February 20, 2020

"Mini Mike Bloomberg’s debate performance tonight was perhaps the worst in the history of debates, and there have been some really bad ones."

84 comments:

rhhardin said...

Trump noticed that it's hard to correctly negate a compound assertion. Bloomberg stumbled and I'm amazing.

tim maguire said...

This will be a good test case for the idea that it's not who wins the debate but who wins the spin. Because Bloomberg will probably win the spin.

How many people actually watched?

Owen said...

I tried to watch but kept switching to “Dr. Strangelove” on Turner Movie Channel. Much better acting and the plot was far more hopeful.

Michael K said...

A lot of people, like me, probably watched just to see how Bloomberg handled himself.

He did not do well. It was a bit like Sarah Palin in 2008 but she was set up by Nicole Wallace. Bloomberg waited until the 7th inning and did not warm up before his big debut. The universal opinion is that he was stiff and several answers were muddled.

rhhardin said...

I was watching Spiral season 7.

Mid-Life Lawyer said...

Elizabeth Warren has topped Hillary as the most unlikable candidate I have ever witnessed. Bloomberg was Bloomberg. If he had strongly stood by stop and frisk, he would have gained credibility. Of course, that ship sailed a while back. He again apologized for protecting victims from crime.

whitney said...

It doesn't matter how many people watched. It matters how many people hear about it afterwards

penelope said...

Duke-NC State

Clyde said...

All that money spent and nobody warned him to stay out of Liz’s tomahawk range! I think Bloomberg’s song for last night was “Can’t Buy M Love.”

Mark said...

Let's be clear --

Worse than unprepared, Bloomberg's answers were incredibly destructive and offensive to the people he needs to get.

He did not have just a bad night, he had on the substance of what he said a disqualifying night. After those answers, there is NO way that the other candidates and party establishment can simply ignore what he said and rally around him at the convention were he to fool enough ignoramuses and buy enough delegates to get the nomination.

gilbar said...

Serious Question
Is This all they have?
I mean, SERIOUSLY??

According to the Democrats; The MOST IMPORTANT THING, IN THE WORLD; IS BEATING DONALD TRUMP

And these jokers are what they've assembled to Do That?
SERIOUSLY ?

henry said...

Bloomberg will be OK. His followers (paid shills) will make big bucks through super tuesday.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Donald Trump said ...
Not so easy to do what I did!


I agree. Conning a whole of people into believing that a corrupt authoritarian oligarch is really a champion of the little people is not so easy. And, despite swimming in corruption his entire life, getting them to believe that he will drain the swamp, even harder. Convincing people to swallow all his nonsense really is not so easy and Trump deserves some credit here.

Bill, Republic of Texas said...

Bloomberg, bless his heart, thought the Dems just needed a good talking to. He thought he could pull them back from the woke socialism brink.

Now he has learned the Dems are irredeemably woke socialist. I wouldn't be surprised if he walked away from them.

Marcus Bressler said...

After Bloomberg's comments last night, I am considering having my FWB sign a NDA.

THEOLDMAN

It (the debate), at times, really was a clusterfuck.

mockturtle said...

ARM: It takes a con to catch a con.

Bill, Republic of Texas said...

Ahhhh, look ARM is trying some morale jujitsu. He's so cute when he tries to be clever.

tim maguire said...

Mid-Life Lawyer said...If he had strongly stood by stop and frisk, he would have gained credibility. Of course, that ship sailed a while back. He again apologized for protecting victims from crime.

Much too much apologizing for a program that helped the community it was aimed at. I agree that if he defended it, he would have gained credibility and put the issue behind him. But he apologized so it will dog him to the day he drops out. Apologising is intellectually lazy and is treated with the derision it deserves.

Fernandinande said...

Maybe, just maybe, Bloomberg doesn’t know how to behave in the workplace.

rehajm said...

The debates are passé. You can get your zingers in with social media and buying up all the air time. Bloomberg still has a lane for older Democrats who don't want completely batshit crazy. Those people will whinge at Mike until they consider the alternative.

