…other Democrats are noticing. Worried. And reacting. Here is the beginning of Alexandra Jaffe and Nicholas Riccardi’s article for the Associated Press, via msn.com:
With the Nevada caucuses less than a week away, Democratic presidential candidates campaigning Sunday were fixated on a rival who wasn’t contesting the state.
Bernie Sanders, Joe Biden, Amy Klobuchar, Elizabeth Warren and Pete Buttigieg all targeted billionaire Mike Bloomberg, accusing him of buying his way into the election and making clear they were eager to take him on in a debate.
“He thinks he can buy this election,” Sanders said of the former New York mayor at a rally in Carson City, Nevada. “Well, I’ve got news for Mr. Bloomberg — the American people are sick and tired of billionaires buying elections!”
Their attacks are a sign of how seriously the field is starting to take Bloomberg as he gains traction in the race and is on the cusp of qualifying for Wednesday’s Democratic debate in Las Vegas.
We’ve been talking about Michael Bloomberg’s attempt to purchase the presidency for a long time in here – well over two months, in fact. And I have no doubt that the other candidates were fully aware he was doing so for all that time. But, until recently, his spending had not translated into a real threat to their White House aspirations.
Now,over $300 million worth of campaign spending later – with tons more on the way – it’s time to say something about it. And, as you can see above, that is what they’re now doing.
Is it too little, too late? We’ll have a much better idea after Super Tuesday.
And if Bloomberg succeeds? What will Democrats have as a candidate? Someone who has already managed to alienate minority voters (“stop and frisk”, “95% of the crime”, “throw them against the wall and frisk”), women (an ongoing body of sexist comments over the years)…
…and, as it turns out, farmers as well. Read the next blog and see why.
