Michael R. Bloomberg, sensing an opening, explores plans for an independent presidential bid

[Mira]

Source: NY Times

Michael R. Bloomberg, sensing an opening, explores plans for an independent presidential bid
Saturday, January 23, 2016 9:51 AM EST

Galled by Donald J. Trump’s dominance of the Republican field, and troubled by Hillary Clinton’s stumbles and the rise of Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont on the Democratic side, Michael R. Bloomberg has instructed advisers to draw up plans for an independent campaign in this year’s presidential race.
Mr. Bloomberg, the billionaire former mayor of New York City, has in the past contemplated running for the White House on a third-party ticket, but always concluded he could not win. A confluence of unlikely events in the 2016 election, however, has given new impetus to his presidential aspirations.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/24/nyregion/bloomberg-sensing-an-opening-revisits-a-potential-white-house-run.html?emc=edit_na_20160123&nlid=28208667&ref=cta&_r=0

[Hoppy]

1. Who would he take votes from?

[Metric System]

3. In a Sanders vs Trump nightmare scenario? Probably both.

[virtualobserver]

26. bloomberg is delusional

charismatic, he is not.

[totodeinhere]

40. Why are you calling a Sanders vs Trump scenario a nightmare?

I would love to see that match up. It would virtually guarantee a Sanders presidency which would be the best thing that has happened to this country since FDR.

[Algernon Moncrieff]

44. No - most mainstream voters would consider both too extreme and look for someone in the center

Unlike primaries, Presidencies are decided by casual voters that only show up for the GEs and independents. I'm not sure that this group is captivated by either choice. Bloomberg would present a profile many voters would find appealing -- a social moderate/liberal but a fiscal moderate/conservative. Bloomberg probably will not: ban Muslims; waste money building a wall; or attempt to roll back Roe or same sex marriage. On the other hand, he'd be likely seen as friendly to Wall Street and business interests.

[totodeinhere]

45. You obviously are not a Sanders supporter and you don't know what you're talking about.

Large majorities of the country support the main proposals in the Sanders platform. Sanders is not too extreme. Please cut the Clinton campaign talking points.

[Algernon Moncrieff]

48. I know exactly what I'm talking about. Enjoy your Kool Aid.

[SoLeftIAmRight]

65. Noam Chomsky's first political donation was to Bernie!

wise people know

[Algernon Moncrieff]

70. I'm sure the 1-2% of the population that hear him on Democracy Now are thrilled

[orpupilofnature57]

81. We are . The " Mainstream Voters " you speak of are starting to connect the dots, MSM is the

reason why most people don't know what the TPP is all about, but thanks to Amy Goodman having people like Noam Chomsky. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren on her show the 1-2% can educate you pathetic " Mainstream Sycophant Monsters "

[Chemisse]

67. At first blush, Sanders would be considered too extreme.

If there is populous momentum, many could shift accordingly, and vote for him - even some Republicans.

But the political 'wisdom' has both as being too extreme for the average middle-of-the-road voter.

We've seen political wisdom tossed out the window this season, but that doesn't mean there can't be a movement that could sweep Bernie into office.

That would seem less likely if there is a moderate third-party candidate.

[Voice for Peace]

102. Political wisdom is not wisdom; it's something else

But it's not wisdom.
Wisdom is what is attracting people to Sanders. His, and our own.

[Chemisse]

103. Which is why I put quote marks on it.

I could instead have said, the expectations based on decades of watching how politics works and how voters react.

And it doesn't take a lot of brains to realize that when a lot of the country recoils when they hear the word 'socialism' and when Republicans use it like a spear to attack, that it is considered to be an extreme position.

But this season we can expect the unexpected. We can expect a movement - on both sides, and possibly a drastic change in the mindset of the American people.

[daleo]

105. My very conservative province in Canada elected a socialist (NDP)

And, federally, Canada elected a Liberal.

Pundits were dismissing both of them before the election. You never can tell.

