A defense of Mike Bloomberg's role in this election campaign.

[denem]

In his statement on Stop and Frisk, Bloomberg stated "Between now and November, I will do everything I can to defeat you whether I am on the ballot or not.”
https://www.democraticunderground.com/1287502285

I believe him. I believe he will fight just as hard to end trump's presidency whether the candidate is Buttigieg, Sanders or himself.

Why? Because he has put everything on the line - not only money, his reputation, his place in history, but also the well being of his family, his friends, his colleagues, all he cares about. Bloomberg would be as aware as anyone that if trump wins a second term, MF45/Barr will come after him with everything they've got. The more he trolls the orange sadist, the more extreme the revenge MF45 will demand come 2021. He knows all that, but is going for broke anyway.

This is not the Mike Bloomberg cautious data guy, Mayor of NYC, who calculated every move. It is more the man who decided to take on take on the NRA. In 2020 he making the biggest bet of his life. He is betting the farm on ending trump's tyranny, come what may.

I do respect Mike's patriotism. For Democrats, for once we not be at a financial disadvantage in taking on the RNC and their 'investors'. As for the nomination, it is up to each individual campaign to perform well enough to get the delegates, as it alway is. Mike is running a general election campaign, not targeting competitors.

For those allergic to the 'billionaire class', consider what will happen if Sanders or other progressive wins the nod. Bloomberg will be reviled by some as a class traitor, and may wear it as proudly as FDR did back in the day, as his enemies are fascists. Whatever his personal views of the eventual nominee may be, if he misses out he has made his bed and set his course. There is no turning back.

Yes, this may be a starry eyed interpretation of everything, but it is consistent with the facts. As always, the future in unwritten, but it must not include Donald J. Trump.

[RandySF]

1. I'll give you my less eloquent defense of Bloomberg.

He's spending millions of dollars kicking the shit out of Trump and building a huge GOTV organization.

[empedocles]

2. At the simplest level, MB is hitting traitortrump harder than anyone else

[George II]

3. Thank you so much.

[brer cat]

4. Good post, denem.

I think you are correct that he will continue to fight trump regardless of who is nominated. And he is certainly taking the fight to trump. I think he would defeat him if he won the nomination.

[denem]

9. If Bloomberg wins the nomination,

ir would free the DNC to fundraise for the congressional campaigns. That's a bonus.

I hope he would consider a POC for his VP, preferably a woman.

[brer cat]

25. I hope so too. nt

[honest.abe]

5. I suspect he is also getting threats to himself and his family.

He is taking a huge personal risk going so aggressive against Trump. I applaud the man. Thank God he is on our side.

[Gravitycollapse]

6. Bloomberg can take a fucking hike.

We don’t need him or his billions.

[honest.abe]

7. Some of you Sanders people seem to be afraid of Bloomberg.

His billions can offset Trump and the GOP’s billions. Why would any Democrat not welcome that??

[Gravitycollapse]

8. My vote does not go to the highest bidder.

Bloomberg has no principles other than money. He’s a racist, classist billionaire who only enters the race because he felt the 1% were being treated unfairly.

[honest.abe]

10. You don't have to vote for him to appreciate what he is doing with his money.

His ads are targeted at Trump only. No doubt those ads are helping us. Why reject that??

[Gravitycollapse]

11. Let him drop out and actually atone for the damage he's done.

He’s only spending this cash because it’s a vanity project. He doesn’t actually care about any of this.

[honest.abe]

12. I think he cares deeply.

He has put himself at huge personal risk attacking Trump so aggressively. I believe he hates Trump for what he is doing to this country.

[Happyhippychick]

13. Many would argue that someone who has campaigned non-stop since 2015 is a vanity project

[Gravitycollapse]

14. Lol. Can't win the argument, why not attack Bernie.

This is becoming a classic on DU.

