Whoever is the Democratic contender must be willing to challenge Trump mano a mano. None of this "we go high" stuff.
36
The current occupant of the White House must not be allowed to continue his systematic destruction of the fundamentals of our democracy. Vote him out.
32
Finally! Watching that debate where Trump pursued Clinton all over the spaces between their designated lecterns, I kept hoping Clinton would make a quick turn, raise her palm in a threatening gesture, and say, "Donald! this is not Access Hollywood! I have been keeping to my designated space - and if you have any decency, you will stay where you belong!" Would have cinched her win then and there. Why isn't Maureen Dowd running for President?
14
Meanwhile our country is at odds or aligned with the leaders of other countries who are emotionally fully adults dealing with some serious issues. I would rather American politicians, voters and journalists didn’t waste any time on cringe worthy junior high school nonsense but here we are.
4
The word "meme" of course doesn't mean anything.
6
Mr. Bloomberg: Spend all that it takes, if you are willing to do so. Pay for the best possible advisors and best possible messaging. Unfortunately I don't think "organic" and "polite" are going to take down Trump (and yes, that is my number one goal).
But I think Trump can be taken down by turning his very own, special brand of mean-girl tactics right back at him. Trump has so many failings and weaknesses, and is easily goaded into mis-steps (and possibly even insanity, if we are lucky). Blanket the internet, so nobody misses the message. Fight fire with fire.
AND here's the clincher: Promise this country you will pass legislation to get big money out of politics (à la Elizabeth Warren) going forward past the November 2020 election. Promise the integrity we all know Trump can't truthfully promise. And be the anti-Trump that ensures we never again have another Trump.
34
"Mean Girls", this would be funny if it were not so real and in our living rooms every minute of every day.
I'll make this short, the president is out of control. His republican enablers know it and turn a blind eye. His supporters know it but "hey those rallies are such fun". Every democrat in the country knows it and is ready to vote him out today.
But more substantially, the Russians know how trump has dismantled the rule of law, how he will not firmly acknowledged Russia's involvement on the 2016 elections, how he has condemned and criticized NATO to the point international uncertainty, and how all of trumps' policy decisions have directly or indirectly favored Russian positions.
I do not see America getting 'great again' under this administration. I see the willful and corrupt dismantling of our principles, ideals, and democracy.
16
Trump and his minions are genuinely afraid of Bloomberg because when it comes to money and proof of that money, Bloomberg has the upper hand — all he has to do is bring ALL of his tax returns, wave them in front of Trump and ask him to prove that he is a billionaire and a taxpayer.
Trump, of course will not — because he is neither a billionaire nor a taxpayer. Thereby crushing the man and the legend with just a few government forms.
26
No matter what is said and done, “Who’s the other one?” has to be one of the best put downs of all times. Even people who don't follow politics at all, have heard that one. Must of been like a punch to the stomach to trump.
25
It has been said that he who wrestles with a pig must expect to be covered with filth, whether he wins or not.
Mr. Bloomberg seems like the best choice now to really Make America Great Again. Let the mudslinging begin.
On another note, if a grand jury can indict a ham sandwich, why can't it indict a ham-handed (Individual 1) President?
10
Here is my hope.
Let Bloomberg get down in the mud with Trump. Someone has to.
Let the rest of the Democratic Candidates talk policy, not personalities and how they are going to solve the problems of the working class, the disabled, discrimination, Social Security, cost of health care, homelessness, mental health and Voting Rights, Separation of Church and State and Citizens United.
The elite class needs no help.
Meanwhile Bloomberg can kkeep beating Trump at hi own game.
And if Bloomberg is the nominee of course I will vote for him.
But one thing, I will never donate to the DNC. They are up to their own rigging ways again. They should not be changing the rules on the Debates qualifications to get on stage in the middle of the Campaign. It was not fair to any of the Current Candidates or to those who were forced out of the race.
13
Well done to Bloomberg! In this case, ‘they go low, we go high’ mentality is a recipe for losers. When fighting against inherent evil one must not hesitate: Attack with all force, fight in any way, forget the rules of ethics, proper conduct, social or national solidarity. Attack, attack, attack! Be a thousand times mean than they are. Make sure they fight each other, make them quarrel, flood the area with evidence of their folly. In war as in war. Types like Trump are taking over politics and only an unrelenting campaign will eliminate them. Michael Karpin is the author of "The bomb in the Basement - How Israel Went Nuclear and What That Means to the World". It was published by Simon & Schuster
8
Trump has already won if we believe the only way to defeat him is with money and insults.
7
Money , one on one with this evil menace plus policy. If this country gives a pass to such an immoral clear and present danger as Trump. then it deserves the consequences
3
Bernie is just as much a "mean girl" as Trump and Bloomberg. Bernie is however, unelectible.
If you want Trump to be President again, just pick Bernie to run against him.
19
Fun read as always, Ms. Dowd. I’m glad to hear that Mr. Bloomberg is getting down there in the mud with the Carnival-Barker-in-Chief—but I would not want to see any other Democrat do so.
What I want to know is, when Bernie Sanders is the Democratic nominee, will Mr. Bloomberg support him and continue to wail away on Trump, perhaps giving Mr. Sanders some cover from Turmp’s incessant name-calling, mud-slinging and, well...lying?
3
We must really be living in the post-irony, post Truth world when Maureen Dowd is going on and on about those "mean girls".
7
I think Hillary would agree!
7
There will be another Democratic presidential debate on Wednesday and will or will not Mike Bloomberg take part? He will be verbally attacked from all sides of the podiums about his past positions as mayor of New York. He has had a relatively easy time running for the nomination up until this time. He has not had to confront the other candidates. This will be an entirely different setting and it may make or break him. These candidates on stage will ask him all sorts of questions about his racism and sexism. Will he be intimated or fight back. Will he be ready for the challenge? We will soon see and it should be an interesting night. I can’t wait and wouldn’t miss this for anything.
4
@KMW
Of course Bloomberg will be ready for the challenge.
Remember he got a rule change on Term limits in New York City. And also just did with the DNC so he could be on the Debate Stage this time out.
4
I call that bold talk from a Trumpist cheering for a guy who’s ducked out on most primaries, thinks that debate consistes of him screaming, and avoids actual press conferences Iike vampires avoid garlic and sunlight.
2
Donald Trump is the perfect foil for Bloomberg The pithy Bloomberg responses noted in this article encourage me that he knows how to a phrase to counter Donald Trumps adolescent memes.
I would happily vote for Bloomberg. He seems more than equal to take on the Trump tommyrot.
24
@gpickard
That should have read "...turn a phrase..."
3
Okay, let's just compare briefly Trump and Bloomberg on their foundations, universities and how they made their money.
Trump's foundation was shut down for misconduct and had to pay $2 million to 8 charities. In addition, the $1.8 million in the foundation was divided up and given to the same 8 charities. The foundation was being used by the family for their personal use.
Bloomberg gave $3.3 billion to charities in 2019.
Trump set up Trump University which was shut down as it was not accredited and did not confer college credit. They paid out a $25 million settlement and 7,000 former students were part of the case.
Bloomberg gave $1.8 billion to his alma mater, Johns Hopkins.
Trump and his family were shown in a NY Times series - after The Times went through 100,000 pages of public financial documents - that the family through outright fraud and other tax schemes - got away with about $430 million. The Times won a Pulitzer Prize for the series.
Bloomberg and three other men created the "Bloomberg terminals" - and now have other ancillary products. The company earned $10 billion in 2018 and employ about 20,000.
21
With $60M Bloomberg could be doing many other things at this point in life instead of tackling a dictator as well as a long history of philanthropy. His giving is aligned with strategy and people's needs, not getting his name on buildings. Analysis fine but lets not pick apart the one person who may be able to return smarts and decency to the presidency.
26
Worse case scenario with Bloomberg:
The Democrats lose the executive branch and fail to flip the Senate but keep the House because the down ballot Democrats in red states won’t have to defend Medicare for all.
Worse case scenario with Sanders:
Democrats lose everything and Trump is a loose cannon for four more years.
14
Michael Bloomberg, Donald Trump,
I’ll take one, the other, dump.
I do not care that the former mayor’s
A billionaire. That head of air,
And little else, save pseudo-hair:
Our pseudo-prez impresses none
But angry white bewildered men,
Wielding guns and racist potions
To beguile Tweeters with half-baked notions—
Border walls and fake crime rates—
And entertain the desperate trolls
Whose fear-based raging impotence
Were sad to see, were’t not so scary.
Is Michael Bloomberg squeaky clean?
Hell, no. But he has at least a sheen
Of respectability: he’s willing
To denounce his stop-and-frisk faux pas,
Whilst Donald J, that grinning clown,
Knows only how to double down
On schoolyard taunts and witless rants,
The bigot’s stock and trade. But Mike,
Though sinking to the Donald’s realm,
Is wittier far. So take the helm,
O monied Bloomberg; steer our ship
Of state, and free us from the grip
Of this nightmarish lunatic.
22
I think Mike Bloomberg is the right candidate to beat Trump. He may not be my first choice, but he can pull in Independents and Republicans to defeat Trump. That is what matters in this election. I'm also hoping Bloomberg chooses a great running mate who may run for the presidency in 2024 if Bloomberg decides to forego running at age 82.
15
Among the Democratic presidential candidates, is anyone who is as accomplished and successful as Bloomberg in public and private endeavors? There answer is a resounding NO. Granted, Bloomberg is not as progressive as Sanders or Warren but the vast majority of Americans are not as progressive. They are mostly moderate. If they were progressive, they would have taken to the streets (like Occupy Walls Street and the movement would have shaken Washington to legislate for the working and middle classes) to demand better wages, affordable health care and a whole hosts of social benefits.
American capitalists are different from European capitalists. They are more brutal, greedy, selfish and only think in the short terms, but they are very good at propagandize. That's why Sanders and Warren cannot broaden their appeal beyond their base just like Trump. But Trump has the advantage of the so-called Electoral College. Bloomberg is perhaps the only candidate who could peel enough votes from Trump in the battleground states to deny Trump the Electoral College votes.
18
@Paul
I am sure there are millions of Americans would take to the streets if they did not have to work 24/7. The Corporations demand it. So those Capitalists in Corporate America are making sure that people who are working do not have the luxury of time. This is not 1950's where most people could live on one salary and have a decent life.
5
What table does Dowd sit at, after her #MeToo confession? 'Cause she was a pretty mean girl to the Clintons, and now we know why.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/02/opinion/george-hw-bush-maureen-dowd.html
4
Yet another useless Mo Dowd "analysis", in which the entirety of politics is reduced to performance art for fans of daytime TV.
6
Trump is a phony. He knows it too.
That's why he can't fight a fair fight, he has to call people names and act like a buffoon. Without all of Trump's Fixers, he's lost because he's very incompetent and his Fixers have to clean up behind him.
Everything Trump has done in his life is sketchy. Getting the Mob to help him build in NYC, turning to Roy Cohn to Fix his bumblings, then Michael Cohen Fixed things for him, Guiliani is trying to Fix the election for him, complicit Mitch had to Fix the acquittal in the Senate, even Russians had to Fix things for Trump in 2016 and now, Bully Barr is his Fixer.
Trump can't do a thing without a stable full of Fixers.
Trump cannot do ONE thing without his little Fixers running around doing his bidding and dodging laws that may land them in jail, while he plays golf overcharging the taxpayers for a game that he can't play without cheating. There's probably a Fixer for that too.
Many of Trump's Fixers are in jail or trying to stay out of jail.
Trump is the Joker while Bloomberg is Batman. I can live with voting for Bloomberg if he gets the nom.
Not one Dem candidate is perfect. But having put up with going on 4 years of Trump the maniac, who thinks he can use the Oval Office as his own private crimethink tank; we need to vote for the person who can take Trump on and win.
If that's Bloomberg, so be it. Trump needs to be vanquished in Nov, that's the priority.
19
My (serious) advice: Don't read Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, etc, etc, etc. You'll avoid the noxious repartee and will be much happier.
4
My progressive friends. It doesnt matter who beats Trump. On this, all depends. Please stay focused. Anybody would be an improvement.
18
All politicians "buy their way..." Bloomberg is using his own money while Sanders is buying his way, like true "socialist", using other people's money.
10
Yeah, because a true-blue American like Trump would steal it from his elderly dad, taxpayers, students and contractors.
6
Back in 2016, the Republican wannabes were reluctant to call out Bully Donald. So was Hillary.
If just one person had walked across the stage and whispered into the ear of that orange mass of narcissism "do or say that again and I will___fill in the blank." We wouldn't have Little Donnie to contend with today.
12
Trump has used his wealth to bully and cheat throughout his business career.
I am not a Trump hater, it takes someone like Trump with a Tourette like channeled syndrome to call out the great harm of political correctness which has gotten us to this abyss. A world in which no matter how hard people work, no matter what science offers up the politically correct will demand more from them; because the politically correct don't understand balance.
That's where Bloomberg comes in. He is not afraid to speak the truth as are the politically correct - that he is taking heat for stop and frisk, is beside the point at least he spoke the truth and implemented policies that sharply turned around killings and crime.
And Boomberg seems capable of empathy. One feels more of 'a there but for the grace of god go i'.
so in the end, KARMA may just come around to TRump and all his bullying and using his fortune to intimidate, will fall back upon him.
10
At least Bloomberg is creating a level playing field upon which POTUS may be intimidated, outright lose, or given enough latitude for his own downfall. According to Trumpian rules, no one wants a looser.
On the other hand, the remaining Democratic candidates may remain out of the fray while trying to address the problems facing so many Americans and inspire ‘we the people.’
5
I won’t describe this as “The Clash of The Titans”, but rather, the clash of Trump, the Titan wannabe, and Mike Bloomberg, an actual Titan.
14
My current lame joke is that Mile Bloomberg ought to tell Trump, “You’re right. I’m shorter than you. Unless I stand on my money.”
24
Yes, Tump is not a real billionaire.
Bloomberg gave 3.3 Billion in 2019 which is more than the entire fortune of King Trump. Take a moment to digest this and you will realize Tump is no match for Bloomberg. He is the real thing.
King Donald is defective and he knows it, so he will continue to fight against himself.
Like Bill Maher says, Donald with his obesity and malnutrition may not last until November - KFC might take care of him at any time.
11
Bloomberg has Wall street at his back and his own publication to laud his candidacy. That alone is worth taking a chance on him. He will be infinitely better in the job than our president- clown, Agent Orange and will have the smarts to choose a cabinet to back him up. Desperate times call for desperate means. Also watch whom he chooses for a running mate. That person may find herself president sooner rather than later. I wonder how long Bloomberg will want to serve after he wins the post?