[Zen Democrat]

106. Bernie would have been mainstream in the 1930's, 40's, 50's and 60's.

It's only in Ronald Reagan America that Bernie is not mainstream. Yeah, I want to take back my country, too. Back to the days when ultra-conservative know-nothings were on the margins of political thought. Their theories have been put in practice and failed. Time for them to self-retreat. lol

We are progressives. We're going FORWARD. Trump wants to go back to open hostilities, Hillary wants to stay the course - and both are losing positions in 2016.

I wouldn't have thought so a year ago (I thought Hillary Clinton would be a shoo-in), but times have changed immensely. And President Obama has been the catalyst for this change, including the implosion of the radical conservatives.

As the Chambers Brothers sang: Time has come today!

[KamaAina]

78. "a Sanders vs Trump nightmare scenario"?!

For The Combover, maybe. For the 99%, not at all!

[LiberalElite]

4. I don't think he has a chance - too normal eom

[pipoman]

8. Normal people think banning 32oz drinks is good governance?

[Algernon Moncrieff]

46. It's the same type of argument used against Michelle Obama's school lunch programs

Do I think the big soda ban was well thought out? No. Do I think it's important that something be done to address the obesity epidemic? Yes. Just as I tire of the complaints by lazy school systems about how hard it is to comply with healthier food initiatives, I also tire of the attacks on Bloomberg's soda initiative. Frankly, soda and junk food need to be sin-taxed like liquor and tobacco; however, it's as hard to define "what is junk food?" as it is to define "what is an assault weapon?"

[pipoman]

85. No its not even remotely the same....at all...

School lunches are provided to children who are left in the control and custody of the state and their lunches are subsidized by the state..the state can and does set guidelines, rules and regs for their subsidies. If the school opts out of the subsidies, as many have, they can have McDonald's cater their school lunches.

No, Bloomberg is a intolerable control freak 1%er, charlatan who will be laughed out of the race or rob Democrats of urban votes...

[Algernon Moncrieff]

92. No - it's exactly the same

It's government taking a responsible stand against an epidemic of obesity and diabetes because neither parents nor individuals will do it themselves.

[pipoman]

94. Well most of the US are not Stalinists...like completely insignificant Stalinists are....

[Algernon Moncrieff]

96. Stalinism would be proposing the wholesale slaughter of political opponents

This is trying to save citizens from obesity and diabetes -- like regulations against smoking have saved people from cancer.

Why is this so hard for you?

[pipoman]

97. Because I'm not a Stalinist...I will never understand Stalinists...

Your lack of understanding of Stalinism notwithstanding....

[Algernon Moncrieff]

98. Total economic control, Zero tolerance for political opposition, Strict constructionist collectivism

Enver Hoxha embraced Stalin for decades in Albania even after Stalin tried to sell him out to Tito.

I get what Stalinism is. It's not restricting soda sales.

[pipoman]

100. You forgot the authoritarian component...

The number has to be in the high 90% of Americans who have no desire for their government to dictate their diet. Especially billionaire assholes from NY...he is a complete joke outside of NY...

[Algernon Moncrieff]

101. I bet a lot of Americans resent the 10 fold increase in cigarette prices since 1979

Public health is not authoritarianism. The government inspects packing houses and restaurants; mandates that school children receive certain vaccinations; reserves the right of quarantine.

Just as smoking became a drain on the economy, diabetes and obesity are causing an unacceptable economic drag.

[pipoman]

108. Yes, people realize that authoritarianism is always enacted

under the guise of public safety...

[LiberalElite]

56. I meant (and I'm surprised I have to explain it)

"normal" as compared to the right-wing wingnuts.

[pipoman]

86. He isn't a right winger....he is a gun control complete nut

Every vote will come from the left....if he enters the thug wins.

[LiberalElite]

88. I did not say he is a right winger He is not and THAT is what makes him "normal" eom

[LiberalElite]

89. I don't think he is a gun control complete nut eom

[pipoman]

90. Most people outside of NYC who have paid any attention to him

knows he is ...

