‘Shark Tank’ Star Mark Cuban Wonders About Donald Trump’s Charity Criteria To Debate Bernie Sanders
Early last week, Donald Trump said he’d “love” to debate Bernie Sanders as long as the event raised several million dollars for charity, perhaps $10-$15 million for women’s health. By Friday, according to The Guardian, Trump had backtracked, saying it was inappropriate for him to debate the likely second-place finisher in the Democratic race and would wait to face likely nominee Hillary Clinton. He also said the networks were not forthcoming with a charitable contribution, a claim that the Sanders camp denied.
In an emailed interview with Business Insider, Shark Tank star and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban questioned Trump’s statements, particularly about the donation criteria. He also said he would debate Trump, but the presumptive Republican nominee would not necessarily benefit from the event.
“What I don’t understand is why he doesn’t just volunteer to write his half of the check himself.”
“As fun as it would be, there is no upside for him to debate me. Only downside.”
“That said, there would be no need to raise the money. It would be easy to just write my half of the check.”
Cuban has become increasingly vocal on the presidential race, even appearing on Meet the Press and saying he was open to the possibility of running as either Trump or Hillary Clinton’s running mate. Neither likely nominee has as yet announced a vice-presidential pick.
A separate Business Insider report quoted Cuban’s appearance on ESPN’s Capital Games podcast where the Dallas Mavericks owner elaborated on his interest in being on a presidential ticket. He said it doesn’t matter whether he agrees with either of the two presidential candidates with whom he might partner to run the country.
“It’s a matter about whether or not I can add value and whether or not I can impact any perspective and hopefully have a positive impact on the country. I’m not here to tell you that I’m the only person capable of doing this. I’m not. I’m not here to tell you I’m the smartest person capable of doing this. I’m not. But what I am — what I will say that I am is that I’m willing. And sometimes that’s the big difference.”
Earlier this year, Cuban said that although he might have presidential ambitions of his own, he would not pursue them while he still had a young family. As the Inquisitr previously reported, Cuban expressed concerns about Trump’s candidacy but stopped short of endorsing Hillary Clinton.
The Washington Post reported that, although Cuban probably won’t be tapped to be vice-president by either Clinton or Trump, there is no longer an argument that he is not “vice-presidential.” His reality show credentials do not disqualify him, given that the former host of The Apprentice is in the running for the highest office in the U.S.
Additionally, Cuban’s fines from the NBA for, among other things, using cuss words, do not disqualify him when current V.P. Joe Biden has been overheard using salty language. As for Cuban’s appearance as the president in the film Sharknado 3, during which his character used the White House’s weapons to save himself, The Washington Post argues that it means he’s “probably better at weaponry than President George W. Bush’s veep, Dick Cheney, who famously (and accidentally) shot his hunting buddy in the face.”
Reruns of Shark Tank starring Mark Cuban air on ABC Fridays and weeknights on CNBC.
[Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images]
