January 4, 2020

"Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg saw a 6-point bump in the latest Hill.TV survey of the Democratic presidential primary."

I'm reading "Bloomberg rises to third place alongside Warren in national poll" (The Hill).

That tie has each of them at merely 11%, so that's pretty bad for Warren. As for Bloomberg, it's notable that he hasn't been in the debates (and can't be in the debates, because he's paying his own expenses and not collecting the donations that have been made the basis of qualifying to debate).

Bloomberg is kind of okay to me. I like his blandness. I'm sure he's thought of the slogan "Okay, Bloomberg," and that would express what I like about him. Nothing wrong with him. I like his response to the Soleimani killing and I liked his response to the pick-the-best-subway-seat meme:

70 comments:

tim maguire said...

He’s a good manager, but not so great a policy-maker.

rhhardin said...

Needs a 19 Amendment tag.

AllenS said...

Seriously, Warren has nothing to offer.

rehajm said...

president nanny. nudge this.

Lucid-Ideas said...

He's so bland
He probably thinks the debates aren't about him
But he'll stand
And try to win with money in hand
He probably thinks debates are beneath him
Don't he
Don't he

Gunner said...

Like all RINOs, he is a gutless coward desperately trying to "repent" of all his previous sane non-SJW accomplishments. Why would you want that?

rhhardin said...

Bloomberg is kind of okay to me. I like his blandness. I'm sure he's thought of the slogan "Okay, Bloomberg," and that would express what I like about him. Nothing wrong with him. I like his response to the Soleimani killing and I liked his response to the pick-the-best-subway-seat meme:

There's women reasoning for you. Nothing about systems.

He seems to mean well is the ultimate test for women's approval.

There's another gender out there not following very well. A WTF moment for them.

AllenS said...

Well, Bloomberg appears to be articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy, that's a storybook, man. How can you not like the guy?

rhhardin said...

But given [Trump's] track record and his history of making reckless and impulsive decisions that undermine U.S. strategic objectives and weaken our allies - most recently in Syria - there is every reason to be deeply concerned.

That doesn't disqualify Bloomberg?

Guys notice Bloomberg being unworthy of trust, a character trait important to them.

Kyjo said...

What’s to like about his statement? It’s just silly blather, more concerned with saying how bad Trump is than with saying anything else.

rhhardin said...

If the base believes something about Trump that's wrong, the best candidate doesn't play to it but to something else. That sort of behavior would pick up guys, for fighting fair. Instead he's playing to women.

rhhardin said...

Do women like being played to, is the question. Maybe it's just that they don't notice it. No guy point of view seems important to them.

Kevin said...

Subway talk doesn’t play outside the NE corridor.

Of course the next step is to talk about raising gas taxes.

wendybar said...

As long as you don't mind getting totally biased news from Bloomberg...because THAT is okay to do to Trump and his supporters. Be careful what you wish for!!

Mr. Forward said...

He wasn’t in the debates. The less the voters know about the candidates the more they like them. The Democrats need to find a large paper bag.

Kevin said...

Americans don’t aspire to ride the subway.

NE Liberals can’t figure that out.

Elisa Berg said...

Mike!

0_0 said...

You have no problems with Bloomberg? OK, literal boomer.
I think I disagree with him on everything.

Tank said...

He's terrible, but probably a little less terrible than the other Dems.

Temujin said...

Bloomberg is a dislikable man. A nanny-stater who lives unaffected by any of his own rules. When the public gets a load of him, he'll be done. He should thank the stars he took over NYC after Rudy, when it had been cleaned up and regained its stature as a livable great city. Even post 9/11.

Bloomberg rode on that. Had he taken over from De Blasio, he'd still be swimming upstream.

rehajm said...

I have a working theory the worst businessman is better than any career politician. Bloomberg makes me question that or at least makes me want to qualify it by actually having to apply that business acumen rather than obsess over some dreck Cass Sunstein wrote.

Lars Porsena said...

I'd stand too, to get next to the long tall beauty next to him.

John Borell said...

Interesting that both things she posts make me like Bloomberg even less.

That statement is awful, “Orange Man Bad” territory. Where was he when Obama and Clinton we’re making a mess of the Middle East? But Trump has no plan. None of those idiots have a plan.

