Staff Reports
Mark Cuban’s recent musings on the Democratic Party’s prospects would be comical if they weren’t so baffling. The former Mavericks owner, who has made a name for himself in the tech world and television, recently took to social media to share his thoughts on Kamala Harris picking Tim Walz, Minnesota’s governor, as her running mate. Apparently, Cuban believes that the switch to Harris turned out just fine, so how could it be any different for Walz? His reasoning sounds like a half-baked strategy pulled straight from a “How to Win Friends and Influence Politicians” manual.
Cuban’s exuberance for Walz’s potential to go from the “worst to first” will surely raise eyebrows, especially for anyone who’s ever had the pleasure of witnessing Minnesota’s policies in action. It appears Cuban thinks this “incredible skill” will somehow translate into electoral success—all while many are left wondering if the tech mogul has been consuming a bit too much of his own product. After all, the people of this nation are not just dreaming of kitchen-table conversations with elected officials; they are facing the gritty reality of runaway inflation and government overreach.
On the @tim_walz choice, I think people who don’t like it are missing the lesson of the switch to Harris.
She went from worst to first as people got to know her.
It’s not a reach to think the same thing will happen with Walz.
People are tired of the ideologues and hate…
— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) August 6, 2024
It’s pretty evident that Cuban’s posting was met with a predictable backlash. Conservative pundits eagerly took to comment sections like kids in a candy store, blasting Walz as a “communist” and “socialist.” It’s not hard to see why the former owner of a basketball team would find himself out of his league when discussing serious politics. For many conservative voices, a Democrat’s likability doesn’t matter when their policies lean dangerously left. Mark Cuban appears to have made himself the poster child for “out of touch.”
Even the most enthusiastic Democrat wouldn’t struggle to guess how a figure like former President Donald Trump might react to the news of Walz’s selection. Trump’s playful “THANK YOU!” response showcased the strategic gold mine this pick could turn out to be for GOP candidates. It’s hard to overlook how such choices feed right into Trump’s hand, as criticisms of Walz are unabashedly confirmed by his own associations. In the minds of many conservatives, the more Democrats cling to their radical ideologies, the easier it becomes for Republicans to paint them as the party of chaos, rather than one of change.
Meanwhile, Cuban remains steadfast in his defense of all things Democratic, often brushing aside concerns about competence and political agendas. This isn’t his first rodeo defending high-profile Democrats; he once gushed over President Biden, shortly before Biden’s infamous about-face on seeking re-election. One has to wonder if Cuban genuinely believes what he claims or if he is merely attempting to convince himself that his party can somehow pull a rabbit out of a hat.
In the fast-paced world of social media and ever-changing political climates, Cuban’s latest proclamation serves as a reminder that the Democrats seem destined to keep narrowing their base, while conservatives sip their coffee, chuckling knowingly at the chaos unfolding on the other side. The spokesperson of hipster tokens cannot convince the majority that a return to old-school, radical ideals is what the public wants. The joke might just be on the tech mogul who struggles to grasp that facts and policies speak louder than kitchen-table charm.