[Happyhippychick]

19. Your "argument" is to attack Bloomberg as a vanity project. He has put millions of his money

to flip the house and to fund the eventual democratic nominee.

All while not saying one disparaging word about a single democrat.

He has done more to help this country in a year than any single person. We wouldn’t have the house if it wasn’t for him.

And he hasn’t had to stand at a dais for 5 straight years todo one bit of it. He has no ego. He doesn’t need the screaming accolades. He just delivers.

[ChubbyStar]

21. A billionaire has no ego?

Comedy fucking gold.

[Gravitycollapse]

24. Everyone is falling over themselves to serve this hack, racist billionaire

It would be amusing if it wasn’t so horrifying.

[ChubbyStar]

26. I saw this coming so I am not shocked, it is a very bad TV production

Yet my level of disgust is beyond the pale.

[jcmaine72]

27. I know. It's surreal.

[Gravitycollapse]

23. Kiss that ring.

It’s easy to buy support when you’re worth $60 billion.

[totodeinhere]

16. But if we embrace a billionaire we become as bad as they are. We don't need two billionaires

running against each other. We all want to defeat Trump but we should do it the right way. Embracing someone with Bloomberg's racist record is not the way forward.

[honest.abe]

18. I think it's going to take a billionaire to beat a billionaire.

Fortunately we happen to have one on our side.

[totodeinhere]

20. Nope. it's going to take someone with a vision who is on the people's side, not the the side of the

oligarchs and Bloomberg certainly is an oligarch. And by the way. Clinton spent twice as much as Trump and lost. It's not just about money but when it comes to money Bernie is well financed and he will have the necessary funds to run an effective campaign. If it gets to the point where our only choice is between billionaires then we are in big trouble.

[honest.abe]

22. You forgot to count Russian rubles spent to help Trump.

That probably quadrupled what Clinton spent.

We are in a life or death situation now and we need every possible advantage we can get. Bloomberg gives us a huge financial boost. It would be absurd and foolish to reject it.

[totodeinhere]

28. Bloomberg said he would do everything he could to defeat Trump whether he is the nominee

or not. So lets take him up on it and nominate Bernie or Joe or Elizabeth and then let Mike do everything he can from the sidelines. We need to reject the Wall Street money barons, not elect one of them.

[honest.abe]

29. I believe he will no matter who is the nominee.

In fact he is already actively doing it now by running attack ads against Trump and donating to Dem candidates and donating to Dem registration efforts.

It remains to be seen if he can actually become a viable candidate for the Democratic nomination.

[TheCowsCameHome]

30. He would whip Trump's sorry ass.

And Trump knows it.

[Gravitycollapse]

32. So how low are we willing to go to beat Trump?

Like, how much of a POS would a candidate have to be to lose your support?

[Dem4Life1102]

15. This Bloomberg?

https://www.democracynow.org/2004/9/2/guantanamo_on_the_hudson_detained_rnc

https://www.nydailynews.com/archives/news/mayor-tax-break-net-gain-budget-plan-article-1.507707

[totodeinhere]

17. Yes, that's the one. n/t

[denem]

33. I have no problem with anything here

about why Bloomberg should not be nominee. And expressed as hard as possible. Warren is my preference for gawd’s sake. But if he truly is going to to ‘everything to defeat trump’, it would be crazy to hate his money.

[Hekate]

31. Thank you

[denem]

34. yw

[Hekate]

35. The displays of embittered purity get me down. We're drowning & someone throws us a rope...

We're in a burning building and someone puts a ladder up to our window. Our child is injured and someone bares their arm and offers blood.

But no, oh no, the person offering this vital help is someone we don't like. We'd rather die that accept that help.

[denem]

36. The centermeter peter brigade do not bother me.

There are adults with their eyes on the prize . I thank them for their leadership and service.

[denem]

37. kick

[Laelth]

38. Bloomberg has (finally) decided to care about his legacy.

That's a good thing, imo.

-Laelth