9
I insist the difference between who is running for presidency right now and Trump
Trump was exposed in Access Hollywood tape who he is ,
Trump is exposed again in When Jeffry Epstein case.
We are all discussing exactly what?
Bernie, Pete, Warren, Biden, Amy and Mike are normal human beings.
What is exactly Trump is?
Do you see anything there people ?
or you are full of your own righteousness.
3
You might want to read the Washington Post’s article on Bloomberg today. Not good.
2
When Maureen mentioned Trump looming over Clinton during a debate it remined me of Al Gore, who strutted across the stage in an effort to intimidate Bush but ended up looking like a fool.
I'd like to see Trump try this with Bloomberg. He'd get sliced off at the knees.
6
Maureen, true to form, is once again engaging in attacks on a Trump opponent who has a chance of delivering us from the nightmare that she failed to understand in 2016 is far far worse than anything Hillary would have brought to Washington.
All snark all the time. How about surprising readers with a little substance?
14
Trump is ultimately limited by his boundless ignorance, bovine stupidity, and simian impulsivity. His hired guns only affect his true believers because he can't resist disregarding the best advice money can buy and humiliating the most obsequious supporters who ever groveled. If ever there were a human equivalent of the untethered cannon rolling around the decks of a ship, smashing anything in its path, it's Trump.
8
Good column Maureen. A lifelong, slightly left of center democrat here. I for one, am happy to see someone who is finally willing to punch the big bully in the nose. We cannot take the high road in this election, against our wanna-be dictator! As for social media, it is a reality of the times ....
and again, we need a candidate who is both willing and able to fight fire with fire. It is so rich, to see our fake president trying to portray Mr. Bloomberg as a racist and a misogynist. Really ??
Please tell me which viable democratic candidate passes
the self imposed purity test 100% ? Enough with the circular firing squad. I say, you Go Mike Bloomberg, and let the mud slinging begin !!
9
As the other Dem candidates point to Bloomberg and his billions with crooked little fingers, this moderate-left-of-center 75 year old must respond.
As a long-standing fan of Elizabeth Warren, since her earliest exposure on NPR interviews, I was disappointed with her "wealth tax" proposal. Now, I am living on a tight budget in my retirement with a disproportionate need for my Social Security checks so, I am not part of the one percenters protecting my turf.
The fact is I have less concern about the possession of wealth than how the wealthy got that way. In 2009, the Senate Banking Committee, on which Warren sat, spoke volumes about how greed and deceit can create vast fortunes. Bloomberg is no more flawless than the rest of us, or the other candidates. But he built his media empire, and his fortune, on his own, with dignity and honorably. And he has given away billions to worthy causes over the years.
And at 78, Mike is not stumbling out of the car, or drooling on himself. He is still exhibits a quick mind with important critical-thinking skills we need at the helm. Trump has survived with his reptilian instincts for self-survival through self-promotion using endless lies and false promises.
Indeed, every Democratic candidate in this race, with few exceptions, could outperform Trump as a leader of the free world. None of these candidates would love the Cabinet with a roster of known grifters. If "Bloomy" is The One to take down Trump, he has my vote.
14
By focusing on the fact that Bloomberg is using his own money for the election we overlook the fact that the others that are running are using other peoples money who they are beholden to. Which is cleaner?
22
I am unamused.
Politicians and journalists alike seem to be enjoying the turning of the political sphere into some form of entertainment. While voting rights are infringed upon, economic pitfalls await, climate change comes knocking, etc., the fourth estate and the people with power they report on, are players in this entertainment. Maybe that’s part of the problem — politics as entertainment in this country where sound bites, and vague terms like “electability” and how tall one is, matter, not policy and intelligence and even-handedness.
Every democracy gets the government it deserves indeed!
12
The highest moral imperative this year when voting for a Presidential candidate is to rid this country and the world of the clear and present danger that No. 45 poses. If Michael Bloomberg is the anointed one, then I will vote for him. If it is Amy Klobuchar, then she has my vote. Pete Buttigieg the one? I will cast my vote for him. The sometime Democrat Bernie Sanders? Voting for him if he is the Democratic nominee. If Elizabeth Warren or Joe Biden head the ticket, I will vote for either of them.
This year there can be no "purity test" imposed when there is a more urgent higher moral imperative to be upheld.
25
It's about time that someone called a bitch a bitch.
15
Hate to say it, but Bill Mahre was at “whiny little bitch,” four years ago.
3
This is the ancient gladiators in the Roman arena scenario - mano a mano or whatever. Fight till you kill the Other. The winner walks away to receive the laurel wreath. We, the good citizens, scream from the seats for our champion. Nero is a composite of all the media tech companies making money off it all. Thumbs up or thumbs down. How a democracy dies.
2
The impeachment fight and its vindictive aftermath proved that Trump is like a resistant strain of bacteria. If you attack him, you have to kill him or he mutates into something even worse. Bloomberg has the weapons and the smarts to bring him down. Let the games begin!
3
Another thing to consider. Trump, McConnell, and all the Presidents men govern and get what they and their big donors demand by intimidation.
The way they act truly is an abuse of power literally and figuratively. Of course, they are abusing the power of their offices in a democratic society. But also like verbal abusers, they readily punish individuals, groups, and countries to establish their authority, create fear, and withhold or dole out favors to further control their victims to be subservient.
It didn't start with Trump. Look what Cheney and the neocons got away with by lying our way to war in the Middle East.
Look what McConnell did when he refused to allow Obama's Supreme Court nominee to even be considered by the Senate for advise and consent, the Constitution be damned. Look at all the bipartisan bills passed by the House that McConnell has stonewalled in the Senate, because he doesn't want the Democrats to have any successes to improve our country or bolster their image.
My point: So the 2020 Democratic presidential candidate must be someone who can intimidate the intimidators, which is not only Trump but especially Mitch McConnell. Smart as they are, Bernie, Elizabeth, Buttigieg, certainly go-along-to-get-along Biden can't do it. Klobuchar has a slight chance.
Bottom line: I am sure Trump and maybe Mitch McConnell will be intimidated by Bloomberg, partially because of his wealth. Only when the GOP is neutered can we get back to democracy.
21
This is no time to be a purist in the Democratic Party. Our country is at stake.
An undercurrent with the Trump campaign is the secret (and illegal) influx of foreign money.
Lev Parnas, a part of the Giuliani/Trump Ukrainian "dirt" campaign, brought with him from overseas $325,000 in campaign contributions for a Trump PAC and another $1 million
from Firtash for who knows who.
20
I hope the rest of the country gets to experience what we are going through here in Virginia. With our State turning blue and Democrats in power, long overdue changes are taking place at a brisk pace. From expanding voting rights to gun safety measures to passing the ERA, it has been wonderful to behold. It is truly watching Democracy in action where your vote means something tangible. If Bloomberg wins and his money and momentum help hold the House and win the Senate, we will see the same bold actions to get this country back on the right track.
28
This is no time to be a purist in the Democratic Party. Our country is at stake.
An undercurrent with the Trump campaign (and Trump's businesses) is the secret influx of foreign money.
Lev Parnas, a part of the Giuliani/Trump Ukrainian "dirt" campaign, brought with him from overseas $325,000 in campaign contributions for a Trump PAC and another $1 million
from Firtash for who knows who.
7
Stop trying to make Bloomberg a thing, please.
6
Democrats have to get past the, “when they go low”, nonsense. Republicans are always at war, while Democrats are playing board games and writing thank you notes. Bloomberg is a breath of noxious air...I love it!
22
Problem is, the only way I know about these tweets and memes is from the regular media like the New York Times. A "following" of several million looks ginormous, but it's a only about 1% or 2% of the US population. And as far as I can tell, most of the followers are either regular media reporters, or twits like the tweeters they follow.
To put it another way: Twitter is for twits. memes circulate among the same small fraction of social media addicts. Most people wouldn't know about them without your reporting and find it difficult to think of somethbing they care less about.
FWIW, when I see "trending", or "recommended for you", I look for something else.
3
Factual snark and condescending putdowns utilizing facts are absolutely necessary when confronting a bully like Trump. Bloomberg is good at it. Intelligent snark will blow away a moronic bully every time. Just wait and see. I, for one, am enjoying it so far, and I am hopeful that it will get even better.
This is what draws the media. This is how Trump will be defeated. He really doesn't any good comebacks and dollars to donuts says he will be shown to be the weaker putdown artist by far.
10
The only recommendation for Bloomberg is that unlike any of Trumpkin Republicans he can still fit into his clothes and when I see him I don’t expect him to explode before the cameras. In fact all the Democrat candidates look fit and none looks about to explode. And so it seems to me that Trump and Barr and Pompeo and Rudy sat together in high school eating fries and sloppy joes and pretending the pretty chicks at the far table were theirs for the taking. Their misogyny and faux values and the need to swagger when not one ever stood in harm’s way bespeaks the past of the high school dunderhead. Even now at seventy years of age I can see Trump Rudy etc standing limp and lost hearing a gorgeous blonde in a Cashmere sweater say, Like I’m totally not in love with you.
8
That our infantile King—er, President—'rules' the dominion through tweetstorms, and that the populace can't look away from these raging, raving tweetstorms—just three years ago, such a scenario would have been deemed IMPOSSIBLE.
9
Two wretched men.
Those who work for Trump are corrupt and dirty and if they weren't they get that way quickly -- purchased with presidential power.
Those who work for Bloomberg are corrupt and dirty, purchased with Bloombucks.
The two are all the evidence we need that we do not need 70+-year-old men in the White House (and that goes for Biden and Sanders as well). Who am I to say that? Their peer in age.
All of you, shut up, go away, retire and leave the United States of America to the 94% who are younger than 70.
It is enough. Like me, you will all be dead in the next 10 to 15 years -- well that is a truth about which anyone in his or her mid-70s will tell you they are well away.
Trump, Bloomberg, Biden, and Sanders will not be here much longer. It is nothing but hubris for them to think they have a right to shape a world they will not live in for much longer than they have lived already.
They stand in the way of the future and they need to leave the stage.
Meanwhile, if the best we can do is two old men insulting one another then we have reached a stultifying, nullifying moment in our history.
I want a younger president. I want a woman president. Old men have done enough damage.
11
The second question is what is "fetch" (besides with a dog)? And how long has it been happening?
1
@james haynes
A device Ms Fey used in the movie to emulate how kids invent words or new meanings for common words.
1
@magicisnotreal
Thanks. Now I fetch it.
1
Maureen, you skipped right over the monumental clash o the titans comibg tween Bloomy and Sandy
“ Bloomy “ ? Reminds me of reading a saga of Trump, and midnight phone calls. But, it’s all a haze, part of this Trumpian nightmare. And, I’m still waiting for an apology from this Writer, for her complicity in the HRC defeat. Even a whisper or a scintilla of regret will do, Madam.
7
I'm glad Bloomberg is taking aim at Trump. The Democrats have been the weaklings getting sand kicked in their faces for far too long. They come across as a bunch of weenies. If Bloomberg wants to go after Trump, I say go for it. Someone needs to. I love the remark about Trump's hair, obesity and spray tan. We need more of it. Bring it on, Bloomie.
18
"Hillary still wonders if she should have wheeled around, when Trump was lurking behind her on the debate stage and making her skin crawl, and said, “Back up, you creep, get away from me.”"
This is misleading, the link leads to an article that is 2 1/2 years old. Another subtle swipe against Sec. Clinton by Ms. Dowd.
The moderator's should have disciplined trump and prevented the stalking, but like so many others they were intimidated by him. Sec. Clinton conducted herself properly and I highly doubt she is second guessing her conduct on that debate stage. If she had confronted trump, she would have been criticized mercilessly.
It's long past time for Maureen Dowd to give Hillary Clinton a modicum of the respect she deserves.
15
Trump, grifter supreme, doesn't pay for his meme creators maybe* but somebody pays for the bots and disinformation farms in Russia.
*Somebody paid Cambridge Analytica. And who knows what dark PAC money pays for? Let's check with Brad Parscale.
7
Maureen needn’t apologize. She didn’t lose the election for Hillary, she managed to do it on her own
but she did win the popular vote. I couldn’t believe that while the country was still feeling the effects and being critical of going through a financial
meltdown she would go behind closed doors at Goldman Sachs , for money, and talk about who knows what.
This from someone intending to run for the presidency ? And talking about the TPP being the gold standard
of trade deals one week and unacceptable the next didn’t help. I could also throw in voting for the Iraq fiasco.
So it’s time to get off Maureen’s back. Hillary had some major flaws and did everyone know that the miscreant occupying
the Oval Office was playing “ bait and switch “ ?
1
Am wondering how many of these comments are being written by Bloomberg's paid "outreach" hires.
4
I’d love to see Tina Fey write Mean Girls II: “Bitchhy” Lunch Table Trashed.
This is SO sexist and offensive! I’m sure you just meant to be cute, funny. But this buys into and promotes the worst stereotypes about women and girls. When people act badly/meanly/can’t get along, it is ascribed as somehow “female“. Add to that that I think you are trying to demean them by equating them with girls and women. Thanks. What’s maybe more upsetting is I didn’t find one other complaint about this sexism in all the comments. Maureen Dowd, you’re better than this.
4
I have been looking at these comments to see if others protest the column's multi-faceted misogyny, which is so disturbing that at first I could not keep reading. I forced myself to go on and read the rest, but the message I am left with is the misogyny.
4
Alexander the great, was about 5 feet tall, plus he had no bone spurs,
11
Many moral authorities of politics and cancel culture fanatics saddened this mud wrestling between Trump and Bloomberg will take us the Amorality abyss.
But let me remind when we really intentionally dive in to that moral abyss.
When access Hollywood video came out and we heard our current president is a creep in terms of sexual morality and our society's religious conservatives part whole heatedly embraced his sins. Later on we learned he also partied with pedophile Epstein in his NY mansion.
5
It’s fetch. Brilliant.
3
As an aside, I've heard it all, but never before someone assert unfair discrimination against non-minority drivers. Per the NY Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/02/opinion/mr-bloombergs-logic.html
#whitedriversmatter2020?
Mike Bloomberg is a petty, obscenely wealthy, chauvinist, little tyrant who terrorized communities of color to keep NYC appealing to other plutocrats.
That minor quibble aside, I will walk over broken glass to vote for him if he is the nominee.
17
It's time to make a deal with the Devil if we want to get rid of Trump!
9
Maureen, I love your writing style. And the content. Thank you.
1
I'd like to see Regina George go toe-to-toe in a Presidential debate with Mr. Trump. She'd demolish him!