Its that time of the program where we air out the lesser of the evils cliches...

Beasts of England said...

I was otherwise engaged last evening, but after watching some clips of that clown show I can safely predict that if any of those dweebs become president then our country will enjoy the same outcome as my date last night. And equally as good and hard.

Tommy Duncan said...

Blogger gilbar said...

"Serious Question
Is This all they have?
I mean, SERIOUSLY??"


These are their best and brightest. The press will have a hard time selling their eventual candidate.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Best post debate quip:

Trump can’t find his ass, despite the fact that Hannity lives there.

Amexpat said...

Bloomberg performance was weak. (Warren's line of attack was predictable and he should have prepared better for it.) Trump amps this up with his usual hyperbole. He has the right to crow as he was the real winner of the debate. If Sanders gets the nomination the GOP has plenty of good quotes from the debate, from his fellow Dems, that he is a Socialist.

And the middle is now even more of a muddle with the "moderates" attacking one another. At this point, it looks like the only who can defeat Trump is Trump.

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

Amy’s “I forgot. So what?” was a pretty good attempt to move past her AMLO blunder, and stood in contrast to Mini Mike’s lame apologies. In fact her whole demeanor was lively and prepared compared to Bloomberg’s dour technocrat dullard with bad answers act.

Mid-Life Lawyer said...

I think Klobuchar is head and shoulders above the rest of them. Buttigieg comes across as a pimply faced kid without pimples. He's pretty clever and charming, I'll give you that, but he is adolescent Obama. Obama-Lite. Speaking of Obama, Trump will eventually turn the tweet where Obama took credit for the booming economy into an endorsement of the economy. I was really surprised Trump didn't immediately jump all over that. He doesn't usually miss hanging curves.

Sally327 said...

It is an interesting conundrum. Debating well doesn't mean someone will be a good President but we make the candidates endure these gladiator contests anyway. Is it bread and circuses, done for our amusement, or just because we've got no better way to do this?

At least we now know that as billionaires go Bloomberg is no Ross Perot.

Tommy Duncan said...

Which candidate(s) will the Democrats drag out of the dumpster to fill the void?

Kamala?
Beto?
Cory?

My vote goes to Tulsi and Marianne.

Larry J said...

Owen said...

I tried to watch but kept switching to “Dr. Strangelove” on Turner Movie Channel. Much better acting and the plot was far more hopeful.


With Bernie Sanders played by Slim Pickings riding the H-bomb to the target.

Todd said...

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...
Best post debate quip:

Trump can’t find his ass, despite the fact that Hannity lives there.

2/20/20, 7:35 AM


This from the same crowd that wants to improve America by turning it into Venezuela.

A funnier "quip" [and it is true]: Do you know what socialists used before candles? Electricity!

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

When someone says Venezuela on this site they usually mean Sweden. The two countries are actually very different. One is a democratic socialist state that supports all its citizens with a living wage and healthcare, the other represents decades of failure of US policies and military interventions in South America.

Bill, Republic of Texas said...

Maybe, just maybe, Bloomberg doesn’t know how to behave in the workplace.

Ouch!

Michael K said...

One is a democratic socialist state that supports all its citizens with a living wage and healthcare,

ARM has missed the last two Swedish elections.

The 2018 election.

With the government being down to 116 seats (59 short of a majority), this rendered it the government with the lowest electoral support to begin a term in Swedish history and forced to approve several liberal policy platforms the government had campaigned against.[14] With the right-wing opposition having 154 seats, to the coalition agreements' 167 and the Left Party's 28, it still rendered a hung parliament even after the government formation, which exposed the government to high-profile losses in parliament.[15]

The Muslim immigrants are driving the Swedes right,.

Todd said...

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said... [hush]​[hide comment]
When someone says Venezuela on this site they usually mean Sweden. The two countries are actually very different. One is a democratic socialist state that supports all its citizens with a living wage and healthcare, the other represents decades of failure of US policies and military interventions in South America.

2/20/20, 7:53 AM


LOL!

The ARM answer to anything that go wrong in the world, America did it! It never has ANYTHING to do with the locals in that country and what they do or allow to be done to them. It is ALWAYS big, bad, evil America!

Guildofcannonballs said...

Gee, imagine what Trump could accomplish if he had only the minimal discipline of the commentators here...

Dust Bunny Queen said...

It (the debate), at times, really was a clusterfuck.

We didn't watch it, just caught a glimpse, shrugged and turned to Netflix.

My husband says it looked like someone took a can opener to the clown car and all the crazy spilled out.

Beasts of England said...

’...the other represents decades of failure of US policies and military interventions in South America.’

You owe Cookie a royalty payment...

Bay Area Guy said...

I watched it and laughed my ass off! Bay Area Gal (who doesn't like Trump and was hoping Amy K to emerge) thought it was an absolute train wreck. "Fat Broads & Horse-Faced Lesbians" by Liz Warren? I nearly choked on my drink. When Bloomy called Bernie a "Communist," I nearly lost it.

Very fun debate!

The Cracker Emcee Refulgent said...

“If he had strongly stood by stop and frisk, he would have gained credibility. Of course, that ship sailed a while back. He again apologized for protecting victims from crime.”

Right on. The hilarious thing about the Dem debates is that the participants seem to think they’re trapped in a suicide pact. Why wouldn’t you take advantage of this golden opportunity to differentiate yourself from the lockstep lepers with a few well-timed Sister Souljah moments?

Howard said...

In the five minutes that I watched last night one thing that I noticed that I didn't realize is that Amy is quite fat so while on the one hand it makes her face look good cuz it's not all wizened and shit, she can stand to lose about 30 and still have a nice booty left over

Leland said...

Trump can’t find his ass, despite the fact that Hannity lives there.

Ah yes, Democrats rallying with homophobic slurs.

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...


When someone says Venezuela on this site they usually mean Sweden. The two countries are actually very different. One is a democratic socialist state that supports all its citizens with a living wage and healthcare, the other represents decades of failure of US policies and military interventions in South America.


Why are progressives such liars about Sweden? That “living wage” bullshit is really laughable. Sweden is a Capitalist country with a capital C and dies not even have a minimum wage law much less a living wage whatever that is. And they privatized their healthcare system in the early 2000s, long before Bernie started using Sweden as his mcguffin in campaigns. Two things that actually are Swedish in origin are dynamite (thanks to Al Nobel) and taxonomy (thanks to Linnaeus) and the Democrats could use both right now.

I find it weird people who know NOTHING about Sweden assume it is some socialist paradise when it is ruthlessly capitalist in many respects. I have worked for and with Swedish companies for 20 years. ARM and Cook should visit it sometime and get a clue.

Todd said...

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

When someone says Venezuela on this site they usually mean Sweden.

2/20/20, 7:53 AM


When I say Venezuela, I mean Venezuela.

Come on, man, they are not even remotely spelled alike.

Rick said...

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...When someone says Venezuela on this site they usually mean Sweden. The two countries are actually very different.

ARM has this backwards. Left wingers say Sweden but they choose Venezuela. Sweden has a relatively unregulated business environment. Sweden uses the income this provides its citizens to fund their welfare state. Venezuela demonizes business turning transaction into
David vs Goliath narrative to justify restricting business. The American left represented by Sanders and Warren embrace the Venezuelan model. This is largely because our left was educated to believe profit is uniquely evil and thus its existence is an affront to be remedied.

I Callahan said...

I agree. Conning a whole of people into believing that a corrupt authoritarian oligarch is really a champion of the little people is not so easy. And, despite swimming in corruption his entire life, getting them to believe that he will drain the swamp, even harder. Convincing people to swallow all his nonsense really is not so easy and Trump deserves some credit here.

Trump is probably the least corrupt presidential candidate since Reagan. And those little people are getting jobs, making money, and are living happier lives. No con involved from Trump’s side. As for swimming in corruption? That is utterly laughable. There is not one thing that’s stuck to Trump yet, even with a completely one sided media hacking nonstop. And the reason is because the only corruption that exists is on ARM’s side, and they just assume everyone is as corrupt as them.

You’re literally roaming at the mouth insane, ARM, if you believe a single word of anything you typed above.

Wilbur said...

"Are you trying to say I'm dumb? Are you mocking me?"

These prepared lines fell flat with me.

Francisco D said...

From what I can tell of last nights debate, Bloomberg took it on the chin, but was not knocked out. He seemed to take it well and looked like the only sane, non-pandering person out there.

His performance in the next debate will go a long way in determining his viability as a candidate.

It is difficult for billionaires to be humble. Bloomberg doesn't try nor should he. If he stays sane and lets the clowns step on their own feet, he will be the nominee.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...
dies not even have a minimum wage law


No they have something much better - really strong unions. Workers cut out the corrupt politicians and apply political power directly to ensure a living wage for everyone. The politicians have ensured that the law provides for the right of workers to form and join independent unions to bargain wages collectively, and it prohibits antiunion discrimination.

Wilbur said...

I thought Sanders pointed to Norway last night as the country whose policies should act as our Shining Path to Utopia. Not Sweden. Maybe I misheard him.

Nichevo said...

You’re literally roaming at the mouth insane, ARM, if you believe a single word of anything you typed above.


Spoiler alert: He doesn't.

AllenS said...

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...
No they have something much better - really strong union

Certainly, you've heard stories about unions in the US of A, haven't you? Some of the most corrupt organizations ever assembled.

mccullough said...

Mayor Pete is smarter than Obama. His political skills aren’t quite as good as Obama. But Mayor Pete is much better than The Senators.

I think he’d be the toughest opponent for Trump.



Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

AllenS said...
Some of the most corrupt organizations ever assembled.


Compared to what? The Trump Organization? Roy Cohn's legal firm? The Republican Senate?

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

No they have something much better - really strong unions

Ah, typical Lefty bait-and-switch again. So you LIE about a living wage, since the real minimum in Sweden is $0SEK (that's Kronor for you ignorant socialists, which means "crowns" because this "socialist paradise" still has a king too!) and when caught out you switch up to unions. But, they are private unions because like FDR and JFK and most smart people they knew having PUBLIC unions is stupid, since the collective is bargaining against themselves and pols will be tempted to co-op, i.e. "buy off," union support, just like the democrats have done with public unions here.

No matter, ARM. You've already admitted one of Bernie's favorite go-to socialist country examples is not really that socialist after all. As usual, reality deflates your utopian dream.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

You do not understand the meaning of a 'living wage'. Whether the union or the government determines the wage is irrelevant the important point is that people can live on it. And Sweden has a union for public servants. You do not seem to know what you are talking about.


doctrev said...

So we're talking about Trump's incompetence (?) and turning America into the rape capital of Europe, aka Sweden?(??) ARM, let me help you with this: a Swedish government would never work in South Africa. Conversely, even fascism worked for the Norwegians- for a while. You can keep shilling the Swedish example, before the rapes and riots consume the country, but remember: genetics matters more than politics does.

Todd said...

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Workers cut out the corrupt politicians and apply political power directly to ensure a living wage for everyone.

2/20/20, 9:06 AM


Please oh wise one, define "living wage" in such terms that us mere mortals can understand and compare this to our own individual earnings. Thanks in advance...

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

You do not understand the meaning of a 'living wage'. Whether the union or the government determines the wage is irrelevant the important point is that people can live on it. And Sweden has a union for public servants. You do not seem to know what you are talking about.

Seem? I've spent a lot of time in Sweden ARM, and I provided facts. Your assertion that Sweden "supports all its citizens with a living wage" was a blatant lie because the state does not pay it's citizens and the wages are private negotiations between the unions and the employers. Private. Not a word you socialists like to use or see used but the most important word in that description. Why do insist on spreading lies about a country you are so painfully ignorant about?

I know why. Because commies always lie and there is no country Bernie can point to with the mix of policies he prescribes for us: all his "social democracies" have ruthlessly capitalist features you have to ignore to even pimp those countries. And they are all turning more right wing every day because of failed prog policies.