[LiberalElite]

91. They believe he is - he is not eom

[pipoman]

95. LOL...just noticed you are a NYer...did you notice in the post you responded to....

"Most people outside of NYC who have paid any attention to him knows he is ..."

I specifically exempted NYers...

[KamaAina]

80. That's why a friend of Mom's calls him "the tiny fascist"

stuff like that, the ban on smoking in parks, etc.

[pipoman]

87. He will steal urban votes from the Democratic candidate

and cost us the election.

[PWPippin]

6. I think from Trump, obviously, and Hillary, not Bernie.

[LiberalElite]

9. Nope not Bernie -

I live in NYC and did not vote for Bloomie the three times he ran for Mayor. Won't start now. He's another corporatist.

[Metric System]

11. Of course he'd take potential votes from Sanders. He wouldn't pull far left progressives, but he'd

probably appeal to moderate Dems turned off by Sanders. Note: in the unlikely event of a Trump vs Sanders vs Bloomberg general election, I'd personally vote for the Democrat

[Algernon Moncrieff]

47. Exactly

[OKNancy]

20. read the article...

[RoccoR5955]

7. They're hoping

that he will take votes away from more liberal candidates, but he's just like another toned down tRump. In that case, I'm pretty sure that it would backfire on them. Them being the 1%.

[SamKnause]

5. Go for it.

The country needs another establishment billionaire candidate in the race.

They really don't understand what is happening in this country.

I hope it hits them in the face like a ton of bricks.

[restorefreedom]

24. completely clueless they are. plus a million. nt

[JackRiddler]

75. Sanders vs. TWO billionaires!

Sounds ideal. Seriously.

[pipoman]

10. He is a bigger cartoon character than trump by a wide margin...

such a self important idiot he thinks he could get any votes at all only demonstrates his foolishness....

[hrmjustin]

12. He would take votes from moderate Dems, Rep, and Indys.

Who knows what woukd happen!

Not good!

[Blasphemer]

13. I agree.... I wonder who in the G.O.P. is encouraging this

They might be conceding a landslide loss with Trump on the ticket and this could be their only hope of keeping a democrat from winning.

[hrmjustin]

14. This whole presidential race is crazy.

[mikehiggins]

15. Probably the most boring speaker I've ever heard.

He wasn't the reason I left NYC for Santa Fe (I love being surrounded by mountains instead of high rise apartment houses) but he did keep me from needing sleeping pills. This is not to deny for a second that he is a phenomenal businessman and innovator. His major problem is he has no vision (other than his anti-gun stance, which I applaud) and is incredibly boring as a speaker. He has zero charisma and does have a tendency to look down on the hoi polloi. Admittedly I might be the same way if I had accomplished what he has--he is the reality that Trump claims to be--but I'd hope my audiences could stay awake until I finished talking.

IMHO just some more headlines to build a firewall for HRC.

And isn't it too late to get on the ballot in many states? Same as Joe Biden?

[MisterP]

72. Pelosi without the partisanship--yowch

[malthaussen]

16. A bit late, I'd think.

Although there are many months to go. I think Santa should put Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer up for election.

-- Mal

[PFunk1]

17. I'm probally wrong in this but he'll be both Trump and Hillary's worst nightmare

Namely a pro-business, democratically-leaning, third-way type candidate that's more likable than her, yet more 'sane' than Trump. I think he's counting on getting enough votes not only taking votes from both of those camps. But from like-minded independents (who wont vote for Bernie) as well to win him the white house. Probably wont work but now is the time for this type of campaign with the way things are.

[OKNancy]

18. If you read the article, he won't run if it is Hillary

So Hillary has nothing to worry about from Bloomberg.

The reports say he will run if the Repubs nominate Trump or Cruz or if the Democrats nominate Sanders.