2
Bloomberg has my vote as long as he is in this race. This is fun. Bloomberg has f you money and trump thinks he has it since the banks have entitled him by never foreclosing because he owes them so much. The dem policy of going high when they go low is a losing strategy. The dems need to go lower and trump and his family are the perfect foils. It is abut time someone stands up to this entitled bully. For all you high minded people out there look back at history until science discovers the missing gene or dominant gene that creates Stalin, Hitler, Mao, slaveholders, racists, and bigots we will not be able to take the high ground. This bully and his weak flunkies known as the new republican party have to go. You want to silence a bully punch him the mouth.
14
Maureen, stop trying to make fetch happen! It's not going to happen!
Have no idea what you’re talking about. And I’ll bet over half the readers of this column don’t either. What is fetch?
5
Like most everyone, I too long for the golden age of civility whenever that might have been. But changed times call for changed responses. My favorite mean girls episode relevant to today’s lesson is from the movie White Chicks. When the Vandergeld girls throw down the gauntlet on the dance floor, the Wayans-Wilson girls break all over it. Trump has thrown down more than one glove to challenge our democracy. So I say, “Break, Mike, break!”
4
as an invertebrate elitist, i continue to believe that competence matters. if you have a choice, go with a highly-skilled surgeon over an incompetent clutz; a smart, hard-working lawyer over an aimless moron; and, yes, a stable, intelligent president over an arrogant clown.
11
Anyone who haunts twitter is a n’er do well lowlife who thinks that their opinions are important. Most are not clever or smart enough to fit that description.
5
"as these two oligarchs go at it" ... One real, one fake.
Trump revels in chaos because it's really the only way a stupid person can ever take a smart person by surprise.
8
Boring.....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
1
Raising millions of dollars to win a primary or a general election equals buying an election. Bloomberg is for now using his own money, the other candidates are using other people’s money. As long as one doesn’t bribe states officials to obstruct voters rights, then it is up to the electorate to decide.
4
His majesty plays golf and hides his scores just like his taxes, his grades or anything having to do with arithmetic in his life.
He lives his life creating fear in all who oppose him, and threatens to "lock up" those who threaten the throne.
Mr. Bloomberg understands fear and more importantly, the fear the bully carries around, day and night.
Mr. Bloomberg stands head and shoulders above the bully, financially, politically, and at the ballot box on the first Tuesday next November regardless of who's name is on the ballot.
12
Thanks Maureen-
I would love to watch the 2 billionaire oligarchs destroy each other with mean memes- but neither should be Dictator- I mean President. No one has been able to tell my why they are confident that Bloomberg will not follow Donald into Dictatorship- They just hope he won't. But I am not so sure.
1
Don’t democrats want to win his election? Isn’t this the most important election we have faced in our lives? Would it be too much to ask democrats to stop their hand wringing and endless criticism of the one candidate who actually has a chance to beat Trump? Every candidate has warts. Amy Klobuchar is a horrible human being who belittles and demeans her employees and thus has the highest staff turnover rate in Congress. Will I vote for her if she gets the nomination? Yes. Bloomberg has done more than enough positive things in his career that liberals and democrats can be proud of than the things we disagree with. Those are the things we should be focusing on. I would rather sacrifice some of my principles to win with Bloomberg than sacrifice everything and lose with another candidate.
9
Bloomberg is Tom Brady playing for the Cowboys. Old. Out of place. Over the hill. Doesn’t belong there.
just wait, Maureen, Bloomberg will keep winning this mash-up.
5
“In the spirit of the Brangelina split, conservatives are now left agonizing about which of their stars to support — Trump or Barr.”
Yes what to do? Should be fun to watch so-called “conservatives” who are today nothing more than treasonous radicals and fanatics try to decide between two treasonous and radical fanatics.
6
What Hillary should have done was turn to Trump and say calmly, "It's down the hall and to your right".
14
Not so fast, Maureen.
You appear to be giving us a choice: Trump or Bloomberg.
This billionaire or that billionaire.
Na uh.
Most of us like Bernie better.
The national polls say just that.
This "you need a billionaire to beat a billionaire" meme is pure nonsense.
We need a candidate with a big base and a big middle-class agenda to rescue the middle-class from the destructive agendas that billionaires and millionaires have heaped upon them.
We need Bernie!
2
If the election is going to be “bought”, I prefer it at least be sold to an American rather than Vladimir Putin.
Mike 2020.
14
Twitter is the opiate of the masses.
6
Interesting that the highlighted quote from Wurzel bemoans asymmetry, and Dems not showing up for the gunfight at the O.K. Corral with the GOPers, (under)armed with only knives.
Such is the world 10 years after Citizens United - thanks so much Justice Roberts, et al.
GOPers should find a real Billionaire media magnate as their avatar next time, instead of a teensy mini-billionaire.
Nevertheless, Bloomberg is wrong in his analysis of what caused the '08 meltdown, or he's just spouting a convenient talking point; too bad no comments were allowed for Saturday's NYTimes op-ed by Christopher Caldwell on the subject.
There's a saying about never wrestle with a pig: You both get dirty and the pig likes it.
But sometimes, you don't have a choice. And in that case, you better get someone who really knows how to wrestle a pig.
nb: Pigs are used in a purely metaphorical way, just the way George Bernard Shaw intended it.
5
"When Bloomberg was asked recently about the clash of the billionaires, he snapped back: 'Who’s the other one?'"
Bloomberg better watch it before the "thousandaire," as Gail Collins dubbed him, gets DOJ and Attorney General Barr do a "stop and frisk" on him.
2
When oh when will we start to hear Stacy Abrams as VP running mate?
3
Bloomberg is getting destroyed on social media in direct proportion to the amount of factual data is dug up on him. He was a Republican for 20 years, endorsed GWB in 2004 and has a plethora of misogynist and racial bias incidents.
Those who seem to think he is the only viable option among the Democratic candidates because he is a billionaire are in for a shock.
Charles Blow, a NY Times opinion columnist is already destroying his credibility.
We don't need Bloomberg. He's a Republican in his outlook and has an arrogance that comes with his billions that is very off putting bordering on offensive.
He has pledged to keep spending his unlimited wealth on trying to defeat Trump, even if he isn't the Democratic nominee.
And isn't his money pretty much the only reason he is getting an airing at all in this race?
He won't last long. He is incompatible with the values of the Democratic Party.
1
Impeached Donald Bankrupt Trump is going to be on the ballot in November? Who votes for such a person?
5
My fave so far:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ue5F57dZMU&feature=share&fbclid=IwAR3Mpsjr6A2qSMqKkv8Yst3HjUAU8KxJC3mfRAUPL3HVRiyOMRHmxfk8EuA
Trust me on this, folks. It will be yours too.
3
@Blue Ridge Boy I just listened and sent the link to friends & family. It's brilliant and should go viral. Thanks!
4
Trump is bad? But, Maureen, those emails...
3
Sorry, but Trump is no Billionaire. And whatever "wealth" he does have, he acquired through mostly unfair & dishonest means. He has thrived through the welfare of wealthy friends & folks he has given back-room deals to.
Amazing how Trump can disparage welfare recipients so much. He is the benefactor of humongous welfare.
6
Finally, here is the kind of tasty stuff MoD relishes in, and was hoping to foment with her kid glove treatment of candidate Trump. I guess she got her wish!
2
Trump is a bully who confuses his opponents reluctance to fight back at his level as confirmation that he is somehow a tough and talented at one-on-one verbal warfare.
I have no doubt that Trump thinks that his self proclaimed.status as a "very stable genius" includes a world class wit.
He is wrong.
Whenever he has an exchange with someone who feels as unconstrained as he does, he ends up looking foolish, juvenile, and a bit slow. "No puppet you're the puppet " is about as impressive as height jokes and quite typical.
This doesn't mean Democrats must nominate Bloomberg because he's adept at getting under Trump's skin without sounding like a grade school bully.
But a different nominee may want to consider a bipartisan move and hire a couple of Republicans to help with their Trump "communication" strategy: George Conway and Rick Wilson should do the trick.
3
This reader understands--at least he thinks he does--how you use "Mean Girls" as providing a context or perspective for understanding your op-ed for today, and thinks it is a good reference point. However, I think the "Godfather" films may perhaps provide an even better context for understanding what is currently happening on the national stage and endangering the republic. Or, at least for history buffs, would William Shirer's "Rise and Fall of the Third Reich" better do the job in providing the context for our understanding what is happening to our country?
3
Bloombergians have instead opted to wade into the mud and wrestle with Mr. Trump’s Twitter feed.”
Down and dirty is the only way to drive Trump back under his rock. The gloves are off. I hope that African Americans and Latinos can see through Trumps strategy and let his excessive zeal in crime fighting slide. There’s bigger fish to fry.
6
To my disheartened mind, Mike Bloomberg is doing the Lord's work...
8
You want memes to mess with Trump’s head? Get beautiful women to laugh at him. It won’t be hard to find them.
9
Oh my! What an entertaining spectacle. Bloomberg & Trump "mooning" one another. A large element of the Democratic constituency is so enamored of parody that Bloomberg if miraculously elected would be encouraged to not leave office if defeated by a Republican in 2024 just to satisfy this goofy quid pro quo jollity as evidenced on these pages. From hysteria to comedy. Are you people serious?
2
Isn’t it surreal that this kind of column is being written about a presidential election? Someone wake me up.
3
Fetch? I'm ready to kvetch.
3
MoDo, if you had waited a few more hours before going to press, your "Mean Girls" piece would have been award winning.
The original "Mean Girl" is back. Invited into the political octagon by Mayor Mike. She is dirty talking and dirty walking and ready for some big time pantsuit payback.
Mayor Mike, the three term mayor, of a real city, not to be confused by the mayor of a city, with a population that is less than most mid-town towers, is paying for a hired gun. She beat Trump before and she'll do it again. Rowdy Yates and Inspector Callaghan aren't getting near this action.
Next week, there is a very real chance Harvey Weinstein will walker out of court, a free man. Harvey will be ready to get back to work, to pay off his lawyers. He would gladly help some old friends and give a RomCom take on this year's political race. Now, who should play the Russian secret agent, that is disguised as a Hawaiian Congresswoman?
This article in The Atlantic explains how Trump’s memes are generated, and it is not by his followers and it is not for free!
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/03/the-2020-disinformation-war/605530/
The Republican Noise Machine turned up to 11.
2
You recognize that Barr standing up to Trump is just for show, don’t you?
12
Why not write about Bloomberg's record?
He's a flaming Neoliberal billionaire, an elite Republican running at a time that the public and the Democratic Party are denouncing elites, billionaires and Neoliberalism and moving left towards social democratic institutions and policies.
Why reinforce the dumb blonde meme?
1
Too bad Bloomberg didn't get the contents of the Pecker's National Enquirer's safe before it disappeared.
1
Trump fears and loathes Michael Bloomberg because Mr. Bloomberg is the successful multi-billionaire that Trump could only pretend to be on insipid TV shows or in pathetic vanity books.
Accordingly, he knows Bloomberg has the means to destroy the Trump facade.
3
Bloomie was the worst NYC mayor ever. He stole his 3rd term, exhibited racist behavior & basically discounted New Yorkers with less than a billion. I couldn't possibly vote for him, even against Trump.
1
Politics is conformity
You got to fit in to get in
Conformity is never fetch
No politician can be fetch
1
In January 2021 after his 2nd inauguration which had an even larger crowd than the first, President Trump visits Russia to promote the Moscow Tower. Vladimir Putin in a joint press conference tells the Russian people, “What’s good for Trump is good for Russia.” Trump then states, “What’s good for Russia is good for the American people.”
Bernie Sanders was unavailable for comment as he is now living in Denmark.
After returning Home the President and the Secret Service visit Mar-A-Lago where the rooms have increased to $1200 a night. When confronted with the numbers Senator Lindsey Graham (R) SC, scratches his double chin and says he’s late for a meeting. Rand Paul (R) KY suggested maybe 2 agents could share a room. Former presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg agreed.
In March, the president visits Istanbul and in a private meeting with Erdogan a “deal” is reached for a Tower in that city and the two take the Black Sea Tour to identify 3 more sites for Trump properties at least one of which will be the grandest golf course in Europe. They are heard chatting off-camera about the return of an Ottoman like state in the region. Later Trump asked an aid, “What’s an Ottoman?”
Former VP and 2020 presidential candidate Biden speaking from a retirement center in his home state of Delaware said he knew all of the Ottomans by their first names.
To be continued.
you just made my day, thank you
Mo, you left out Mike's best so far.....in response to Trump's attack on his height he said, "Donald, they only measure from the neck up". And the crowd roared - sort of like Trump's crowd roars.
Yeah, bring it on, Mike. Be the meanest girl you can be and save our democracy. Someone's got to do it. And the real billionaire will. Also the one who is not obese, doesn't use spray tan and doesn't try to camouflage a balding head. He may not be perfect, but I will vote for him over the cruel mean girl any day.
10
Mike versus Donnie? Go with the real thing - Mike.
6
The Don & Mike show will make for an exciting election year. My money is on Mike. He's smarter and tougher than Donny boy. Mike proved himself the hard way while Donny sleazed his way through. If anything, Mike will keep Donny on the defensive trying to keep his over-inflated ego intact.
Our democracy has been pummeled for over two hundred years and even though battered and bruised it still survives. I seriously doubt this scorched-earth election year will be the worst it has seen. That doesn't mean we should take it for granted - be sure to vote in November.
2
"Who can make fetch happen?" We finally have a fight between two clever opponents who are willing to get down in the dirt on a level playing field and wrestle it out. Finally. A real and exciting fight. That's what politics should be all about. And as an added bonus, our democracy is probably on the line. With less than nine months to go, I'll be tuning in to this one. And I won't be alone. This will be less like "Mean Girls" and more like game day at the Roman Colosseum. And make no mistake about it: at this point in American history, this is the only way a true winner ... and loser ... will emerge.
How do you defeat a bad, narcissistic billionaire with a Twitter feed? Send in a good, narcissistic billionaire with a Twitter feed...
5
The comments here suggest that Bloomberg is having no trouble in buying up Democrats by the gross. It could turn that Trump is merely a step on the road to rule by pure money -- that the coming election will oblige a dubious semi-billionaire to yield his throne to a genuine multi-multi-billionaire.
In my view, it's Godzilla vs. King Kong. A couple of grotesque monsters are flattening the landscape, to the advantage or edification of no one, as they roar and flail about. The difference between these two arrogant, cruel and stupid men is neither great nor interesting. A suggestion to Bernie Sanders: let Bloomberg have the Democratic nomination and run as an independent. You'd wipe the floor with both of them.
Bloomberg, as he pointed out in one of his tweets, "knows who Trump is".
He knows Trump is a loser who would be homeless if his Dad and American banks had not backed, then eaten, his failed business attempts.
But, everyone else knows this too, and, Trump is still King.
So, we will see if Mike can take on Trump in Trump world now.
Trump has really attracted America's heart and mind. Nothing like nasty to get modern appeal.
In Trump's case: Old and Nasty.
2
The last thing the nation and the world need is another misogynist and racist, white male, New York billionaire bully in The White House. Democrats need to follow Michelle Obama's advice and "go high." This race is all about character, decency and integrity. The best ticket the Democrats can put forward in this regard that would also unify the party is Biden-Warren.
The " they go low, we go high" saying has been around for a long time now. Yet, as studies continue to show, going negative works. Negative beats nice. Fact. A fact many of us don't like, sure, but if you want to loose again keep reciting your 23 point plan for everything while you are called fat, short, dumb, looser, and worse.
Go to Trump's 2020 campaign website, where it asks if you're going to vote for Trump or for a radical socialist.
This is how Senator Todd Young responds to calls and emails about his vote to BLOCK witnesses and other evidence from the
so-called trial of President Trump in the Senate - or any other justification he makes for the president.
This is how Trump and the GOP are framing the debate and the entire campaign.
So far.
Michael Bloomberg is able to re-frame their campaign. Maybe even dismantle it.
Yes, his money enables him to enter a race at a late stage and go all in. But Bloomberg's record of governing, his focused energy for gun control and education, and his unmatched philanthropy for causes that truly benefit people are what make his billions different from others. He has made some serious mistakes, but he confronts them and changes. And he has a plan to tax his own.
3
As many people here, I find the descent into high-school, ad hominem, trash-talking politics extremely saddening. But the root cause is social media. The cat is out of the bag, we've opened Pandora's Box - for so many reasons, it's never going to go away, at least not in the foreseeable future - so we're stuck with it.
What to do? I can see no more important task than removing the current deeply corrupted and vile president from the White House. Mike Bloomberg is not perfect, but he is in no way in the same class or depravity as Donald Trump. If he is in a position (and I think he is) to fight fire with fire, then I say - go for it, Mike. If we can elect a reasonably sane and decent human to the presidency, there is at least a hope that he or she can bring some sense of sanity, decency and decorum to the current deplorable state of public debate - not to say *actually* governing.
14
All Bloomberg all the time. Reminds me of Trump's
coverage in 2016. Americans couldn't possibly be fooled again. Could they?
1
The Obama prototype is a rarity. Smart and humble. We may never see another.
11
We gotta fight fire with fire this time. After we get rid of trump and his republican protectors, we can move back and regain amd ress. I will vote for any democrat over any republican, anwhere and everywhere. Will I support Bloomberg if he gets the nomination> You bet I will. Will I be happy to see Amy Klobuchar as his VP? Game on!
8
Win or lose, I hope Bloomberg stays on to trigger Trump until the election. It's important for the electorate to be reminded repeatedly of the open sewage that constantly flows from this president's thumbs and mouth. Let the man destroy himself, armored in nothing but petty and vile invective.
4
So here we are again. Trump is a constant provocateur with ridiculous nicknames for all his supposed enemies including ones for those many Republicans who are now lapdogs and yes men to his insanity. And when Mike Bloomberg intelligently makes twitter retorts about Trump in response using facts not “trumped up” if you will, lies, conspiracy theories and just plain nastiness and evil remarks - Mike deserves criticism? Oh please. Grow up Maureen. This is the second week I’ve found it necessary to write a comment on your take of the democratic nominees and how they’re running their campaigns - this week focusing on Mike Bloomberg. If you read your newspaper and ingest the facts of this disgusting presidency and how Trump is systematically destroying democracy and everything good about it including our environment, you should know we need someone like Mike Bloomberg who knows his opposition well. Very well. Who says as straightforward as any of our present candidates that he’s running to defeat Donald Trump - period. We still are in the early stages of this chaos, but Mike Bloomberg who doesn’t need this grief like a hole in the head but sincerely is in the fray using his own money to wage a campaign to get rid of the scourge running this country, I say finally! He also made very clear that if he doesn’t win the nomination, he will spend his money and effort to oust Donald Trump and help whoever is the nominee be successful. Anything wrong with that? I don’t think so.
15
If I ever find out what a meme is I will start working on bots.
4
We have no law we have no order anymore. Hey wall street that stock market is way over valued, Healthcare is a joke a angry sick joke that lets the people who need inulin die joke and passes out opioids like candy to a depressed nation of forgotten taxpayers. Our money isn't really worth a dollar, trillions upon trillion of debts so the rich can what buy another yacht? What interest is my money making right now practically NONE. We haven't won a WAR in how Long? What's great here btw? That I want to know. And the 70 ' year old's are acting like spoiled brats. Merica' you in danger girl. Trump has made EVERYTHING gross again.
5
Just one more distraction or 'Jedi mind trick,' except no body here is a Jedi knight. Supporters like Trump because 'he gets things done '- all while tweeting and playing more golf than any other president. An amazing feat.
What has Trump done in three years? Yes, the economy and jobs are good, but he inherited a growing economy. He got a tax cut passed that helped corporations, including companies that may be more vested overseas than domestically. His deregulation fiats are causing more long term damage than good. The national debt has reached an unprecedented level. And he will go down as the worst or stupidest 'environmental' president ever.
What has he not done: a lot. No infrastructure during the 'greatest economy of any other president,' no health care reform, no immigration reform, no tax reform for the middle class, no criminal justice reform, no forwarding-thinking job creation, the list goes on. Heck, he can't even fill positions in his own administration. I would wager he has been one of least effective president's in modern history when it comes to substantial or meaningful legislation. Yes he has made an impact, but so do ketchup stains.
Most of all he has diminished the prestige of the President of the United States and continues to divide the country with sole objective of getting himself elected and re-elected. And be able to brag about it.
8
The Bloviating Buffon in the White House, is deconstructing our democracy by his tempestuous Twitter rants and thereby reducing our elections into “Carnival Barking” sessions of demagogic deviancy. Marshall McLuhan was a true visionary when he opined: “The Medium is the Message”!
4
As only you can do sometimes, Ms Dowd, you have brought American presidential politics into focus. What I'm seeing is totally "tabloid". Nothing real. Nothing of substance. Nothing anyone can support without feeling soiled.
3
I'm for Bloomberg and don't care how he beats trump. Of course, it's sad...but this country has come to this environment and divisive society by electing one of the most vulgar, ignorant, soulless, immoral, dishonest persons in this country (I'm including all of trump's buds in this description as well). I've been sick about everything that I hold dear being destroyed (environmental regulations, destruction of middle class, and treatment of the poor by this president.
7
The avaerage age of Trump, Sanders, Biden and Bloomberg is above 75. Is this the best the US can do? The US is in a perilous and pathetic situation.
3
@James Ricciardi
The problem with overall American society is disregard to Woman and young person.
One can still wonder how Obama and Clinton was elected.
Woman should do what?
Society has no inclination as a general showing any respect to woman.
Bernie told literally Warren , woman cannot be elected as a president . People swallowed.
1
Bloomberg has the money and the testosterone to go toe to toe with Trump. It will be fascinating to watch. If the last tweet exchange is any indication, Trump could very well be on the defensive. A Trump tweet is a mean spirited strip of his personal opinion, vulgar and vicious - whereas the Bloomberg tweet comes across as truth. Elite New Yorkers laughing at Trump behind his back? Calling him a 'carnival barking clown'?
Yeah, that sounds about right.
12
Bloomy = Trump
Bloomy is a version of Trump you can trust with your daughter.
Bloomy is Trump sans the pornographic predilection.
Bloomy is easily as mendacious as Trump. He's just better at it as he still cares about getting caught at it.
Bloomy is basically what Trump imagines himself to be or at least wants you to think he is.
So in spite of the better manners and ability to be discrete Bloomy will be just as disastrous for the people as Trump has been.
@magicisnotreal: Nope. Bloomberg puts his money where his mouth is on Democratic priorities: Climate Change, Public Health, Gun Control, Education, Infrastructure... Bloomberg would work to improve the country for all Americans, Trump only serves himself, selling out the USA to Putin in return for a fat bank account and forced to close his charitable Trump Foundation that only served as a piggybank for himself. Trump and Bloomberg are not the same at all. They are polar opposites instead.
4
@Anna
Him being better at business and more careful of his reputation does not change the facts. He is the same as Trump, only better at hiding what he is doing and using language to make it seem so.
profiteering off of climate change is in line of the predation model of the economy he and his have imposed on us for forty years.
He is actually dangerously good at deception. The fact that he is still promoting racist ideas like the myth he seems to have invented himself about Redlining just goes to show that eh has not changed and is still doubling down daily on the 40 year old divide and conquer republican model of governance.
Red Lining is a reference to semi secret maps with lines in red ink that marked out the whites only segments of the real estate market in various parts of the country. Some places did not use maps to do the same thing. It involved sneaky questions on applications for loans. That is where the credit reporting system we have today began. The idea was to not approve loans for black people on the grounds of them not being fiscally qualified for them instead of telling them whites only.
The idea of ending that practice caused banks to make bad loans is ridiculous. They made those loans on purpose because they were bad to create the fiasco they did. The trickery and use of the de-professionalisation of tall of America caused intentionally be deregulation to get people to do things they thought were right but weren't is how.
"Hillary still wonders if she should have wheeled around, when Trump was lurking behind her on the debate stage and making her skin crawl, and said, 'Back up, you creep, get away from me.'"
She didn't need to say anything. What she should have done is simply turn around silently and give him a quizzical look that says, "What on earth are you doing back there?" Then turn around to the audience, shake her head and laugh. The audience would have laughed with her, and she would have put Trump in his place without saying a word.
4
I love the fact that Bloomberg can hire people to neuter Trump and his sycophants. Isn't that what makes America great?
3
"President Trump’s supporters create content for free out of genuine love for the president.” ~ is she referring to the Russians or the homegrown trolls?
P.S. Add Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Emeritus to the mean table.
5
I get the Mean Girls analogy for IMPOTUS and his hangers-on, but a more apt one to me is a scene from "The Lord of the Flies."
Listen carefully to the MAGA cultists at future rallies, and you'll hear "Kill the pig. Cut her throat. Spill her blood!"
A Mean Girl can be vanquished by a bad hair day. Taking out the Lord of the Flies requires a fully committed resistance to a dangerously unhinged autocrat.
4
The days of the uber classy Obamas and the inspirational "when they go low, we go high" are over. The only way to treat with a bullies, cowards at heart, is to punch back - hard. No one else in the race relishes, can wage or can respond effectively to a dirty fight and dirty fighter.
Klobuchar's "who does that?" is for sane, normal people. Trump is neither. Bloomberg can go low, gleefully it seems, but come back to the real world. Still waiting to hear what else comes out about Bloomberg, the racism and sexism are disgusting and he hasn't addressed either well yet. But I like that he can punch back and punch harder than the cheeto.
4
I guess smart people running for office need to lower their political bar to match someone who’s mentally ill. The American people expect that.
2
Yes, this presidential election is going to mean & nasty like none before it. It is inevitable when you have a candidate like Trump for whom there are no political or moral boundaries and no sense of shame. Only Bloomberg has the sense to battle Trump on every stage: television, internet, debates, organization & rallies. The Democrats say their main goal is to defeat Trump. Then let's defeat Trump with the one man that can do it: Bloomberg. Nominating Sanders is like nominating Mondale or McGovern. It just will not work and likely will punish the country with four more years of Trump. We can't let that happen.
7
Trump will utilize his number one ally Rush Limbaugh to goad Democrat candidates. I invite you to read my op-ed published in the Times of San Diego regarding Trump awarding Limbaugh the Presidential Medal of Freedom. https://timesofsandiego.com/opinion/2020/02/15/the-medal-of-freedom-is-for-american-heroes-rush-limbaugh-isnt-one/
2
Hillary should not have told Trump to back off. She should've made a funny joke about him stalking. It would've played better otherwise she'd look like she belongs at the bitchyyy lunch table which lately she actually does. Hillary is passé composé.
3
Bloomberg is tapping into one of Trump’s biggest personality flaws: his Nixon-like sense of inferiority to wealthy, well connected and classy establishment folks who view him as a circus act and below them. This tactic may thrill people who want to hurt Trump emotionally— like he dies daily to others—but it can backfire.
When people with similar inferiority personality challenges as Trump have held office, such as Richard Nixon or Adolf Hitler, they have often abused their power in the worst ways. Nixon self destructed by staging a break-in of the DNC HQ when in fact he had all the votes he needed to win without doing so. And he recorded one haunting rant after another on audiotape expressing his hatred of New England establishment folks like the Kennedy family. And his pent up frustration came out in reckless and senseless bombing missions in Southeast Asia. Such behavior ruined his legacy. Hitler took his inferiority complex further by persecuting his own citizens in a holocaust and starting WW II, resulting in tens of millions of deaths and tremendous carnage.
We’ve already seen how Trump’s meanness displays itself onTwitter, in immigration detention centers where children are separated from their families and placed in cages. We’ve seen how he invites foreign help to win elections and has turned the DOJ into a machine to persecute his political enemies. We’ve seen him thrilled by killing foreign leaders and terrorists. I greatly fear a 2nd term should Mike go too far.
4
We tried the high road for 8 years. What did it get us? Donald Trump.
This common ground malarkey that the moderate candidates talk about won't work. We need a big turnout, regardless of who the D candidate is, and take over the Senate, too. All the hair-splitting about policy will work itself out.
15
If we could just take the money off the table for a sec and consider our options. All the dems seem like decent, earnest people who truly think that their way is best. But I feel like I am either in a bad episode of Portlandia with Bernie and Elizabeth or in a flat-toned humorless droning with Amy and Pete. Mike is waiting until they all cancel each other out. He possesses, among many other things, wit and grit.
7
@Schwartz Please don't equate Amy with Pete. Amy has a razor-sharp wit. She's smart, tough, pragmatic and politically savvy. She knows how to punch back with a smile. And she has a long track-record of legislative success. Bloomberg/Klobuchar: a winning team!
5
Well they do have a lot in common. Both abused their staff.
1
No apology, Haven't we learned and filing to prioritize? Giving trump even one extra day would be the destruction of our country. Never have we had a perfect POTUS. We're required to elect a genuine human being. Failing once on a grand scale is enough for me. Imagining post-election, who is most qualified to repair the enormous damge? Faults recognized, but also capabilities and potential....Mr. Bloomberg w/ Amy K. as backup VP.
7
It's really very simple. Many republicans will vote for Bloomberg; they will not vote for Bernie.
If we want to get rid of this infestation, Bloomberg is the right candidate.
13
If the turn out is high Trump will lose, simple as that. I just hope it doesn't rain on election day in Ohio and Pennsylvania.
3
Bloomberg clearly has his warts but NYT columnists who rail against him are playing right into Trump's hands, and I am sure they will regret providing Trump with ammunition against Bloomberg should he capture the nomination.
10
The revelations in the Washington Post about Bloomberg’s sexual harassment of women in his employ are enough to make one vomit in any era, especially in the MeToo era. We don’t need another misogynistic, racist New York billionaire bully in the White House. The Democrats must wage a campaign of civility and decency and that is not what we’ve seen from and now heard about Michael Bloomberg. The Democrats must find a nominee without those issues. That would seem to eliminate Amy Klobuchar and Bernie Sanders. We absolutely need someone with “no drama”!
1
Bloomberg knows Trump lives on social media, and wants to get under Trump’s thin skin. Bless Bloomberg for going where Trump’s eyeballs go, paid or not.
Irony is not dead when the Trumpkins are sniffing “it’s purchased and not authentic”
12
Don't forget to invite Matt Gaetz, Tom Cotton and Tucker Carlson to the table.
Somewhere deep in the Kremlin a few 300 lb people in Def Leppard t shirts love the idea that Trump's minions actually think their bots and memes are created out of love for the Fat man on the golf course.
As for fighting back - if you have to think about the demographics before you respond to an insult, you are already dead in the water. Whatever happened to being genuine?
1
We have a full-blown kakistocracy. And the primary participants are plutocrats. All of this is part of Guy Debord's (1967) "Society of the Spectacle." #9 "In a world which really is topsy-turvy, the true is a moment of the false." Link:https://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/debord/society.htm
1
Media should not be noting or covering or following Mr. Trump's private Twitter account. He cannot be working, as all he does is stay on his phone. Do not cover and we will all be better off. Visits to the hospital and doctors will go down.
5
Bloomberg is not buying attention he is CALLING ATTENTION to all he has done for the causes Democrats find most compelling.
The more people know about his philanthropy the better.
Maureen, you know Bloomberg right? Advise him to publicly dare Trump to reveal his bank statements and taxes. An "I'll show you mine if you show me yours" challenge. What a reality show that would be!
15
Dear Maureen,
It should be mentioned that Bernie’s followers have quite the twitter presence. They are attacking anything Bloomberg with a lot of energy. I know as I experienced it when I questioned a tweet by a prominent MSNBC personality alleging a link between Bloomberg and Epstein. A mixture of “buying the election”, pedophile accusations based on an alleged relationship between Bloomberg and Epstein, misgogyny and racism due to stop and frisk. Many of them say that Bloomberg is no better than Trump and will of course not vote for him if he wins the nomination. They of course also send horrible memes about Buttigieg as well. I am not sure if any of this means anything for the nomination and general election but a lot of hate is being expressed. So, maybe Bernie deserves a place amongst the Mean Girls vying for popularity.
15
Reading through several comments, I see a lot of us have a "yes but" problem with Bloomberg. Given a choice, he promoted serious understanding and work on the problems of climate change, and supported rational gun reform. That's enough for me. Lots of us will have to give up on our preferred passions in the hope of sanity.
We have very little time to get rational about reality. Climate change is paramount. So I'm backing down about Warren after the primaries are over, and think Bloomberg is far from second best. I want someone who understands the economy too, given that the standard Republican crash based on their greedy tax cuts and stupid toxic destruction of clean air, water, and air and reasonable treatment of labor usually takes 6-8 years to come down.
We are about to have an almighty civilizational crash, and a practical guy is not such a bad idea. Thanks to Maureen Dowd for pointing out that "little" Mike B is up to the task of going toe to toe with Trump's horribles.
11
Thank you, Ms Dowd for your spin.
The NYT is reporting that Bloomberg has spent way more than what you suggest here. Just a heads up - you may be a target of a Bloomberg meme.
To be sure what meme actually means, I googled.
Among others - it's "..an element of a culture or system of behaviour passed from one individual to another by imitation or other non-genetic means..."
So, it's the new Wuhan virus.
But rather than talking about oligarchs as you call them - to me - they are New Yorkers in every sense that the Out of Towners feared about.
I even go further - we got Archie Bunker out of NYC - the 21st century version - our POTUS.
POTUS has a head start (or is it the hair start) - so Bloomberg will be relegated to Meat Head.
By the way - does Bloomberg color his hair?
So rather than 2 oligarchs - we have Archie Bunker going against Meat Head.
The result is the same - Archie Bunker stays the ground - and the Meat Head is left scratching his head.
Trump has invalidated the US Constitution and turned the US into a banana republic dictatorship. The US needs a benevolent Machiavelli to rescue the US. I view Bloomberg as that option. Although I am partial to Klobchar, at this point the adage "the enemy of good is perfect". Trust me, outside of Putin, Kim, Xi and Erdogan, everyone is rooting for someone who can unseat the clown with the spray on bronzer face who acts like King George III.
10
@Aaron: actually Trump is claiming more than George III. G3 was also potentially subject to impeachment and was taken down a notch by Parliament after his American Colonies debacle.
2
Bloomberg is absolutely right to go after Trump's vanity. It's a vulnerable spot for Trump and one that will hurt him more than any others. He cares about so little that it's hard to pierce him, but he thinks he's great looking and a genius, so that should be fertile ground. The remarks about his hair, "spray on tan" and obesity were right on. So is attacking the lie that Trump is a billionaire. He is not, and Bloomberg should take every opportunity to say so. Trump is envious of Bloomberg's wealth, and knows his measly millions pale in comparison. And, Bloomberg is smart, and Trump knows he's no match there, either. Bloomberg is the one Democrat that can put Trump in his place, and maybe even shut him up. Trump's got nothing against Bloomberg except some tired "you're short" jokes. Go Bloomberg.
11
People voted for Trump not because of his abrasive personality but in spite of his aggressive personality. Many wish he stops twitting. They voted for Trump because of his campaign promises: immigration, international trade deals, and to slow down the progressive agenda. Matching Trump style is not going to work. Attacking his ego may make him mad but may also make him a martyr in the eyes of his followers. Bloomberg must have a better message to win against Trump, not only a willingness to go low.
2
Trumps followers already think he is a martyr. One bigger than Christ. Bloomberg is right to go after trumps weakness, his vanity and insecurities. You really think going “high” is a moral prerogative and a winning strategy? These people will literally smear and slander anyone who opposes trump. I want a candidate who can not only fight back, but take the fight to them. Go Mike!
3
Reading this reminds me once again, the world would be a far, far better place if Facebook didn’t exist.
17
The Game Show Host just did not understand what Truman meant when he said, "The buck stops here."
Republicans have this in common with drag queens: Both believe a real man dyes his hair, struts and wears the most makeup.
The Bernie Sanders candidacy has me more nervous than Donald Trump at a Spelling Bee– Bea? Oh well . . .
I prefer the American candidate over the Russian.
I'd answer the question, but I'm still too worried about that caravan.
Half of "illegal immigrants" are here due to overstaying their Visas. Can we still steal their children even if they are from Ireland? Blond?
Don't believe what you see. Vote Republican.
I think corporations and Russians should be able to vote. I draw the line at LLC's.
Abandon more allies! Vote Republican in 2020
4
Every time Trump tweets a mean girl insult his press secretary says, "he's a counter puncher", which is a lie. He always throws the first low one like a grade school bully. I honestly can't see Joe, Liz, Amy or Pete debating him. You gotta get in the trench and draw blood. Mike can rise to the occasion. Bernie? Ehhh...
7
Here's a contrary view about Bloomber's "getting into the ring." Thus far, Trump has been untouchable. And all Democratic candidates thus far have focused on each other, and not Trump. And on the few occasions when they do, they use very polite, genteel language.
In today's culture, this translates into timidity, into acquiescence, into appeasement of Trump. The fact is, the only way any Democratic candidate will win this election is to slap Trump down in the plainest terms. If that means belittling him, so be it. He certainly deserves the derision of any sane person, given the staggering amount of damage he has done to our country.
I'm all for Bloomberg smacking Trump down in Twitter, or in any other forum. Trump will see that finally, someone is standing up to him. Finally, someone is giving voice to millions of us who are literally sickened by Trump. Finally, a candidate is speaking plainly that not only does the emperor not have any clothing, but he is also an amoral, ignorant buffoon, to boot.
And Bloomberg has started to say things about Trump that the Democratic leadership should have said publicly, years ago. That they treated Trump with such kid gloves only served to give this ignorant buffoon some sense of legitimacy.
I would love to see Bloomberg, or any other candidate, unload on Trump, on twitter, on news programs, and most importantly, in debates. Sometimes swinging elbows isn't simple aggression - sometimes it's an existential requirement.
9
I see Mo doing what she thinks she does best—using her sarcasm to make us laugh when the proper response would be to weep and gnash our teeth.
She was one of the mean girls in ‘15-‘16 and is still plowing the same old ground.
There’s nothing funny or incisive about any of this, so how is it helpful?
5
Answer: Neither is the least bit fetching, yet we'll likely be stuck with one or the other of them. Ok grandpa.
1
We have waited years to see Trump put in his place. We have learned that our President has enough insecurities to keep a staff of Psychiatrists employed including wealth, appearance, virility and loyalty. I will vote Blue and no matter who, as is said today.
But for those of us who have truly suffered watching our Country disassembled by an inadequate narcissistic cretin, I say, bring it on Bloomberg in truckloads. And, thank-you.
9
Trump is scared silly of Bloomberg. You can tell by his desperate attempts to label him with juvenile insults before people who don’t know him get a first look. It’s worked pretty effectively for Trump vs others up until now, but it looks to me like Bloomberg is ready for it. Are any of the others? I doubt it. Trump has already done in Biden. Bernie’s theme against corporations and the wealthy will get turned into socialism and his open borders and free everything are easy pickings. Mayor Pete and Klobuchar? C’mon. Bloomberg is no saint, but he’s got the right position on healthcare, guns, climate change and taxes. And he can beast Trump!
6
I've been saying this for a while - to wrestle with a pig, one has to get muddy. Happy to see Bloombergians doing this.
3
Finally! Someone not afraid to punch back at Trump. Bloomberg understands that bringing a knife to a gunfight gets you killed unlike the rest of the democratic field.
I'm with Mike.
7
Thank goodness for Bloomberg. Finally someone that can take it right to Trump and hit him where it hurts the most. I look forward to more of Bloomberg’s take downs and the destruction that it will cause to Trump’s lunatic brain. Also, a shout out to Sen Manchin of WV who hit back with a jab Trump’s obesity problem.
4
Interesting to see a woman criticize men for acting like (stereotypical) women.
2
@Di - We’ve been criticized for being “stereotypical women” for so long, it’s nice to see men get a taste of their own medicine. What’s good for the goose....
Two oligarchs? Who's the other one?
2
While your piece only helps to highlight what a juvenile embarrassment the American campaign process is, there is arguably great benefit to colorfully excoriating Trump.
Republicans of course are masters at this particular game. The swift boating of John Kerry - an actual decorated war fighter - effectively nullified his laudable military service against George W. Bush who, with Bush family string pulling, managed to spend most of his military time drunk or high and never actually did any service overseas. Even more impressive was the hit job they did on one of their own, John McCain, a genuine war hero of inestimable character. Bush wasn't qualified to spit shine McCain's shoes but the Republican hit machine managed to take him out anyway.
Realistically, Bloomberg has no shot at the nomination (at least we should all hope not as it would wipe away any hope the electorate might have that the process is not completely in the thrall of monied interests) but there's a lot of value to a deep-pocketed opponent who can play in the mud at least as well as the Republican PR machine. Bloomberg should amp up the personal insults (fat, orange, stupid candy-floss hair, Grade 4 command of English, etc.) and plough money into ads highlighting Trump's corruption and idiocy. Trump's squirrel-level of attention will not allow him to do anything but keep responding in his dull-witted fashion. If the Republicans could destroy Kerry and McCain, Bloomberg should have no problem with Trump.
6
@Paul: Wish you were running the DNC. You’ve got some great ideas!
"A carnival barking clown?"
I would say more like a carnival barking dog.
The wagons have rolled away but the dog keeps barking.
Sorry to tell you, Mr. Trump, but, other tan the red-hatted ones, the dogs have stopped eating the dog food.
3
Trump told Barr exactly what to say. And Barr read his part.
1
Please, never, ever refer to Trump as a billionaire, oligarch, or any other euphemism for great wealth. He's never proven he has it, but hearing the NYT confirm his status is music to his deluded ears. Don't inflate his ego any more!
4
I will be glad when maturity and respect returns to the White House.
5
Trump will not acknowledge losing the election. Even if he did, he’d still be president for a couple of months, able to create considerable vengeful damage.
2
I don't understand the flap over Bloomberg trying to buy the election. Bloomberg is running because he believes, and I also believe, that he is the only one who can beat Donald Trump and restore some civility and intelligence to our suffering country. And he is not using taxpayer money, as the Donald is, to try to buy re-election.
jd
12
At the end of the day, do we really want to consider substituting one New York billionaire for another when there are already qualified candidates that are registered members of the Democratic party in the contest?
In buying memes, Bloomberg has shown that he is really no different than Donald Trump and since Bloomberg has not laid out any clear plans for how he would govern differently from the Donald, it is likely he will continue to support policies that will benefit the crowd that he and the Donald run with.
There will be no winners in a Trump v. Bloomberg contest. America will lose either way.
3
@PeterW: Who is the other billionaire? And on what planet have you been that you don't know about Bloomberg's priorities if he'd become president?
1
We sure need another old, white extremely rich businessman at the helm, seeing how well the current one has panned out.
1
Maureen, this is ridiculous ..."There’s no question that it’s going to get really nasty as these two oligarchs go at it"...
#45 is a wannabe - Bloomberg is one of the most charitable humans on earth.
The oligarchs are busy money laundering buying the orange hair's over priced condos...
8
Changing times require changing tactics. Who among us doesn’t mourn for some imagined past of civility? As for mean girls, I am drawing the lesson of the movie White Chicks. When the Vandergeld girls throw down the challenge on the dance floor, the Wayen-Wilson girls pick up their glove and wipe the floor with it. Civility can wait for just a moment. Go, Mike, go!
5
Trump’s dumb insults are at fourth-grade level and mostly based on lies. Bloomberg is a very smart guy, has wit and New York humor. When Trump called him “mini-Mike,” saying he was 5’4” (Bloomberg is 5’7”), the comeback from Bloomberg was “Donald, from where I come from, you measure your height from the neck up.”
Ba-BOOM!