And “I always stand” is just virtue signaling.

Next.

ExplainMeMore said...

Bloomberg is counting on the electability factor to help him win and that it looks like those tv ads that I've been seeing are beginning to have the desired effect.

Michael K said...

That sort of behavior would pick up guys, for fighting fair. Instead he's playing to women.

Is there a Democrat that does not play to women?

Bloomberg, like Trump, is lucky in his opponents.

Ace calls him "Bite Size Billionaire" and I don't think he could beat Trump, plus the crazies would stay home.

Third Coast said...

I bet a "stop and frisk" ex-mayor who's also a very rich Jew would do wondrously well with the Black vote.

Kyzer SoSay said...

Isn't Bloomberg accused of telling a female employee that she should kill her fetus, shortly after she announced her pregnancy? Either Ann forgot this or she is "kind of okay" with that behavior. Sisterhood FTW!!! Oh wait, I meant, Shallowness, FTW!!!

Guildofcannonballs said...

Bloomberg would be one of the easiest for Trump to beat.

I credit the former Mayor for being out front and not hiding his money like all the anonymous wealth that gets spread around for Satan's means.

MountainMan said...

He might be the best of the Democratic field but his gun control ideas will cost him the election. I can’t see him winning any states that Trump won in 2016 and he might lose a few more over this one issue. The gun control laws being proposed by the Democrats since their takeover in VA are aligned with his own ideas. As a result VA now appears to be in play and may go to Trump in 2020 if they actually try to move forward with their proposals.

Friendo said...

A gun-grabbing, taxing, nanny-stating, self-righteous scold. Give me a break, Althouse.

Guildofcannonballs said...

"I'm sure he's thought..." is an interesting sentiment.

"...and that would express what I like about him" is perfect circular reasoning.

Reminds me of Toby Keith:

"I bet you've never heard ol' Marshall Dillion say
Miss Kitty have you ever thought of running away
Settling down would you marry me?
If I asked you twice and begged you pretty please
She'd have said yes in a New York minute
They never tied the knot
His heart wasn't in it
He just stole a kiss as he rode away
He never hung his hat up at Kitty's place"

Mrs. X said...

Best seats are 5 or 1 on a less crowded train (more leg and elbow room), 4 on a crowded train (no standing Bloombergs looming over you).

Retail Lawyer said...

He's reading an actual newspaper on a subway. So he's not trying to appear young. Honesty.

mgarbowski said...

You should never place yourself in front of the subway doors unless you're getting off at the next stop or the train is so crowded this photo would not have been possible.

n.n said...

So, Bloomberg supported Obama's quid pro Bo, its progress to Greater Middle East wars, the Syrian war, the Libya-Rebel/ISIS Affair, too, and, of course, immigration reform (e.g. "trail of tears"), anti-nativism, democratic gerrymandering, etc. A good comment that ended with an impulsive interjection.

tommyesq said...

I suspect his subway statement is true in that, the one and only time he rode the subway - with a photographer, for the sole purpose of obtaining that photo to include in that tweet - he stood (and stood in front of the doors so he could get off after only one stop, the better to get away from the riff-raff and vermin and back into his comfortable limo).

Sebastian said...

"Bloomberg is kind of okay to me. I like his blandness"

Sure. Policy doesn't matter. Likely team doesn't matter. Party doesn't matter. Direction of the country doesn't matter. Blandness matters. And of course, as for any vote rationalizer, "I like" matters.

Geno said...

I'd bet that gun-grabber Bloomie never goes out into public without multiple armed guards.

mccullough said...

Bloomberg doesn’t expect to win. He knows Blacks aren’t voting for him.

But he’s almost 80 and needs to spend his money before he dies

Howard said...

Too short with a fay speech impediment

daskol said...

tommyesq, as a mayor and before as a prominent businessman, Bloomberg almost always rode the subway to work. It’s more or less his only “man of the people” affectation.

Seeing Red said...

At your age, Anne, isn’t it time to stand on your own 2 feet? You don’t need a nanny.

If you feel the urge to nudge or mommy someone, go volunteer.

daskol said...