Since Hillary is going to win the primary, it's a no go for Bloomberg

[Warren Stupidity]

19. Clinton - Bloomberg 2016.

Or is it Bloomberg-Clinton?

Any way it's the ticket for the center 1%.

[OKNancy]

21. Why do people comment without reading the article?

He has said he's likely to launch a bid if Republicans nominate either Donald Trump or Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Democrats nominate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), according to the Times.

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/michael-bloomberg-considering-presidential-bid?utm_content=buffer3c5b7&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

[BumRushDaShow]

22. "Why do people comment without reading the article?"

Why do you think... the way DU has devolved? Doesn't fit the prevailing narrative.

[muriel_volestrangler]

36. Because it's the New York Times, who restrict access

and people may want to keep their quota of articles for important stuff. I'm surprised the OP didn't give that bit of info.

[former9thward]

74. It would be too late.

Both parties have contested primaries and their nominations may not be settled until late spring or early summer. By that time it would be too late to get on the ballots of most states.

[rjsquirrel]

23. He will kill the GOP if he does it

so I'm in favor.

He's a bit of a dick but he's rational and socially somewhat liberal and less outright racist than anyone in the GOP field. He'd be a shitty president but not an apocalyptic one like Cruz or Trump.

Plus Bernie vs Bloomberg vs Trump!!!!! Wow!

[Reter]

61. Not if Bernie is our canddidate

He may even hurt us more, since I don't see any Republican supporting him with his extreme stance on handguns.

[restorefreedom]

25. another desperate and pathetic attempt by the establishment

to rescue the party from their own creation...trump.

not gonna work on either side

trump v sanders 2016
get your popcorn!

[SoapBox]

27. Ugh...that voice.

It always felt like fingernails on a chalk board.

Not to mention he's an ultra 1%er and Third Wayer, wanting to tell all us little people what to do.

...Just Say No.

[mikehiggins]

28. Stuff and nonsense

I was a volunteer on the Perot campaign. If Bloomberg is talking about waiting on the Democratic Party to choose a nominee, or the GOPukes he's just talking hot air.

The process for getting on the ballot just in NYS is very complicated and even a billion dollars might not serve to get enough signatures on petitions anywhere near on time. From what we learned during that campaign getting your name on most petitions in this country is hard, expensive, grueling work.

If you are the nominee of a major party its no sweat. A third party bid, starting from scratch, is pretty much a fantasy unless you have a widespread and near-fanatical support group. Perot had it because he was able to represent the outsider and, even then, that is a good position to take.

Bloomberg? Anybody heard of any groundswell of support for him?

Nope.

[Rafale]

29. Bloomberg = Oligarch

Maybe he really is a loon and doesn't understand the whole country is fed up with the Political Class (hence the success of Senator Sanders and NY Oligarch Trump). Political Science 101: Independent candidates can never win in a single-member district system so what is NY Oligarch Bloomberg trying to achieve? What is his end game? Very weird.

Can't believe any Sanders supporter would vote for the Political Class or any Oligarch. I won't.

[CTyankee]

30. is this some sort of pissing contest he has with Trump?

[hedgehog]

31. Michael who?

[saltpoint]

32. Ok, I'm a little surprised that he's

actually going to do it this time. He's teased at this before. And he could still back out.

But if he runs, I'm guessing he would be more thoughtful in hiring campaign staff than say, Ben Carson. Is anybody left at all at Carson headquarters? Or have they all jumped ship? I'm picturing the deathly quiet Carson Iowa campaign office with Ben himself answering the phones along side a couple of local volunteers named Brenda and Lloyd.

Bloomberg has some cash on hand from his own coffers. Can he hire someone with more national political clout and savvy than Brenda and Lloyd? Probably.

The race is a train wreck already on the GOP side. I guess it's possible that Bloomberg is no less viable than most of the Pukes running. The stench of oligarchy hangs in the air over Bloomberg, but it's possible he gets some traction.

[Smarmie Doofus]

33. Good grief. Not again!

That ole' thing again.

