Bloomberg is using centrist Dems' centrism against them.

[DanTex]

It's becoming clearer that Bloomberg is poised to steamroll the centrist "lane" and set up a one-on-one contest between him and Bernie for the nomination.

And there's not much the centrist Dems can do to stop him. Why? Because they've been preaching centrism and warning about the dangers of Bernie and Warren's progressivism for months now. As have the pundits supporting them, talking about how Dems need to go after those suburban moderates. And all this despite that the policies of Bernie and Warren poll extremely well. In effect, the story to voters has been: don't vote for the policies you want, because suburban moderates don't want those things.

So along comes Bloomberg, further right than Biden or Pete. Are they going to go after him on stop and frisk? On his anti-union positions? On cutting social benefits? After months of telling voters not to be "perfectionists" or "purists", it would be a total about-face.

The other problem is that the centrist pundits that have been pushing people like Biden and Pete actually prefer Bloomberg's positions to Biden or Pete. For people like Tom Friedman or Jennifer Rubin, Bloomberg is a dream president. They don't have to hold their nose, they like the fact that he stopped and frisked people and that he wants to balance the budget by cutting social security and medicare.

So here we go, it's all coming down to Bernie versus Bloomberg.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. If that's the contest - and we don't know that yet -

Bloomberg will have my vote. But then, so would Biden, Buttigieg, Klobuchar, or any other primary candidate vs. Bernie except for Gabbard.

[msongs]

2. to be fair they both have long histories of opposing the democratic party nt

[LanternWaste]

3. So many prophecies. So little supporting evidence.

But we get it... Bloomberg and Sanders both have a history of opposition to the Democratic party.

[redstateblues]

4. You can argue policy all day. Policy promises don't win elections. Beating Trump is the main thing

I don't think Bernie can win the GE. I think Bloomberg can.

[bucolic_frolic]

5. As the sign says

Any Functioning Adult 2020

A big deep-pocketed player can read the political spectrum and see a way to drive through it. I see this as a weakness in all our candidates for decades. It's like they think there is no other view of the world but the middle and middle-left.

I'm no fan of Bloomberg, he's done some good things, he's done some things I don't like. Bloomberg has traction because he is taking on Trump instead of taking on those bickering over their own policies. I think Bloomberg has engaged the press, they are lobbing softballs and he's teed up some very good answers.

So the real question in my mind is why haven't OUR candidates focused on Trump instead of competing with each other over crumbs? We've got 5 health care proposals everyone knows the basics of what they want, but have they defined Trump? Maybe they need comedy writers to bulk up on good zingers!

[comradebillyboy]

6. I think Bloomberg could get significant numbers of anti-Trump

Republicans to vote for him. Of all the Democrats Bloomberg would have the biggest crossover appeal.