I lost a great deal of respect for him when he initiated his campaign a few weeks ago by going on an apology tour, apologizing for the effective aspects of his mayoralty and kissing race huckster ass. He managed to be a three term successful mayor without ingratiating himself to the Al Sharpton’s of our world, but ran right to that crowd to beg acceptance when he announced for president. If he aims to be a spoiler, he should have done like Schultz and criticized the Dem Party and go independent, not kowtow to the ugliest Dem power brokers around. May his candidacy bring him ignominity.

Kansas City said...

I thought his response to the Suleimani killing was awful. It expressed no opinion on the action and just used it to criticize Trump.

It is conceivable that Bloomberg could beat Trump. Much less likely that he can win the nomination.

grackle said...

To the Trump criticizers:

What would be your version of an appropriate response to the attack on our embassy? Don’t waste your time searching for Tucker Carlson’s response because he offers nary a one – as is the case with every “anti” I’ve looked at. Billionaire Bloomy-boy POTUS-hopeful has none, either.

After two disastrous embassy takeovers, one in Iran, one in Libya, I think the USA has earned the right to be a tad sensitive whenever our embassies are attacked. As a nation, you really don’t want embassy takeovers to become a habit. Such habits can become extremely costly over time.

It’s much the same with the tariffs – hot criticism with no practical alternative put forward. Was Trump supposed to bend over while China continued to fuck the USA? As previous administrations (beginning with Clinton) did?

Pallets of billions in cash to the mullah-thugs, a la Obama, has proven to be … no deterrent. In fact bribes only seem to encourage them.

The primary foreign policy concept of the anti-Trumpers seems to be: Do nothing and hope for the best.

Yes, it’s always risky to take action. But it is riskier still to allow enemies to operate with impunity.

I do not believe the mullahs are dumb enough to do anything drastic. They’ll have to do something, of course – or lose face to their own population. They’ll nibble around the edges for the sake of appearances. But they know now that any serious fucking around with this particular POTUS has no benefit and comes with a shitload of downside.

Stephen Taylor said...

No, because guns. I read last week that he opened several offices in Texas, but my wife and I just laughed.

JAORE said...

About all I see of Bloomberg are a handful of commercials and the typical softball questions of the media. By missing the "debates" he misses exposing himself to his detriment.

let's face it the other candidates have largely picked up baggage as the debates continued. Flip-flops, hellz yes free stuff for illegals, newer green deals all around and some sniping at each other.

That's why Slo Joe is off the radar more than he was a couple of months ago. Exposure is deadly.

Bloomberg is laying (or standing) low to his advantage.

Francisco D said...

Bloomberg doesn’t expect to win. He knows Blacks aren’t voting for him. But he’s almost 80 and needs to spend his money before he dies

I think that is true. I also think that Bloomberg's presence is intended to provide more sanity and gravitas to the current clown show. Party elders were hoping Biden could do it, but he is neither able nor willing.

Bloomberg is also preempting Hillary as the "moderate" candidate.

Seeing Red said...

If he needs to spend his money, then he should do some good with it, not be a dilettante.

rcocean said...

Tv and Youtube have been flooded with lying Bloomberg propaganda ads. He's for the middle class, he's a job creator, he's on the side of the little guy. He's for lower crime. Not being in the debates has helped him, because all the Dumbo's think he's a moderate businessman who "just wants to get things done".

LOL!

rcocean said...

Bloomberg is not a "Flip flopper". he's a liberal billionaire who pretends to believe things to get elected. he's a 100% open borders, low taxes on the rich, free trade globalist. He's also a hard core ACLU social liberal/leftist. I doubt he disagrees with Hillary or Biden on a single issue, except not taxing rich people.

rcocean said...

I want the D's to nominate Warren or Bernie, so we can have an honest open election between what the D's want and what the R's want. if they nominate someone like Biden, he'll dishonestly run as a "Moderate", which he isn't. And all the Dumbo's will think, he'll fight the crazies like Schumer and nancy and keep the country safe. Wrong!

rcocean said...

The weirdest thing about 2020, is all these OLD people running for office. Where the hell are all the people in their 50's and early 60s?