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

Public unions in Sweden do not enjoy guaranteed employment, either. Care to adopt that here, ARM?

PS That's why they are weak compared to private unions in Sweden. Yes, "some" public jobs are now unionized but they are far from the SEIU model employed here.

Drago said...

Trump has broken ARM.

But only completely.

Looks like the "bemused, watching from above and beyond the fray" ARM is long gone.

Now he's just another serial lying "cut and pastin'" lefty moron like all the rest.

#Sad

An Inga in mens slacks.

Big Mike said...

I didn’t watch the debate — I had to wash my hair and iron some sheets or something — so I will take everyone’s word for it that Bloomberg was disastrous on stage. But! He has the money to stay in as long as he wants to, and perhaps he will learn from his experience. If so, it could be Bloomberg vs. Trump in the fall after all.

BTW, if Bloomberg runs third party against Sanders and Trump I would expect him to siphon many more votes from Sanders than from Trump. Trump has positioned himself between the Democrat base and the political center of the country, and both Bloomberg and Sanders are to his left.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Simply because you spent time in the country doesn't mean you learnt squat. You quite clearly said that there were no public unions, when in fact public sector employees are unionized at a higher rate than private sector employees.

Big Mike said...

Something carefully dropped down the memory hole: Warren admitting that Medicare for All will necessarily include healthcare rationing. Althouse imagines she will keep her healthcare plan if Warren or Bernie are elected. She will discover that old people like her will find her access to healthcare restricted and ultimately curtailed. That will give me no pleasure, because I am even older than she is .

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

You are now attempting to back track from your egregious error, but it is right there in black and white.

Big Mike said...

Hat tip to Glenn Reynolds (Instapundit): “Bloomberg brought a wallet to a gun fight tonight.”

wildswan said...

I thought Bloomberg had some good moments where he made a lot of sense. The trouble is I'm not what you'd call a mainstream Democrat, i.e. a pandering fake-lefty, so if I think a Dem is intermittently making sense, that Dem is doomed.

And Bloomberg hasn't been debating and getting those skills honed as have the others. So he might get better.

Maybe China will tell him to stay in because they think he did well.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

The idea that grown men and women are looking for Drago's approval is one of the most delusional things I have ever seen on the internets, and that covers a lot of ground when it comes to delusional.

mikee said...

And with that one tweet, Trump insured Bloomie spends more than the promised $500,000,000 in the primaries and general election, every penny wasted.

Rosalyn C. said...

Speaking about Trump debate skills, remember the first debate when Megyn Kelly went on the attack on Trump and asked him about the derogatory statements he had made towards women? "You’ve called women you don’t like, ‘fat pigs,’ ‘dogs,’ slobs, and disgusting animals.” Trump came back with a zinger "Only Rosie O'Donnell," that brought down the house. Mini Mike has no such skill. Maybe he can hire some writers and wear a secret headphone for the next debate.

SDaly said...

With the sound off, in this clip Amy Klobuchar looks like an angry mother at a board of education meeting furious that her kid didn't get into the middle-school gifted program, while the guy next to her is trying to calm her down.

https://twitter.com/WalkerBragman/status/1230324462685499392

AllenS said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Marc in Eugene said...

While I came back here to check the debate thread last night, the important video portion of my evening was occupied by three episodes of Samurai Cat, which Japanese serial everyone else has apparently known about for years. Amusing moments, some dross. The Japanese appreciate fat cats, I guess.

AllenS said...

ARM,

I thought we were talking about unions, then, you throw out some bullshit about "The Trump Organization? Roy Cohn's legal firm? The Republican Senate?"

Are "The Trump Organization? Roy Cohn's legal firm? The Republican Senate?" unions?

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

What a sad reduction of your argument, you weak commie. I emphasized private unions because the public ones are weak, compared to USA. I never said there were no public unions. Again, if it ain't a straw man you can't argue with it well, ARM. Care to revise any of the blatant lies you and Bernie are trying to sell about Sweden? You attributed their success to things that don't exist, just like Bernie, always selling the Utopian dream but furnishing the soviet nightmare.