MB:

Give. It. Up.

[Nye Bevan]

34. If it's Trump versus Sanders,

I think that Bloomberg may actually have a chance.

[jomin41]

35. If it's Bloomberg vs Clinton, we lose.

[Reter]

62. Or win, depending on how you define lose

He's to the left of her.

[hughee99]

37. Hmm... boy he sure seems to have a lot of appeal.

Dems will love that he's a 1%er media mogul with huge wall street ties.
Republicans will love that he's a northeast "liberal" who has very anti-2nd amendment positions that is not afraid to push for nanny-state laws like soda sizes.

[Thenewire]

41. You think all democrats will support Sanders?

Sanders only represents a fraction of the Democratic party and for the most part the group he represents is the white anti-establishment crowd who wouldn't even care if Trump gets elected and started doing all the things he said he would do. The people who support both Sanders and Trump are a large part of his base and they are the most selfish individuals you can imagine. A Sanders supporter most likely isn't racist but he would not care about the hardships brought upon minorities all to make a point of his own uncompromising economic ideals.

[questionseverything]

83. 19 million uninsursed

another 40 million that have insurance they can not afford to use.....pretty sure lots of those people are minorities

hc's plan for those people is what? die quickly?

so we are selfish for not wanting to die early of some completely fixable disease?

[Thenewire]

99. Dont you understand?

Sanders wont and cannot win. He is inexperienced in both economics and foreign policy. I know that he means well and his proposals are fair but they can't be achieved. At most we can push for a public option. By putting all your cards behind Sanders you are throwing everything away, you are giving in to the same extremist vitriol of the right. This talk of fighting the establishment and political revolution is the same bullshit the tea-partiers have been saying for years now and you are buying into similar nonsense.

[questionseverything]

107. theoretically he can win if we actually count the votes

from your reply i assume the uninsured and underinsured are supposed to just give up ?

hc's "experience" is why we can not support her

her bad call on iraq, her support of welfare reform that took away the safety net for young mothers, heck the bad parts of the aca were the ideas hc spread on the campaign stump like no public option,mandatory coverage with penalties...everything obama campaigned against

the regular people on the right are upset about lots of the same stuff the left is.......the lack of jobs since nafta,wto and now the tpp

don't fret for your 1% cronies, they will still be extremely rich, all the 99 are saying is

YOU CAN'T HAVE IT ALL

[Algernon Moncrieff]

50. But Presidential elections aren't decided by Republicans and Democrats

They are decided by independents that represent mixes of views. The parties themselves aren't homogenous.

[hughee99]

52. Republicans and Democrats do a great deal to shape the debate that informs the independents,

And both sides will have the motivation and ammunition to go after Bloomberg. The Republicans will make him look like "big brother" and the Democrats will be calling him the embodiment of the 1%.

[Thenewire]

38. Even more reason to oppose Sanders and his delusions

There is absolutely no way that Sanders will get elected if facing Trump, adding Bloomberg to the mix only solidifies that fact. Hopefully this primary is resolved quickly so we can once again focus on solutions and not pipe dreams.

[houston16revival]

39. The Billionaire Boys Club

Mitt, Trump, Bloomberg

At least Bloomberg has a civic element to his governing record
even if he is most about balanced budgets, Wall Street, and rewarding capital

Life at the top

We need someone with an industrial-entrepreneurial policy who can grow small
businesses that create jobs and make products the world will buy

Absent that, we are a hollowed out financial shell game arguing over taxes, benefits,
exploitation, and ownership of asset bubbles

In that scenario, HRC and Bernie both have advantages over the Billionaire Boys Club

[Reter]

63. Mitt is not a billionaire

Last I heard, he was worth about 400 million.

[houston16revival]

64. Does that include

his famous IRA's that he neglected to tell us about?

The suspicion was he was trading options or perhaps stock options he was
granted as CEO

[Odin2005]

42. Looks like he is setting himself up as the Establishment's Last Hope...

...If Bernie is the Nominee.

