Michael Bloomberg Is Open to Spending $1 Billion to Defeat Trump

New York Times ^ | January 11, 2020 | Lisa Lerer

[karpov]

SAN MARCOS, Texas — Michael R. Bloomberg on Saturday did not rule out spending a billion dollars of his own money on the 2020 presidential race, even if he does not win the Democratic nomination, and said he would mobilize his well-financed political operation to help Bernie Sanders or Elizabeth Warren win in November if either is the party nominee, despite their sharp policy differences.

Mr. Bloomberg’s plans would effectively create a shadow campaign operation for the general election, complete with hundreds of organizers in key battleground states and a robust digital operation, ready to be inherited by the party nominee — regardless of who that nominee may be.

Already, Mr. Bloomberg has spent more than $200 million on advertising, putting him on pace to spend by early March about the same as what President Barack Obama’s campaign spent on advertising over the course of the entire 2012 general election. If Mr. Bloomberg fails to win the nomination, future spending would be redirected toward attacking Mr. Trump.

“It depends whether the candidate needs help; if they’re doing very well, they need less. If they’re not, they’ll need more,” he said in an interview after a lunch stop at a barbecue restaurant during a campaign swing through Texas.

While he did not rule out dropping a billion dollars on his effort, the former mayor of New York City blanched slightly at the size of the number, before mentioning the $2.8 billion he spent on charitable contributions last year, with the bulk going to his alma mater, Johns Hopkins University.

“You know how much money a billion dollars is?” said Mr. Bloomberg. “It’s a lot of money to me. It’s a lot of money to anybody.”

[jmacusa]

Yup. And a little runt who has all the appeal of a wet wool blanket.

[wiseprince]

He’s spent 200 million already? That’s ridiculous. He’s not even at 10%. Is that really money well spent? It would be funny if he spent a billion to get Bernie in office and then Bernie took the rest in taxes.

[HamiltonJay]

Let him burn a billion. He may be able to buy the D primary but he won’t beat Trump.

[mrsmith]

But Bloomberg has the media’s support. Which she didn’t.

“The media’s the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that’s power.” – Malcolm X

[corkoman]

A billion won’t make him any taller or give him a personality.

The first prez debate - if its Doomberg, and they cross the stage to shake hands, Trump will TOWER over 5'5" doomberg. Most likely Mike will want a box to stand on...to make it faiiiir.

[mass55th]

Why stop at 1 Billion? Go for broke Bloomy!!

[Reeses]

If Mr. Bloomberg fails to win (Bloomberg has never lost an election), future spending would be redirected toward attacking Mr. Trump (getting a plum job in the new Democrat admin).

If Trump does lose, it would be better to lose to Bloomberg directly than any of the other rats. If Bloomberg does spend a billion, it would be better he spent it on free food and things made in America rather than giving a windfall to the enemedia.

[wac3rd]

The midget won’t win

[Zathras]

Says the man who is going to loose IA-NH-SC-FL-TX-CA-WA-OR primaries.
I think he’s betting on a brokered convention

[lewislynn]

He'll be defeated by the Democrats before he can run against Trump. Does anyone think Biden, Warren, Sanders, AOC. Etc. are going to let him buy them out...They'll destroy him before he knows it.

They'll see this as him running against THEM.

[b4me]

spend away Mike, you will still not beat Trump - without cheating.

[Gay State Conservative]

He won't get the nomination...but it would be a hoot if he ran as 3rd Party.

[dragnet2]

“The media’s the most powerful entity on earth.

It might have been in the pre-Trump era. But those days of big media influencing the entire country are long gone.

[mrsmith]

Not yet IMO.
Hopefully soon.

[henbane]

This little loser's got money to burn.

Burn away, Mikey!

[dragnet2]

Look at the rating of the big news networks, CNN etc. They’re in the toilet.

[beethovenfan]

Mr. “Big Gulp”. He’ll run your life for you - you’re too stupid to do it yourself.

[mrsmith]

Look at their totals combined, though.
Lots of people believe them.
It’s still a lot of work to see the truth.
And people don’t like work.

[PhiloBedo]

+1

[HotHunt]

Let's get real: