Mike Bloomberg had a terrible night at the Las Vegas debate. On that point, I’m in agreement with the conventional wisdom.
I’m not in agreement that he is done as a candidate, assuming he’s still willing to spend an additional half-billion dollars on advertising, paying social media ‘influencers’ to hype him, and buying up Democrat policitians and media.
Some multiple of the number of people who saw the debate will see his advertisements, and most important, Bloomberg isn’t on a ballot until Super Tuesday. Between now and then, one or more candidates will be damaged by low showings in Nevada and South Carolina.
Elizabeth Warren is at particlar risk — she gained attention by going after Bloomberg, but it’s hard to see from whom she takes votes in the next two contests. She attacked not only Bloomberg, but Buttigieg and Klobuchar; their voters aren’t going for Warren. I can’t see Bernie voters moving to anyone else, and definitely not Warren.
The so-called ‘moderate’ segment of the electorate isn’t going to Bernie or Warren. This may have been the best night for Buttigieg, whose vapid bromides might sell with the non-socialist Democrat wing.
Bloomberg’s reason to be in this contest is to be the last non-Bernie non-Warren candidate standing. Biden doesn’t have it in him. While he had some good lines, he was a sideshow and a sad figure. If anyone is done after last night, it’s Amy Klobuchar. Her performance was whiny and weak — please Mayor Pete and Elizabeth, stop criticizing me!
Bloomberg didn’t help himself last night, but I don’t see that he ended his campaign provided he’s still willing to finance it.
One other big take — Bernie is a hard core commie. You could hear it in his voice about the unequal distribution of wealth, as if there is some finite amount of wealth that gets carved up.
Bernie doesn’t accept or understand that in capitalism the amount of wealth grows — Bloomberg didn’t take his wealth from someone else. Bernie is alien to our economic system, which is his appeal to a large segment of Democrats. The politics of envy sells well.
Get ready for the contest we need as a nation, Trump versus Bernie, capitalism versus socialism, economic freedom versus statist control. Bernie v. Trump is the battle we need, just as Britain needed Corbyn v. Johnson. Nothing that happened last night changed the likelihood that this is how it ends up.
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