11
Dowd, as usual, remains totally out of touch in her east coast echo chamber. She actually thought Trump was going to be ok. Amazing. Now, she's writing about Bloomberg. Hey, Mo, Bloomberg, after today's Washington Post story, is toast. And not of the town.
4
@mike: Those stories have been around for over thirty years. They didn't prevent Bloomberg from being chosen mayor of heavily Blue New York City three times in a row. He was well-liked by his staff when mayor. So either he turned around his ways or there wasn't much to the allegations of improper remarks to begin with. But, we can rest assured that the current would-be billionaire (we still haven't seen his tax returns so we don't know) in the White House hasn't changed his ways a bit.
1
Let’s measure height from the neck up.
4
@Kevin Cahill
That height does not include six inches of hair puffed up on top of the head.
4
I think we can do better than a racist, misogynistic billionaire.
4
It’s time to play but the hideous dirty rules that the republicans have set. Bloomberg can do that. Democrats stop attacking each other. We have a bunch of great candidates with similar goals. Personally I think Bloomberg is the only one who knows how to get under trumps thin skin and throw him off balance so he can deliver the winning blow. But we will all lose of Democrats don’t stop attacking each other over petty differences.
6
Ms Dowd, given the vitriol you displayed and regular take downs of Secretary Clinton when she was a candidate, it’s rich that you are writing about Regina George like behavior. You were a textbook mean girl during the last election. You are part of the reason we are where we are. Thanks for that. Not.
13
What a bunch of Maureen’s malarkey about madmen millionaire memes. In the meantime, this mad mad world is at the melting point. How about going back to the issues and the serious candidate who has a plan on how to rid the government of corruption? Who has a plan to improve our health and educational systems? Who understands that time is running out for the environment? Who doesn’t waste time with meaningless memes? Let the meandering misogynists play with their memes, while the women do the real work of fixing the government.
4
Two oligarchs? Only one- Mr. Bloomberg- the real deal. trump a complete blowhard Fraud.
7
Hillary simply needed to turn around say: "Stop stalking me, little man."
6
Mo, so much of the Trump cyber stuff last time around was Russian made. We know what they did. Why Is this fact missing in the last two op Ed’s that I read in the NYT about Mike’s self bought cyber attacks. At least Mike’s campaign is home grown and frankly, if it bothers Trump, my response is “what goes around comes around”. Plus, we ain’t seen nothing yet. Go Mike.
7
I would gladly vote for the corona virus if I knew it would take Trump out.
6
@Me Good one!
The path back to a more normal and civil political landscape does not go through the polemical sewer created by this President. Just when I was going your way, Mike, you lost me.
2
Maureen you are the best. You deserve another Pulitzer.
“How’s this for a bitchyyy lunch table? Mitch McConnell, Rudy Giuliani, Don Jr., Bill Barr, Mike Pompeo, Lindsey Graham, John Bolton, Jim Jordan, Kellyanne Conway, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham.”
The only things you left out is what they are talking about. Could it be: Denny Hastert and Jim Jordan their experiences as college athletic coaches.
4
Hope neither wins the presidency but I have to admit its entertaining watching this two slug it out.
1
This isn’t a trash tweet. It’s a devastatingly accurate description of how Trump is perceived in New York.
“we know many of the same people in NY. Behind your back they laugh at you & call you a carnival barking clown. They know you inherited a fortune & squandered it with stupid deals and incompetence.”
What’s Trump’s comeback to this? Bloomberg is 5’4”? Game, set, match, Mikey.
10
Hey, have another burger, fries and shake. It'll do you good, Then take your money home. We'll see your taxes later.
3
So this is how it's going to go down... A squabble between Trump from Queens, Bernie from Brooklyn and Mike from Manhattan?
Yep, looks like a job for Tina Fey...maybe with a little help from Elaine Benes?
2
Bloomberg’s social media team is making it obvious that Mike should be the nominee.
It makes all of the other candidates look like B team bench warmers playing politics from 8 years ago.
I like all of them yes, but none of them I would send into the brawl that this is going to be.
Send in Mike, his money, his team, his organization...
And let them go crush the guy ignoring our constitution.
It’s obvious this is what we need right now.
7
Bloomberg/Abrams 2020!
3
Blloomberg wins the dignity and gravitas contest by a mile but that won't matter to Trump's NASCAR fans as Commander Bone spurs takes a lap around Daytona Speedway next week in his black government issued Limo.
Now that's tacky but if you're a fan wearing a wife beater and sipping on a tall one it's going to be pure magic.
4
“Another example of a rival getting unbalanced by Trump’s bullying: Hillary still wonders if she should have wheeled around, when Trump was lurking behind her on the debate stage and making her skin crawl, and said, “Back up, you creep, get away from me.” She overthought it, fearing she would come across as overwrought.”
Don’t you mean SHRILL or not “LIKEABLE ENOUGH?” Pretty sure she would have taken the hit in the media including your columns for not being likeable.
She had to look at Bill Clinton’s accusers at one debate while Trump is accused of rape. Fox is STILL talking about email servers while Trump is selling out our security every day.
Maureen you were part of the problem.
8
When things go ugly, the ugly only get uglier.
Give DJT a media empire as a going away gift.
Let him wallow in his own brand of ugly on his own dime.
1
I disagree. We can still mix it up in the gutter and not get dirty. As long is the retorts are spelled right, evidence-based, and, where possible, funny. You're particularly good at this Maureen. Perhaps we can be "Dowdist" in our meme girl spats...
2
Don't expect Trump to debate the Democratic candidate, especially if it's Bloomberg. I expect any Democrat will be well prepped to fire back at any of the drivel Trump spouts. The problem is that his base and his family won't understand any subtlety, irony or paradox. They respect pokes in the eye and kicks in the groin.
4
[One semiotically-confused pun + one hackneyed cultural reference ^ (retrofitted as a political metaphor) + (cringeworthy overconfidence in characterizing the concept of a meme x all parties involved)] / 2020 election = this mess of an op-ed
1
When are you going to come clean and deliver the long overdue mea culpa? You smeared and smeared and smeared and smeared and smeared and smeared Hillary Clinton. Happy with the result? I really want to know.
6
After Bloomberg gets the nomination, Trump will refuse to debate him, claiming unfairness. And he's right, it would be unfair. Trump is corrupt and stupid, Bloomberg is honest and smart. Keep up the pressure, Mike.
6
Sorry to see that you just had to get one more dig in at Hillary Clinton. There were a lot of factors that caused her to lose, but — I remember A MEAN GIRL who had to just keep snarking at her week after week, column after column. —- Ms. Dowd you are gifted with a talent for writing and have honed your skills through years of professional writing — and that is how you chose to use your words. You might want to reflect on the term “mean girl”.
If M Bloomberg can take the criminal in the oval office out via bullying back to donny, then, for the only time in my life, I am supportive of M. Bloomberg bullying donny. The criminal in the oval office must not be re-elected.
5
Bloomberg is just a classier version of Trump. A lying misogynist racist oligarch who thinks his assumptions are better and more important than anyone else's drawn conclusions.
So happy I quit Twitter a couple of years ago. Too bad I have to read about the musings of the Chief Twit.
2
Bloomberg is the one capable of « go fetch Donnie » and make him loose is temper. The thing to do is to make fun of him, in front of everybody, that he hates.
Make him ridiculous.
1
It's a good thing nothing important is happening
now, you know the gutting of the DOJ the NSA
that protect our rights.
Dowd must address things that are trivial and of
no importance.
1
Note to NYT editors. Please ask reporters and columnists to keep their pop culture references somewhat current. I had to google the phrase “make fetch happen” which apparently occurs in a 16-year old movie. The reference is almost as obscure as Joe Biden’s “dog-faced pony soldier.”
2
If Pete "He's such a nice boy!" Buttigieg seems inauthentic to Millennials, how much more so does Michael Bloomberg? No amount of memes is going to make a guy who happily hemorrhages a fortune every day relatable to people who have been consigned to serfdom by student debt and the gig economy. It's not the age factor, because Bernie is immensely popular with this group; they seem him as someone who actually has a set of core principles and is not governed, as Hillary was, by a bloated army of consultants, pollsters, and sycophants.
1
So Ms. Assistant Press Secretary, the President's supporters "create content for free out of genuine love for the president.” Would that be the anti-semitic. the homophobic, the bigoted or the racist ones?
Just curious.
2
I'll start reading Mo Dowd again when I finally read her column titled "I was a trump enabler and I was wrong".
4
Dueling midgets....
Where I'm from stumpy's big mouth would have been shut permanently the second time he opened it.
But Bone Spurs will never step on the big boys' toes mano-a-mano.... He hides behind his ill-begotten bucks and has ghouls (as in ghouliani) mouth fake tough-guy nonsense in his defense.
Hey stumpy, how does it feel to know you'll NEVER be able to walk the streets without a phalanx for the rest of your days..... and your kids, too.
Enjoy it while it lasts.
1
I thought they were like gossip girls, Blaire Waldorf vs Serena van der Woodsen.
Oh, Ms. Dowd, Irony, MUCH ???
Deadly seriously.
1
How ugly and demeaning politics have become. No policy talk, no debate on issues, no weighing of principles of government. Just lies, insults and nastiness.
Despicable.
1
3 words for Mike Bloomberg; “you go girl!”
2
Bloomberg should be in the race if for no other reason than 'telling it like it is' about Trump: “we know many of the same people in NY. Behind your back they laugh at you & call you a carnival barking clown. They know you inherited a fortune & squandered it with stupid deals and incompetence.”
2
Hey Maureen, YOU should stop trying to make fetch happen. If I wanted to read articles with references to Mean Girls I’d be on Buzzfeed instead. This whole article makes me cringe.
Millions liked the Bloomberg instagram dad jokes and thousands unfollowed those accounts.
1
Go Mike Go!
"Gentlemen, You Can’t Fight In Here! This is The War Room!”
Dr. Strangelove.
1
A couple of mean girls left out. Ann Coulter and Michelle Bachman. Also what Mike Bloomberg could do is say Donald, I’m going to let Bill Maher speak for me in this debate. Someone I know personally as a champeen pig wrastler and foul mouther. His second will be the late great Don Rickles. Or he could engage in a glower fest and on occasion say, Donald go to your room if you can’t behave.
1
It would be great if there was no longer any big money in politics, but sadly, we're not there yet. This year the priority cannot be so pure for the simple reason that we have a man so vulgar in every conceivable way heading the country, that we are at a real risk of losing our democracy and our country as we know it.
Mike Bloomberg is not perfect, but he comes across as someone who can beat Trump and that's what matters most in the 2020 election. Mike is actually everything Trump originally said he (Trump) was, but isn't.
OK, stop-and-frisk was bad, but he has apologized and he has the backing of a high percentage of African-Americans (look at the polls). He has also developed a close bond with mayors all over the country, many of whom are black.
He is pro gun reform laws and has real concerns about climate change. He would restore the EPA and clean up our water and air. He has made strides in public health and I'm sure would offer a public option, while not destroying a whole industry overnight. He would also restore the DOJ and give us a solid supreme court option.
Of the other centrist Democrats, none have stood out. Mayor Pete is undoubtedly talented, but is untested and sadly, will lose some votes just because he's gay. Biden is past his prime, and Klobuchar is still lagging.
On the far left, Bernie is so inflexible and in many ways impractical, and Elizabeth Warren, my original pick, seems to be falling fast in the polls.
Bloomberg can beat Trump.
5
It would be great if there was no longer any big money in politics, but sadly, we're not there yet. This year the priority cannot be so pure for the simple reason that we have a man so vulgar in every conceivable way heading the country, that we are at a real risk of losing our democracy and our country as we know it.
Mike Bloomberg is not perfect, but he comes across as someone who can beat Trump and that's what matters most in the 2020 election. Mike is actually everything Trump originally said he (Trump) was, but isn't.
OK, stop-and-frisk was bad, but he has apologized and he has the backing of a high percentage of African-Americans (look at the polls). He has also developed a close bond with mayors all over the country, many of whom are black.
He is pro gun reform laws and has real concerns about climate change. He would restore the EPA and clean up our water and air. He has made strides in public health and I'm sure would offer a public option, while not destroying a whole industry overnight. He would also restore the DOJ and give us a solid supreme court option.
Of the other centrist Democrats, none have stood out. Mayor Pete is undoubtedly talented, but is untested and sadly, will lose some votes just because he's gay. Biden is past his prime, and Klobuchar is still lagging.
On the far left, Bernie is so inflexible and in many ways impractical, and Elizabeth Warren, my original pick, seems to be falling fast in the polls.
Bloomberg can beat Trump.
2
I have seen a rush of comments on many sites, pushing Bloomberg and attacking anyone who doubts him.
I wonder if he is buying that too.
3
Actually, I look forward to it. It’s about time people stand up to his bullying. Nancy Pelosi handles Trump very well in her own way, but she’s a class act that won’t go down in the dirt.
What will be refreshing is someone like Bloomberg who understands exactly who Trump is and exactly how to puncture his balloon. Most smart people aren’t willing to trade high school insults with Trump, but Bloomberg can beat Trump at his own game. Trump uses Twitter like a blunt force instrument because that’s all he can do, but Bloomberg has shown his replies can skewer Trump with humor, condescension, and accuracy. He can hit Trump where it hurts because he know first hand of Trump’s narcissistic weaknesses.
I know about going high when they go low. That doesn’t work with Trump and his followers because they don’t understand “high”. Trump understands “low”, and he’ll understand it more when he tries to spar with Bloomberg—who’s the kind of guy The President can’t handle: smart and not afraid.
6
I wonder how Jefferson and Adams would have used the internet in their contest.
1
"President Trump’s supporters create content for free out of genuine love for the president." Yes, but she is referring to President Putin.
3
The difference between Trump’s memes and Bloomberg’s is that Bloomberg’s are true.
4
Ms. Dowd references "The president’s post-acquittal megalomania and tweets about softening Roger Stone’s punishment."
This reminds me of Stone's "Brooks Brothers Riot," on November 22, 2000, when he organized dozens of Republican operatives, lawyers and staffers, many flying in from Washington and some carrying bats, to physically threaten - and successfully shut down - Dade County vote re-counting, during the Bush-Gore debacle that leveraged George W into the White House.
Stone has now become a Republican cause celebre, a poster child for injustice at the hands of mean ol' Robert Mueller. For some, this re-writing of history won't wash.
Stone deserves to be in jail now - and he deserved to be in jail then - for his work to cynically undermine democratic processes including the right to vote and have your vote counted. Instead, this sacred right is also under attack by Republicans and their operatives from coast to coast. It has become mainstream.
