Bloomberg Rules Out Independent Run: Can’t ‘Risk’ Cruz or Trump Winning

Mediaite ^ | March 7, 2016 | Josh Feldman

[2ndDivisionVet]

Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced today that he will not be seeking a third-party run for the presidency because he does not want to be responsible for helping elect Ted Cruz or Donald Trump.

There's been lots of talk about Bloomberg prepping for a third-party run if the Democrats nominated Bernie Sanders and the Republicans nominated either Cruz or Trump. But with Hillary Clinton looking more and more inevitable, Bloomberg apparently feels he doesn't have to step in as the savior anymore.

He writes, "The current presidential candidates are offering scapegoats instead of solutions, and they are promising results that they can't possibly deliver."

But as he keeps going on, it's clear he's talking more about the Republicans than the Democrats:

As the race stands now, with Republicans in charge of both Houses, there is a good chance that my candidacy could lead to the election of Donald Trump or Senator Ted Cruz. That is not a risk I can take in good conscience.

I have known Mr. Trump casually for many years, and we have always been on friendly terms. I even agreed to appear on "The Apprentice" -- twice. But he has run the most divisive and demagogic presidential campaign I can remember, preying on people's prejudices and fears. Abraham Lincoln, the father of the Republican Party, appealed to our "better angels." Trump appeals to our worst impulses.

Bloomberg is apparently worried about actually splitting the vote and handing the presidency to one of them, saying, "I love our country too much to play a role in electing a candidate who would weaken our unity and darken our future."

You can read his full announcement here.

[2ndDivisionVet]

But people here tell me that Cruz is part of the establishment. My brain hurts.

[CaptainK]

Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced today that he will not be seeking a third-party run for the presidency because he does not want to be responsible for helping elect Ted Cruz or get his ass kicked by Donald Trump.

[ought-six]

Bloomberg, the quintessential hall monitor and busybody.

[Kenton]

I’ve never contemplated a candidate who was so “Dead On Arrival” as Bloomie. Buh bye...

[irishjuggler]

There's a lot of hubris in Bloomberg's statement. He contends, for example, that "[in] a three-way race, it's unlikely any candidate would win a majority of electoral votes," and thus the election would go to the House and guarantee a GOP win. Obviously, he assumes that he would win some states as a 3rd party candidate. That's a pretty optimistic assumption since no 3rd party candidate has won a state since George Wallace in 1968. Frankly, I'd have been shocked if Bloomberg carried even a single state in a 3-way race.

It's hard to predict which side would have actually been harmed more by a Bloomberg candidacy. It's entirely possible that he might have helped Hillary more by siphoning off some GOP voters unhappy with our nominee.

[2ndDivisionVet]

All my adult relatives and acquaintances voted for Wallace that year as a sort of a Trumpian protest vote.

[SunkenCiv]

• [already posted] BLOOMBERG: I won't run for president [2016]
  • Debbie Wasserman-Schultz: Don't run, Bloomberg, Hillary's got your agenda covered [2016]
  • Is Bloomberg out to ruin Hillary Clinton's party? [2016]
  • Bloomberg, Sensing an Opening, Revisits a Potential White House Run [2016]
  • A Notorious Gun-Grabber May Be Waiting in the Wings as Hillary's Campaign Implodes [2015]
  • With Hillary as front-runner, Mike needs to step in [What planet is this guy living on?] [2015]
  • Propagandist Jon Gruber also Shilled for Mike Bloomberg [2014]
• Double-Digit Odds We Have Four-Way Race in November. [2016]
  • Michael Bloomberg says he is actively considering running for president as an independent [2016]
  • Run Bloomberg Run! [2016]
  • Bloomberg editor quits: We can't cover Michael Bloomberg aggressively [2016]
  • Sources: Bloomberg Willing To Spend $1B On Possible Presidential Bid [2016]
  • Donald Trump Would 'Love' to See Michael Bloomberg Run [2016]
• Obama meets with Bloomberg to talk guns [2015]
  • Gun-control push falls flat in Virginia as GOP locks in legislative control [2015]
  • Senator Portilla, R-Miami, Holds the Key to Florida Open Carry [2016]
• BLOOMBERG: Ted Cruz 'says some of the stupidest things I've ever heard' ("Climate Change") [2015]

[dynoman]

Part of what’s happening that people don’t recognize is that Trump has set himself up on a classic redemption curve.

He started out as bad cop - very bad cop - but now is more and more becoming a good cop.

Watch what he says to the reporter that brought up the hands question;
Donald Trump Full Press Conference After Winning LA and KY (3-5-16) (20:57 in the video)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mShTUVnftS4&feature=player_detailpage#t=1315

Anyone watching his rallies can see he’s really cleaned that up. Melania told Greta that she told Donald to stop using those kinds of words;

Melania Trump: I’m not a ‘yes’ person ... I have thick skin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=rO_dSIAXhkY#t=370

The whole video is worth watching!

[rockinqsranch]

The ultimate Democrat Bloomberg is. He really thinks highly of himself. So much so he will sacrifice his candidacy rather than allow himself to be the cause of something he absolutely knows isn’t good for we the people. /S

[grey_whiskers]

"Wouldn't be...prudent."

And so we got Clinton and Hillary.