What the Mark Cuban VP Rumors Really Mean for Clinton
What the Mark Cuban VP Rumors Really Mean for Clinton
ABIGAIL TRACY
Vanity Fair
As Hillary Clinton’s lead over Donald Trump in national polls has diminished over the past several weeks from consistent double-digit margins to as low as a two-point edge, there’s been growing chatter that Clinton should fight fire with fire by picking a running mate as ridiculous as the New York billionaire. One name in particular that has been consistently thrown around the rumor mill as a potential vice-presidential candidate: Mark Cuban.
With what was supposed to be an easy win for the former secretary of state shaping up to be a tighter race than expected, the Clinton campaign is facing a dilemma: How do you take on an opponent with a complete disregard for political norms? Politico reports that a contingent of democrats and #NeverTrump Republicans seem to think Cuban is the answer. Like the presumptive G.O.P. nominee, Cuban is a reality-TV star with billions to his name, a rabid social-media following, and no fear of speaking his mind. And he certainly appears open to the idea—or, at least, receptive to the attention.
The Clinton camp has dismissed the idea of the Shark Tank star being up for consideration for the vice-presidential spot. Politico reports that insiders close to Clinton said he is “not on any list, short or otherwise.” But whether or not Clinton is seriously considering Cuban for the role is beside the point. The fact that the whisper campaign even exists speaks to the shaky state of Clinton’s campaign. The Cuban buzz reflects the fact that the likely Democratic nominee faces an unexpectedly formidable opponent in Trump and that she might need backup from someone who has already gone head-to-head with the real-estate mogul. Cuban certainly fits the bill. (So does Elizabeth Warren, but there are reasons to think that picking the Massachusetts senator could backfire for Hillary.)
I refuse to believe this is a thing.
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