6
I really like how Bloomberg is progressing. The other democratic candidates are weak and not appealing. Socialism is NOT the way forward; it has been tried and failed in other places. No need for America to follow something that makes everybody to suffer. Bloomberg is following an extremely smart path, targeting directly that one guy and he is getting under the skin of this terrible person. Hope Bloomberg wins. I will gladly vote for him. My last hope. Otherwise, 4 more years of tyranny, or worse... :(
4
The real problem with Mayor Bloomberg's embrace of stop-and-frisk is that President Bloomberg won't hesitate to stop and frisk Americans, physically and electronically, for all sorts of reasons he invents in his own mind. There is an angry, holier-than-thou, I-alone-can-fix-it mentality that he shares with Trump, and shame on those of us who refuse to see it.
If Bloomberg gets the nomination I will bet my last shekel that Bloomberg will have an IRS tax audit between nomination and the election which the Red press will run with. Of course Trump will deny any interference but we all know where it will come from.
1
Bloomberg doesn’t need a box at the podium, he can stand on his wallet. He is everything, except for his height, that Trump would like to be, and even being born on 3rd base could not get him the respect he craves. NY laughed at him for years.Now most of the world does.
4
Desperate times demand desperate responses.
Mike Bloomberg is a NYC street fighter. He knows how to win. He is obsessed with defeating Trump. Worth 60 billion he has long used his money to do good works. He says that this will be one of this greatest gifts to all of us.
Sounds great to me.
10
"When Bloomberg was asked recently about the clash of the billionaires, he snapped back: “Who’s the other one?”
Bloomberg is right. As Obama already noted at the White House Correspondent's dinner, which both Trump and Bloom attended, and I paraphrase:
"Ladies and gentleman, we have a real New York billionaire here tonight. Say hello to Mr. Bloomberg",
The fake self declared billionaire Trump was definitely not amused.
Of all the Democrats still in the race, I really believe that Bloomberg is the only one who can defeat Trump at his own game, while leaving the potty mouthing and convoluted word salads to the most crooked and self-dealing man ever to have disgraced the Oval Office.
7
The Supreme Court started this, let’s hope this election will end it.
1
I've always thought that when Trump was prowling around during his debates with Hillary Clinton, she should have turned to him and said, "Donnie, you can't seem to stand still. What's the problem? Do you need to use the bathroom? I'm happy to take a break."
3
It takes a NY-er to take on a NY-er. Others are way too nice.
2
We need to take this seriously.
Trump’s psychological state presents an imminent danger to America and to the world. So say a group of 650 psychiatrists, who recently submitted a petition to the House Judiciary Committee. https://dangerouscase.org/petition-to-the-judiciary-committee/
This is a key passage:
“What makes Donald Trump so dangerous is the brittleness of his sense of worth. Any slight or criticism is experienced as a humiliation and degradation. To cope with the resultant hollow and empty feeling, he reacts with what is referred to as narcissistic rage. He is unable to take responsibility for any error, mistake, or failing. His default in that situation is to blame others and to attack the perceived source of his humiliation. These attacks of narcissistic rage can be brutal and destructive.”
Unfortunately, Trump's outbursts are likely to get worse.
We need to get rid of Trump and his GOP apologists.
Vote Blue, no matter who!
6
I'm sick of Bloomberg already. Is there another rich billionaire in the pipeline?
I am Trump's age and I know nothing about internet culture and barely even know what a meme is. It is way beyond my comfort zone and I have no desire to enter this zone. I vote on Super Tuesday and am agonizing over who to vote for. I keep switching from Mike to Amy to Pete. Who can win is of the utmost importance to me. I'll go to an early grave if Trump wins again. (I'm too old to move to another country.) Each has strengths. But just this morning I was thinking of Mayor Pete. To me he is everything that Trump is not: he has a basic dignity, he is intelligent, he served his country in the military, according to citizens of South Bend he listens and he learns, he is genuinely religious, he is a devoted husband. And a big plus for me is he's young. How refreshing to see someone who is not a septuagenarian. He's not Bernie Sanders with insane ideas. He is gay and may not be able to beat Trump, but my one vote in NC is not going to influence the election. Sometimes you have to vote your heart. Then again there is Amy...maybe Mike...and on it goes....
1
Once again, the media treats us to more false equivalence. the pathology of trump and his tweets is how indiscriminately cruel and fact free his tweets are. There is nothing remotely clever. He is a low cunning feral being. He has no agenda beyond attempting to lift his vanity from the crater it has occupied his entire life.
Nothing more need be said than an examination of Bloomberg's philanthropy and trump's, that's funny trump's philanthropy.
The much to criticize Bloomberg about, but my gosh, he is actually a real person with a complicated personality who has done more good than the entire republican party since ike.
Please stop with the Hillary email sagas that seem to be a staple of how we have to view a conflict.
Cable tv indulges in these phony dramatic encounters as it is nothing more than a ratings meter.
trump is the worst nightmare of more Americans and of the world than we have seen in a very long time.
Bloomberg merely says what it is said and printed and is true of trump in every singular particular.
That is not descending to trump's level as he is a carnival barker and clown and the majority of Americans agree.
Trumps vitriol comes from a deep pathological need to destroy everyone and everything that does not embrace unfettered sycophantic bootlicking.
Bring it on Mike, the bully has such a thin skin he will make the same tired comebacks of, "no your Putin's puppet". Phony and fakir extraordinaire, it is time to end this nightmare of trump.
7
Citizens United is the formula for oligarchy.
5
Oh, dear Lord, this reminds me of how W caused me to miss Nixon, and how I now miss W, quite dearly, (though not Dead Eye Dick Cheney.) I just pray that we are hitting some kind of political rock bottom and there won't come don't see the day when a less amusing but more competent political criminal comes along that has me missing Trump. That can't happen, can it?
1
The Donald- on the day he announced his candidacy- coming down the escalator with PAID "supporters" gazing in adulation. EVERYTHING they say is a lie. EVERYTHING. Of course he pays for this stuff. I cannot wait for the billionaire to squash the con man.
9
Amy Klobucar actually is 5' 4".
Unlike DJT, who probably is closer to that sideways.
5
Titanic, meet Iceberg.
Good Luck.
2
According to Washington Post exit pols analyzing the New Hampshire primary voter, 28 percent of Bernie voters declared they would not vote for anyone in November, 2020 if their candidate is not nominated. If this sampling hints at the nationwide and these Bernie children (his core strength is 18-29 year olds according to the WaPo) stay home and pout as in 2016, the grand game is lost and the psychopath has four more big ones to throw acid in the face of us all.
Don't through a hissy fit Don't hide in TicToc bedroom. Vote. For anyone but the sadist.
2
Maureen: SNL earlier this season did a male-version skit of Mean Girls, with other world leaders excluding Trump from their lunch table. As for Hilary and the lurking-Trump debate incident, she simply should have treated him like the child he is by turning around and saying, "Donald, what are you doing? Get away from me and go back to your space over there." Bloomberg is doing one thing correctly by hiring a psychologist who can advise him how to deal with a super-Narcissist with Trump's peculiar, pathological-liar version of it (although Mike apparently is pairing the psychologist with a comedy writer). This is something that the Dems in Congress and the media should have done from the get-go of his Presidency in order to understand how to deal wth someone who is as mentally-unbalanced as Trump is. Instead, they treated him -- and still do -- as if he were a normal person with normal ideas and normal thoughts. Nancy Pelosi seems to understand this, as does Bloomberg, whereas Chuck, for example, still is clueless.
2
Trump or Tina Fey. I can't live a moment without seeing or hearing about either. Please go away.. um, now?
"There’s no question that it’s going to get really nasty as these two oligarchs go at it, now that the nastiest place ever — the internet — has become the foreground of political campaigning. The real question is: Who can make fetch happen?"
What do you expect out of the political/pundit class? As usual, there are more than enough whiny little prima donnas in this election cycle. Let them eat each other - that's what they do best.
1
How amazing it would be if Trump and whoever ends up as the Dems choice could fight their fight as grownups and not as two
little kindergarten boys in the playground.
We might actually have some respect for the old granddads!
Really? -Loving his meme meisters back, creating memes out of genuine love for the President?- This is what this President values? Is there anything honest and positively productive going on in this entire Administration? But, hey, it sounds like the fans and paid staff are enjoying participating in the entertainment.
Please vote Blue no matter who in 2020.
1
Ok, the part where he tweets about Bloomberg's height is enough to disqualify him in any other time and place. So what has spun so far around that the mean people actually win? When did Trump's version of hatefulness become the message beamed out from the city upon a hill? Do we really just let one person upend a nation?
Bernie’s the guy, he has genuine enthusiasm behind him. All that needs to happen is for those pearl-clutching DNC types to acquiesce. But they won’t go quietly since they know they’d have little sway and influence in a Sanders presidency.
1
@Tim
1)Bernie had the chutzpah running in the election of 2016 as a Democrat, while never having joined the party. That, my dear, has never happened before.
2)He also waited far too long to admit that Hillary indeed won the primaries, which did great harm to her.
3) His mostly young supporters either did not vote at all or voted for a third candidate. They indeed clutched their pearls made out of hot air.
I, for one, would never vote in the primary for Sanders.
3
@Tim Biting the hand that feeds you.
Donald is always trying to make “fetch” happen. And we all know that fetch never happens if try to make it happen. It has to happen naturally. I will be voting for Mike because he is truly fetch. And right now, real fetch is what this country needs more than anything.
2
Not an informative column. At All.
2
@Kim Mpls It is an OPINION piece, Kim!
1
Right Mark - thanks so much for your astute observation. Good Mansplaining too.
Right. And at the bitchyyy lunch table nearest to them are Rachel Maddow and three others from MSNBC accompanied by Don Lemon and three others from CNN. And at the bitchyyy table nearest to the Maddow/Lemon table, presided over by Maureen Dowd, with New York Times columnists too numerous to mention.
Then there's the supposed Democrat mentality of "‘they go low, we go high." "High" indeed, for public consumption. While not for public consumption is what came out in IG Horwitz's report of illegalities in obtaining FISA warrants to spy on the Trump campaign and what is yet to come out from the Barr/Durham grand jury investigation probing the efforts of the Obama Administration and Obama holdovers to "get rid of Donald Trump," to effectuate a coup against Barack Obama's successor in the White House
Oops. I forgot about Michael Avenatti. Remember him. In the news now because of his recent conviction but we first heard of him when the "go high" Democrats trotted him out so smear Brett Kavanaugh. Maybe, if he can be released from prison on bail, he can sit half the time at the MSNBC/CNN table and half the time at the Maureen Dowd table.
1
@Donald: is that you Donald?
Avenatti is quite a piece of work, but I remember Mika realising early on that he was problematic. His antics actually obscured the problems with Kavanaugh, since a number of MSNBC cautioned that Swetnick’s claims were not verified and that they were distracting from his lying under oath and the very believable accusations by Blasey-Ford.
With regard to the other topics, you seem to miss that Trump’s claims are so far unverified, the FISA abuses were there but did not match Trump’s claims that they were out to get him. Trump’s associates are in jail or are near to being and he is still in line to be put in jail with Cohen. Meanwhile charges against McCabe have been dropped.
As the French say it takes a "même" to beat one.
1
Don't forget to invite Stephanie Grisham, David Perdue, and Kelly Loeffler to the lunch table!
1
It seems wrong to me for anybody to write about this without saying even once that the meme team for what's his name is a vile mix of neo-Nazis, white supremacists, incels, anti-Semites, and the like. Those are the very fine people who do this stuff out of love for the impeached president, who has been paying for social media love and print media love for decades.
2
Maureen: how would you answer this: "What's your column about today?"
In Hollywood -- a place you are familiar w -- as you know, it's called a logline. Don't have a logline, don't have a script. Or a column.
Trump vs Bloomberg has driven Maureen Dowd to near incoherence.
3
It seems wrong to me for anybody to write about this saying even once that the meme team for what's his name is a vile mix of neo-Nazis, white supremacists, incels, anti-Semites, and the like. Those are the very fine people who do this stuff out of love for the impeached president, who has been paying for social media love and print media love for decades.
1
Oh Maureen Dowd. even though you can write the best prose stating the obvious, you miss the obvious. There is no split between Barr & Trump. No one has to figure out who to follow. Barr's statement about the tweeter leader was all a ploy. He is the ultra right henchman. They work together. Sessions, Barr, Pompeo, McConnell, Cotton, Scalise, the nut job Rep from Iowa, ... they are all on the same team. And Trump is their useful idiot. ... Long Live The King .....
People forget that Barr was brought in by your other buddy Daddy Bush to shut down Iran- Contra. That was how many years ago. Barr in some weird opposite universe way is trying to keep half the Justice Dept from quitting, revolting, going on strike with his little poor poor pitiful me blurb. Our government does not belong to us right now. Maybe we can get it back.
8
Most of us normal folks would vote for an alien space invader that devours humans over the vile creature in office now.
7
What the devil is this woman talking about? Was there any purpose to this piece?
7
Brilliant use of "Mean Girls," Maureen. Good to see you sharpen your pen and put the Hapless Old Men in their place. I can't even call them Mean Men, as they don't deserve such an accolade. A mean man should at least be sexy. An old white rich mean man should not have to be mean. But with these strange denizens of the deep, surfacing to shock us all with their infantile behavior, it's quite disgusting.
Why do you want Bloomberg? A Republican in all but his lies about now being a D and not an R.
Republicans are all losers. Many think Obama ruined America and Trump fixed it. That is how bad Americans are. They have been brainwashed by the propaganda.
1
Bloomberg is our best hope to beat Trump. Maureen, please don’t undermine him the way you did Biden and Hillary.
Nothing less than the future of our democracy is at stake. Please save your cute columns for after the election.
5
Concerned. 20 thumps up . Who is Maureen anyway?
2
Dowd, you attacked Clinton viciously and gave trump a pass. Don’t you dare go after Bloomberg or any other Democrat unfairly or we will AGAIN put trump’s election at YOUR dainty feet. Please, your wit is incisive. Your writing brilliant. But patriotism is worth more than any job. Please watch your words. You ARE an American aren’t you?!
6
Here to report that Bloomberg signs are popping up in TN. I was skeptical at first, but maybe this thing has legs.
5
Pass the popcorn.
PUTIN 2020
Eliminate the middleman
2
OMG: a president contest between two rich guys (one a billionaire/oligarch, the other a wannabe) to see who has the best insults.
Being rich guys is evidently the ante for the NYT/Dowd coverage--an imprimatur of sorts--recognizing that POTUS is after all an oligarch/moneylord neo-feudal job.
3
This is the most Maureen Dowd column ever. It actually reads like someone's parody.