Now that Sweden's off the table, please point me to the socialist paradise we should actually compare to Bernie's rhetoric. (Hint: it does not exist IRL.)

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

This is another blatant error. Public and private employees belong to the same unions. The unions are organized by skills/qualifications. You seem to know literally nothing about Swedish unions. And the unions themselves are strong, which is why there is universal health care and a living wage.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Corruption is found in all kinds of organizations, why focus exclusively on unions? Doesn't make any sense.

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

Sweden "facts" by Bernard Sanders (C-VT):

Everybody is guaranteed an income regardless of employment.
Everyone has a 2nd home like Bernie.
The Bikini Skydiving Team doubles as the Parliament.
Anything mumbled in sing-song fashion can be understood by native Swedish speakers.
The number of daylight hours is directly inversely proportional to the number of alcoholic drinks consumed by the average Swede.
The average Joe is actually named Hans, so they say "a typical Hans" instead.
Sweden is only served by one air carrier, Scandinavian Airlines.

[I hid two truthy ones in there just to fuck with people like ARM]

Greg the class traitor said...

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...
When someone says Venezuela on this site they usually mean Sweden

No, ARM, we mean Venezuela.

The country that all you lefties loved, and held up as an example, until it went the way that socialist dictatorships always go

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

universal health care and a living wage

Ha ha ha. THIS is only true if you don't use the commonly understood American usage of these common English words. Do you think when Bernie calls for a living wage he's asking the unions to act or the Congress? Ditto "universal" health care, which is privately managed in Sweden. Do you really think Bernie is calling for the unions to do that or for our Government to enact these things? Because we all understand Bernie far better than you do if you're swerving that way. Or you're lying like commies always do. Always.

You cannot be honest ARM. You just can't. You were wrong about Sweden, just like Bernie. Just be a man and admit it. This is getting pitiful, watching you toil and spin so! THIS IS WHY WE ALL HATE COMMIES!

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

I really hope Bernie is the nominee so ARM will get what he wants. And we can show him what happens to commies who run in America. The panic is real. Democrats have lost control of their party to socialists.

Todd said...

Todd said...
Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Workers cut out the corrupt politicians and apply political power directly to ensure a living wage for everyone.

2/20/20, 9:06 AM

Please oh wise one, define "living wage" in such terms that us mere mortals can understand and compare this to our own individual earnings. Thanks in advance...

2/20/20, 9:52 AM


You continue to use that phrase "living wage" yet you have absolutely no idea how to describe it in economic terms such that someone with a job can compare your "living wage" to their current compensation to see if they would be better off or not.

It is just another lefty/commie throw-away term like "assault rifle" that is used as a fancy placeholder term for "stuff lefty/commie doesn't know but wants to talk about".

Or do you intend to actually, concretely define it, this time?

exiledonmainstreet, green-eyed devil said...

Bay Area Guy said...
I watched it and laughed my ass off! Bay Area Gal (who doesn't like Trump and was hoping Amy K to emerge) thought it was an absolute train wreck. "Fat Broads & Horse-Faced Lesbians" by Liz Warren? I nearly choked on my drink. When Bloomy called Bernie a "Communist," I nearly lost it.

Very fun debate!

2/20/20, 8:37 AM

I, too, found it very entertaining.

I went to bed feeling very good about The Donald's chances in November.

exiledonmainstreet, green-eyed devil said...

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...
Best post debate quip:

Trump can’t find his ass, despite the fact that Hannity lives there"

Ah, a "post debate quip" that has nothing at all to do with that shitshow of a debate.

ARM can't find his ass despite the fact that his head is lodged there.


Big Mike said...
Hat tip to Glenn Reynolds (Instapundit): “Bloomberg brought a wallet to a gun fight tonight.”

That's a much better post debate quip, since it is actually a comment on, you know, the debate.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...
I really hope Bernie is the nominee so ARM will get what he wants.


Not really a fan of Bernie, definitely not what I want. I just don't like BS.