Mark Cuban says he proposed that Elon Musk meet with Harris, but his team declined

(WASHINGTON) – Billionaire businessman Mark Cuban, who has thrown his weight behind Vice President Kamala Harris, told ABC News on Tuesday that he tried to arrange a private meeting between Elon Musk and Harris, but his team refused.

Cuban said the campaign was approved because “they didn’t think Elon Musk could keep the conversation private.”

“The things he says about Kamala are so far-fetched that I thought it would be beneficial for them to talk,” Cuban said of Musk.

If Harris wins the race, Cuban said he would still try to set up a conversation between Harris and Musk, given that he is one of the “greatest businessmen.” The move “isn’t political, it’s common sense,” Cuban added.

Cuban also said Musk’s promise to give away $1 million a day to voters for signing his political action committee’s petition is a move of “desperation” that could “backfire.”

Two weeks before Election Day, Cuban told CNBC that the biggest challenge for the Harris campaign is that “they’re not big salespeople.”

Cuban explained, saying being a salesman isn’t Harris’ strength.

“Harris is not a good salesperson: she is strong on politics, integrity, ethics, understanding, self-awareness, open-mindedness,” said Cuban, a star of ABC’s reality show “Shark Tank” and former majority owner of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks. “He’s great at politics for business and politics at the general level. That’s where his strengths lie. Not everyone is a great salesman.”

“Trump is the opposite. He will say things that are not even remotely true,” Cuban said, adding that Trump will repeat falsehoods to sell.

Cuban said he has talked to Harris’ team about improving her as a salesperson, but said that in the sprint to the finish line, “you’re not going to send her to a sales class at this point.”

“If I’m voting for somebody who’s ethical and honest, I’m going to take the person who’s not a great salesman,” Cuban said, adding that stand-ins like him can help sell down the road and that the candidate himself doesn’t. You don’t have to be the best seller.

As Election Day quickly approaches, Cubans and other surrogates are talking to voters about the value their candidate brings and his vision for the country in what is expected to be a close contest. Earlier this month, Cuban embarked on a multi-day speaking tour of battleground Pennsylvania promoting the Harris-Walz ticket.

Cuban said he spoke with Harris recently, noting that his schedule is “worse than a professional sports team,” so he wanted to see how he’s doing.

“I asked her how she’s doing. She’s fine. She’s holding up. She’s a workout machine. Harris is a workout machine,” Cuban said, referring to her exercise routine. “While Donald Trump can’t see his toes.”

Cuban said Harris’ economic plan is an improvement over Trump’s, which he said would raise costs for businesses and consumers.

“The second largest order line for every business is health care, its benefits and it’s looking to reduce those costs. Donald Trump has concepts of a plan,” Cuban said, referring to Trump’s response during ABC News presidential debate when asked about his health care plan.

“He said he’s going to do blanket tariffs. That could be 60% of everything. Almost everything you buy at Christmas is made somewhere in China. If that happens this time next year, then every household will have to reduce what they buy for Christmas,” Cuban added.

Although the polls have tightened, Cuban insists the momentum is still on Harris’ side.

As of July 23, Harris’ favorability rating was 51.6% “unfavorable” and 38.6% “favorable,” based on favorability averages of 538. Currently, 47.2% view her unfavorably and 46.6% favorable.

Cuban said 13 weeks ago that Harris’ “favorables” were negative, but now things have improved.

“She was behind what Joe Biden was throwing at the time. And in these 13 weeks at worst she’s caught up and at best she’s ahead. You realize how incredible that is ?Compared to someone who is a former president and ran the last cycle and has been campaigning almost the whole time since then.”

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.