Bernie, Bloomberg, Biden are pushing 80, Warren is 70, and then Buttigig is a baby at 38. The only one in the top tier between 50-62 is Amy Klobblob and she doesn't have a chance.

Clyde said...

Bloomberg is another wanna-be authoritarian who will tell you what you must and must not do. Under a Bloomberg administration, everything not forbidden would be compulsory.

Darrell said...

Bloomberg's poll support is just as fake as he is.

Gk1 said...

I don't see this gun grabbing, midget going anywhere. Why is this being treated as anything more than the vanity candidacy? He entered the race way to late to buy his way to the top. I don't get it.

walter said...

In Appeal to Hard Left, Bloomberg Praises Chinese Communism
Bloomberg: China is doing a lot. Yes, they’re still building a lot of coal-fired power plants.
Hoover: And they’re still burning coal.
Bloomberg: Yes, they are, but they’re now moving plants away from the cities. The Communisty Party wants to stay in power in China, and they listen to the public. When the public says I can’t breathe the air, Xi Jinping is not a dictator; he has to satisfy his constituents or he’s not going to survive.
Hoover: He’s not a dictator?
Bloomberg: No, he has a constituency to answer to.
Hoover: He doesn’t have a vote. He doesn’t have a democracy. He’s not held accountable by voters.
Bloomberg: If his advisers gave him —
Hoover: Is the check on him just a revolution?
Bloomberg: You’re not going to have a revolution. No government survives without the will of the majority of its people.

Jupiter said...

"I'd stand too, to get next to the long tall beauty next to him."

She's only 5' 6".

walter said...

However, he is pretty boring in presentation...while being the "endless refills" equivalent of campaign spending.

cyrus83 said...

If the party leadership's goal is to drag Biden across the finish line, Bloomberg's presence only helps this cause. If Bloomberg can draw about 10% of the primary vote, he won't win any delegates since there's a 15% threshold for winning them, but he may well siphon enough votes from candidates like Warren and Buttigieg to keep them below 15% in a number of states.

Darrell said...

"I'd stand too, to get next to the long tall beauty next to him."

She's only 5' 6".


And Bloomberg is standing on a wooden crate. His new maid just came in from Guatemala.

robother said...

Given his penchant for open office carrels, shouldn't his campaign slogan be, "Bloomberg, Mmmmkay?"

Karen said...

Yes, but did you see his response to the church shooting that was foiled by the open carry church member?

Ken B said...

Althouse used to value the wider sense of free speech. But Bloomberg has ordered his news business not to investigate him or other Democrats, only Trump. That feels like trashing the value of free speech.

Bloomberg isn’t as relentlessly mendacious as Warren or as angry as Sanders or as clueless as Buttigieg but he has slipped steadily in my estimation since he announced. His recent punt on the Suleimani killing is unimpressive too.

Bunkypotatohead said...

He always stands because those filthy seats would ruin his thousand dollar suits.
His photographer probably sits, though.

Saint Croix said...

president nanny. nudge this.

Unless you're pregnant. Then he's all, "kill it."

He's a low-key fascist up until the unelected branch makes it legal to do horrific things, and then he's on board with that, big time.

Saint Croix said...

Here's ABC reporting the news.

Can you imagine him on a debate stage? One question and he's toast.

You got to be some kind of idiot to manage to get both pro-lifers and feminists pissed off at you.

daskol said...

National politics can shrink a man as surely as it can grow one. Bloomberg as a presidential pretender is bland and vague, evasive and equivocal. He’s willing to say things he obviously does not believe, both to disavow and to endorse, in order to try to appeal to people. He seems even smaller than he is, and he’s diminishing himself before our eyes. He used to be a way more impressive person, which suggests that age has taken a heavy toll on him.

daskol said...

The contrast with what Trump has done to his image on the national and international stage is stark. The only place Bloomberg can beat Trump is in Forbes’ ranking.

Nichevo said...

I like his response to the Soleimani killing


Then you're a fucken retard, babe. A bitchy little girl excited by another bitchy little girl bitching. What could you possibly have liked about his response to the Soleimani killing? "Hurr durr, I don't know what's going on, but Orange Man Bad!" Really?