said, noting that he’s not a politician.
“My personality is completely different than Tim’s. My experiences, my backgrounds are completely different. I think I’ve cut through the sh–t more directly. I’m not a politician. And so, it would have been different, but it would have been awful.”
The businessman joked that Harris probably would have fired him within six days.
Miller pushed back, saying that Cuban joining the presidential ticket would have been “better than the present situation,” referring to President Trump and Vice President JD Vance, who overwhelmingly won the election last November.
“Well, yea, that’s true. But, you know, I really thought she was going to win,” Cuban replied.
Cuban actively campaigned for Harris on the trail, even facing some backlash after claiming Trump does not surround himself with “strong, intelligent women” during an appearance on “The View.”
He immediately regretted his careless remarks and tried to clear them up — later congratulating the commander in chief for winning the election “fair and square.”
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