[Mira]

43. That's how I look at it as well n/t

[yurbud]

58. Bernie's pledge not to run as an independent looks smarter in this context--

it makes Hillary look like a sore loser if she pulls a Lieberman, so the money people would have to run a surrogate instead.

Bloomberg must be the closest to what the wealthy think can fool enough of the people and be relied on to be loyal to the country club.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

73. Yep, if Bernie is the nominee, then if Bloomberg runs,

Republicans win the White House.

With future Supreme Court nominations, end of Affordable Care Act, etc.

Bloomberg is the new Nader.

[Jefferson23]

49. LOL How much more evidence do Americans need to see how badly the elite do

not want their current status changed?

[PatrickforO]

51. This is the same guy who said that NY needs more billionaires.

Good deal, Michael. Go ahead and run. Suck off those Trump votes.

[bigdarryl]

53. VERY BAD!! news for the democrats if this guy runs

[underpants]

76. Yes. Anyone who thinks Repubs would vote for him is delusional

"Bloomberg" is as dirty a word to them as "Hillary". Bloomberg is THE face of gun control to them.

[questionseverything]

84. he will split the dem vote,illinois could go red

of course i think illinois will go red if hc is the dem candidate too

my neighbors really are not gonna give up their guns

[kelly1mm]

54. Bloomberg is an authoritarian statist, certainly no classic liberal. I don't think Americans

on either the right or the left will take seriously a guy who's most notable achievement was (temporarily) banning Big Gulps.

[olddots]

55. I loved Bloomberg's book

N.Y.C on 3.700 $ a day .........

[yurbud]

57. Bloomberg would be the corporate business as usual candidate

Bernie is the people's candidate and Trump is the candidate for the inbred of the very rich and very poor.

[brentspeak]

59. Bloomberg doesn't want Sanders as President

He won't jump in if Hillary gets the nomination, but he'll be damned if the "socialist" has a chance of getting into the White House.

[azurnoir]

60. Doesn't Bloomberg support racial profiling? yet he seems to support Hillary - interesting

wonder if she'll speak out about this

[ReckedRalph]

66. Sanders and Clinton are better than Bloomberg...but Bloomberg is better than Trump

Agree/

[CommonSenseDemocrat]

68. Stop and Frisk 2016!

[GreydeeThos]

69. What platform will this authoritarian, closet Republican run on?

1. Ban guns
2. Ban 16 ounce sodas
3. Ban salt shakers
4. Ban cigarettes
5. Ban E - cigarettes
6. Ban cell - phones in public places

Yea, he would sure have a base of voters that would be sure to sweep him into office - NOT!

[Rafale]

104. Let's not forget

Stop and frisk.

[Yavin4]

71. Bloomberg would take votes almost entirely from Democrats. Why? One word: guns

Another issue: he's pro-choice. Third issue: pro LGBT rights. His support will come from the Democrats and ensures a Republican victory in the Fall.

[underpants]

77. Bloomberg is gun controlled personified to Repubs

His run would be a disaster for this country.

[Gothmog]

79. Report: Bloomberg Considering Independent Presidential Bid

Bloomberg is evidently only planning on running if Sanders is the Democratic nominee http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/michael-bloomberg-considering-presidential-bid

He has said he's likely to launch a bid if Republicans nominate either Donald Trump or Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Democrats nominate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), according to the Times.

To me this says a great deal about how electable Sanders is

[StandingInLeftField]

82. I guaranty this is a smoke screen generated by the DNC/DLC

Designed to scare Democrats and prop up a failing HRC bid.

[roamer65]

93. This election may end up like the election of 1824.

That one ended up in the House of Reps and out of 4 candidates they selected J Q Adams, even though he had only 31 percent of the popular vote and less electoral votes than Andrew Jackson.

With all the gerrymandering, we will get a Rethuglican as president from the House.

I see 4 candidates in November, just like 1824. An utter disaster for the country if it happens.