Republican-turned-Democrat for the 2020 presidential race, 77-year-old former New York Mayor Michael Bloom makes his pitch that he’s the only Democrat candidate capable of beating 73-year-old President Donald Trump. Trump calls the billionaire and media mogul “Mini Mike” for his diminutive size, something that works against candidates running for president. With 77-year-old former Vice President Joe Biden’s campaign in a tailspin, Bloomberg claims to be the only one left run competitively against Trump. Whether that true or not is anyone’s guess. That’s the same argument that failed for Biden, who insists on the campaign trail, he’s the only one capable of beating Trump. Biden said “he’d beat Trump like a drum,” the old cliché in presidential politics. Biden’s poor showings in Iowa and New Hampshire breathed new life in Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt ) and Bloomberg’s campaigns.
While national polling still shows that Biden’s a viable candidate on Super Tuesday, March 3, he’s showing vulnerability in the Feb. 22 Nevada Caucus and the Feb. 29 South Carolina primary. Whether those races remain viable again for Biden is anyone’s guess. Before the Feb. 3 Iowa caucus, Biden was considered competitive, though not expected to win either Iowa or New Hampshiire. When Joe finished fourth in Iowa and fifth in New Hampshire, the whole Democrat primary landscape shifted, with momentum going to Sanders and Bloomberg. Bloomberg hasn’t yet been in any caucus or primary yet to test the waters, even though Joe’s no longer expected to do well in Nevada and South Carolina. Biden’s poor performances in Iowa and New Hampshire gave Bernie and Bloomberg a shot-in-the-arm, even though Bloomberg has yet to appear in any caucus or primary.
Now that Biden’s on the ropes, Bloomberg sets his sights on Bernie, who’s seized much of the momentum heading into Nevada and South Carolina. “We are really down to a race where there are three people left who could really be considered viable to be sworn into office next years, and that’s Bernie Sanders, Mike Bloomberg and Donald Trump,” said Bloomberg states director Dan Kanninen. Whether Kannien’s jumping the gun or not is anyone’s guess. Biden’s still riding on his name-recognition heading into Super Tuesday. If Joe falls flat in Nevada and South Carolina, Kanninen could be right about Joe’s campaign. Biden hopes to pull off a Bill Clinton in 1992, when he lost Iowa and New Hampshire before sweeping through Super Tuesday. Biden’s no Bill Clinton when it comes to charisma and raw campaign talent, especially playing the “Come Back Kid” in the 2020 race.
With Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) now polling at 12.6% nationally, Bloomberg who’s at 14.6% expects to make a big jump. Bloomberg, who’s a media tycoon worth around $58 billion, spends unlimited cash on ads, propelling him to third place nationally, without participating in one primary or presidential debate. That all changes for Bloomberg Wednesday night when he tests the water in the ninth presidential debate at Paris Theater in Las Vegas. Bloomberg wants to focus on Berine but former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg still polls at 10.%. Buttigieg surprised a lot of people edging Bernie out in Iowa, then losing by a small margin in New Hampshire. “Vice President Biden, although he had a very strong public polling posture through most of the summer and into the fall—that has really collapsed,” Kanninen said, pitting the contest between Sanders and Bloomberg. Bloomberg finds out the hard way tomorrow, when he’s mobbed by rival candidates.
Bernie barely has to utter a word against Bloomberg before Biden, Warren and Buttigieg pounce on him to elevate their status before the Nevada primary. “Since the campaign in Iowa and New Hampshire . . . he’s [Biden] has dropped 9 points, and Mike has now surpassed him,” Kanninen said. In case Kanninen checked, Joe still leads Mike in national polling 17.6% to 14.8%. Sen. Amy Klobushar (D-Minn.), hoped to make a strong showing in Nevada, after her 19.8%, third place finish in New Hampshire. When Bloomberg takes the stage at the Paris Theater Feb. 19, he’s going to have a target on his back. Sanders, Biden, Warren and Buttigieg have already run nasty campaign ads against Bloomberg, accusing him of racism and practically everything else. Bloomberg’s recent ads feature 58-year-old former President Barack Obama—a symbol for civil rights and racial equality.
When Bloomberg faces Sanders Wednesday night in Las Vegas, sparks are going to fly over charges-and-counter-charges about racism and oligarchy. Sander’s campaign co-chairwoman Nina Turner called Bloomberg and “oligarch” Feb. 4, causing a media hubbub.. Sanders prides himself on his average donation size under $20. Bloomberg, on the other hand, writes his campaign unlimited funds, spending more in political advertising than any other presidential candidate, including Trump. Whether Bloomberg survives Wednesday-night’s debate is anyone’s guess. Judging by past debates, there’s a lot at stake for Bloomberg who stayed under the radar up till now. Going toe-to-toe with other hungry presidential candidates, especially Warren, could knock Bloomberg off the pedestal before Nevada and South Carolina. Bloomber is about to take his lumps in Nevada, something he can’t avoid.