2
I'm licking my chops at a one on one between Mike and Donnie. I have no doubts who can make "fetch" happen (had to look up that one).
Trump's problem is his skin is so think it's gossamer, Mike's as tough as roughhide.
He's going to need it. The only way to outfetch Trump is to be able to keep your cool for even a minute longer than he can.
Of course, it also helps if your definition of "tall" is measured by the neck up, as Bloomberg so wittily and quickly shot back to Trump's tweet-baiting brag about height.
4
Let us pray that Mr. fake hair, fake tan, fake gold escalators, fake life (trump) continues his demented behavior, and that it only grows worse over the next few months. This diseased 73 year old spoiled boy who's a very unstable moron is on the loose and will take the Repub Senators down the dark hole with him in November. Their time has come and they will be crushed.
Some Americans have chosen to shut down their critical thinking skills, listen to a lying con man and just think about their immediate selfish desires, just like trump. Trump and his supporters are sowing the seeds of devastating changes like our climate emergency (only liars and ignorant fools still think this is a hoax), dying oceans, and killing life and the natural world. Wake up before it's too late - or your children will curse you forever.
3
“Who can forget Marco Rubio stooping to a joke about Trump’s penis size and the apologizing, saying it wasn’t really who he was?”
When Trump is finally banished to Mar a Lago next year after a Blue Wave, hopefully being trailed by enough lawsuits to drain his coffers for the rest of his days, and the GOP is routed in the Senate, I can already hear the Republicans echoing Rubio and saying that Trump wasn’t really who they were. Sure.
1
If nothing else, Bloomberg is certainly more effectively than anyone else stripping the would-be emperor Trump of his make-believe clothes, with each and every ad buy. Let the little, really big billionaire drown the pseudo, not actually a billionaire with a river of creative press smackdowns. Culminating in ad tsunami come early November. Win or lose, I look forward to many more Trump damning spots, and to every shred of the want-to-be emperor's clothes Bloomberg tears off with them. I want those ads constantly in the view of that stubborn 43% who continue to love Trump's act. It's time to turn Citizen's United against the GOP, take power and then repeal it as quickly as possible. If Bloomberg did this he would become a democratic icon and everyone would forget how he bought the Presidency to do it.
3
It is not easy to endure the manicial taunts but so far, Bloomberg is hanging in -- may he keep it up. Many of us are behind him.
I'm licking my chops at a one on one between Mike and Donnie. I have no doubts who can make "fetch" happen (had to look up that one).
Trump's problem is his skin is so think it's gossamer, Mike's as tough as roughhide.
He's going to need it. The only way to outfetch Trump is to be able to keep your cool for even a minute longer than he can.
Of course, it also helps if your definition of "tall" is measured by the neck up, as Bloomberg so quickly shot back to Trump's tweet-baiting brag about height.
It's going to be hard to make a living parodying two spoiled brat wise guys who parody themselves. What Dowd needs is a return to the innocent times of George W. Bush. Those were the days!
i guess maureen didn't really have anything to write about this week so this is what we got.
2
Maureen is pretty boring. Never has any information. All opinion. Sad
1
Trump certainly draws attention from the media with his tweets and insults and this has always been a winning approach for him. But he taps the resentment of a large part of the population based mostly on racism, xenophobia and religiosity. Can Bloomberg tap a countervailing mass of resentment on the other side? The media, including op-ed writers, presumably get the most attention to themselves by covering these trivial conflicts rather than the boring issues of real substance - this is how they compete with each other. General satisfaction with politics and with the parties continues to decline and will probably continue to do so as the level of discourse declines. Trump was in a way a creation of the media from the beginning, even before his reality-show days. The Republican party is largely responsible for the current state of politics because of its deliberate choice to divide American rather than unite it, but the media have also played a role.
1
It is an absolute certainty that, regardless of which of the primary candidates emerges from the convention as the standard bearer, that person will win in November if, and only if, ALL contestants throw their support behind the one, and earnestly and urgently appeal to their supporters to cast prejudices aside and vote for the name on the Democratic ticket.
1
Bloomberg has one quality that matches up very well against Trump—business competency. He has already put a highlight on it and I would expect to see more especially as we take in the astounding budget deficits and ballooning debt. Debt is something the Donald loves and he also loves running out on the creditors. Unfortunately, this time around the creditors are you and me.
1
The government of the United States is not now nor has it ever been a business. The goals of a government is diametrically different than that of a business. One of the biggest problems in this country today is the notion that business experience somehow translates to running a government. It is a republican myth put forward by big business corporate donors who want the government run to their advantage and not for that of the people.
4
Philosophy aside, the US government is the largest business on the planet and requires competency and not organized thievery at the top. So far, it looks Trump is repeating what he has done multiple times in the past: running up the bill, sucking out the cash that comes from the borrowing and leaving others to pay the debt. Where did the last tax cut go? UBS just released a survey that details exactly what we thought was happening: a significant number of major corporations have scaled back on their capital expenditures and funded share buybacks and dividend payments with the money saved from the granted tax relief. This at least partly uncovers the lie that the tax cut was going to spur an increase in tax revenue generated from increased economic activity.
1
Yes, memes appear to be playing a role in the presidential election and in politics generally. But in many respects, aside from the more recent emergence of social media, this has always been the case, courtesy of political cartoons, billboards and the like.
What's most notable is that the level of rhetoric has become elevated in volume and quantity while sinking to new lows in viciousness and derision. Memes have become the coin of the realm, entertaining to be sure, albeit generally negative in nature.
Politics is becoming ever more a schoolyard brawl. Donald Trump has taken vituperative rhetorical excess and hyperbole to new heights. His fans love him for it. The media revel in it. Other politicians are adopting it in order to be heard above Trump's outsized, if ridiculous and offensive proclamations.
What we can't afford to lose is substantive dialogue about the issues and the direction of the country, even as Americans, however, are becoming increasingly inured to the noise.
We can live with the entertainment I suppose, but when we completely sacrifice substance and decency for petty political games of spite and malice, we are lowering the level of policy-centered political contests in the country to a level that is dangerously bereft of meaning, and allowing Donald Trump to use the White House, not to mention Mar a Lago and his other properties, as his personal stage sets for a 24/7, nationally televised reality show that appeals to our worst instincts.
In reply to @Bob G.: How we want our future to unfold is WITHOUT TRUMP. Bloomberg is clearly the best chance of that happening.
Sanders could conceivably win 45% in the general election, if folks can stomach his 'socialism' and his wide-eyed plans that he'll never be able to implement. 45% = not enough. Buttigieg and Klobuchar wouldn't get to 45%. Biden is already gone. Warren is foundering on the rocky shores of a ranting Vermont senator.
1) Bloomberg has the money, meaning he's not beholden to donors and doesn't have to waste time begging. He's not buying the election. He's using his wealth to be competitive and get his message out. We've had other rich presidents who were pretty good (FDR and JFK, anyone?).
2) Bloomberg is smart, clever, and accomplished.
3) Bloomberg is determined and has spent his life proving that when he's determined, he can get great results.
4) Yes, he's made some mistakes. Stop and frisk was carried out in a terrible way and was probably the wrong way to bring down crime. But it did bring down crime rates, dramatically. There are certainly other things in his background that will be scrutinized and show some ugly sides. Let he who is without...
5) But nothing at all like trump. And you don't have to be his best buddy.
6) Bloomberg's been in the business and public eye for a very long time and has, overwhelmingly, proved himself up to the task and more honorable than most at that level.
Now, if he'd only pick Warren as his running mate...
2
It makes me sad and frustrated that people are so vulnerable to the psychological manipulation of an advertising blitz that they would consider for one second that another billionaire is the answer. We are deep in late capitalism, folks. Now is the time to claim this country for the masses, not sheepishly turn it over to rich people and wait for the fewer and fewer scraps to trickle down to our tables. I just don’t get people.
@David
Then Wyoming is probably the right place to live.
1
Even if we rebrand the campaign as the "battle of the billionaires," (or even as the "battle of the grumpy old men") it still bodes ill for our country that so many folks seem to believe that the only way to beat Donald Trump is to outspend and out-insult him. (assuming these comments are real, and not part of mike's advertising campaign).
Bloomberg is not really running against Trump, he is running against Elizabeth Warren, whose administration would weaken his power and influence. (Sorry, Bernie lovers) He espouses safe liberal causes, like gun violence, climate change, and women's rights, but he is strongly in the corner of income disparity, charter schools, and most particularly victim-blaming.
But in the end, we get the government we deserve.
2
I think of it as the battle between Godzilla and Mothra. When Godzilla is clearly the destructive force (there are a lot of Godzilla movies).
Trump is awful. I am ambivalent about Bloomberg, but not so that I would not vote for him. Bloomberg bows to cultural norms.
We get the democracy that we (collectively) deserve. It is a sad that our democracy has come to this -and what does that say about us?
@Mary Myers, Oh, I'll vote for him if he becomes the nominee, but I won't send him any money, I'll support Senate candidates instead.
What does it say about us? over 50% of us are below average intelligence, and 75% of us think we're above. Ask Dunning and Kruger.
I am a registered Democrat in SW Louisiana, so I’m reasonably certain my vote for President matters not in 2020. That said, we have flawed candidates, probably because they are human beings. Insisting on ideological purity is extremely emotionally satisfying. Moral superiority and indignation feeds into our perception of self as a Righteous Dude. It is also a remarkably effective electoral strategy – for the opposition party.
7
This is high school all over again. It was tedious, lonely, and the last struggle before we were on our own. One "cool" kid who thinks his actions and manor are funny - the rest of us might laugh here or there, but we mainly laugh at him and his crew. A new kid arrives, and decides to challenge the "cool" one. The novelty distracts us briefly, and we do like the challenge to the "cool" one. We then returned to our struggle among the rest to the real world. The high school years demanded that we survive, but with the quiet and sensible actions of most of our peers and the majority of adults helping, that we also strive to become a benefit to ourselves and those around us. The Candidate that is needed today must rise from our midst, and isn't there for show and flair. They are not new to our experience, but lived it and became better by it. I am not sure who among us is the Candidate, but it isn't Donnie, Mikey, or Tommy.
1
Mr Bloomberg may be spending a fortune getting his message out and is obviously not afraid to get personal in his attacks but it is worth noting that he largely tells the truth about his record, his ability to manage a large bureaucracy, the dangers of climate change and the tragedy of too many guns, and his history of pragmatic, data driven policies, and his ability to execute. Even his attacks on Mr Trump have the ring of truth about them (Behind your back they laugh at you..)
In contrast our current President spouts lies and has to make up his burns (like the box at debates) out of thin air.
7
"How’s this for a bitchyyy lunch table? Mitch McConnell, Rudy Giuliani, Don Jr., Bill Barr, Mike Pompeo, Lindsey Graham, John Bolton, Jim Jordan, Kellyanne Conway, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham."
You've got to love a woman willing to call Mitch a bitch and Donald Trump the Queen Bee!
Great list of Mean Girls!
Bloomberg's "who's the other one" comment was right on. Is Trump even a billionaire or do banks and Russian oligarchs own his properties? Glad to learn that Tony Schwartz, the real "Art of the Deal" author is helping Bloomberg.
Currently I'm a fan of Amy and getting desperate for someone who can win without offending half the Democrats and Independents like Bernie does. Bloomberg has warts, but so do we all. He is a million times smarter than Trump.
Reading "A Very Stable Genius" is frightening. The smart guys in the room, Tillerson and Mattis, for example, were right to think of him as a moron.
Trump's magical thinking is "I already know everything." But he is so ignorant he couldn't negotiate a deal with India's Modi because he came across as "not a serious person" as he wandered off on rants about Afghanistan and money issues when Modi was trying to talk about negotiations with the United States instead of Russia. He backed away from our idiot.
How can we have a President who doesn't even know geography and has to ask what Perl Harbor is all about because he didn't know.
Be very afraid if Queen of Mean gets re-elected.
6
Calling a white racist loser a “white racist loser” is not mean or infantile - it’s just a fact. Similarly, questioning whether Trump is really a billionaire is not going low when it’s likely the truth and especially relevant when trump won’t release his tax returns.
As a brown guy living in NY who experienced the stop-and-frisk era, i am not the biggest fan of Bloomberg but fully endorse his strategy and would vote for him if I could (not a citizen yet). You don’t have to talk about his penis size like Rubio but the candidates need to really highlight some of the ugly truths about Trump (not just Ukraine/Russia) from his porn star payouts to his criminal tax evasion practices, among the other substantive issues like healthcare and climate change. Sadly a significant portion of Americans don’t know the full story about this racist manchild - at least that’s what I tell myself...
9
While I get the "Mean Girls" analogy, the better one would be to the film "Idiocracy".
This "dystopian science fiction comedy" is as frightening as it is funny essentially because we've been living it for a while now...
Grab some Brawndo and take a look-see...
1
In 2008 during the Republican Convention “Idiocracy” was on cable and I was switching back and forth with Sarah Palin’s acceptance speech, and no, you can’t make this stuff up.
1
Oh for some class. Whatever happened to class? Real wit. Real humor. Real penetration--no no! no obscene pun intended. You know, Insight into things. Wisdom. Discernment.
I am thinking of the Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858. These two men--the "Rail-splitter" and the "Little Giant"--touring the state of Illinois, contending for one of those two senatorial seats.
At one point, Douglas was finishing his pitch--preparing to sit down. As he did so, Lincoln (preparing to get up and answer the man) turned to the guy sitting next to him on the platform.
"Hold my coat," has asked him--
"--while I STONE Stephen."
Remember? Stephen getting stoned in the New Testament while Saul (later Paul) stood by, watching their coats "and consenting to his death."
Sigh.
I remember that dispute about Mr. Trump's--oh how to say this?--male apparatus. At first, I thought it was a joke. The whole thing (I thought) had been manufactured by the Onion or something.
As I read on, I realized, "No. This is no joke. This really happened." As the walls of the room spun round and round.
And I thought, "You know, maybe you've just lived too long."'
Oh well. Here we are. But no--
--whoever goes up against Mr. Trump--
--DON'T get "down and dirty."
There and there only--
--that man's a winner.
Take the high road.
You've got nothing to lose.
"How’s this for a bitchyyy lunch table? Mitch McConnell, Rudy Giuliani, Don Jr., Bill Barr, Mike Pompeo, Lindsey Graham, John Bolton, Jim Jordan, Kellyanne Conway, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham." Ms. Dowd may have singlehandedly destroyed the stereotypical view that only women can truly be bitchy. But tRump and company have more than proven otherwise. They win the prize hands down. Thanks for the levity in this time of horrible darkness and thanks for the truth!
2
Hillary Clinton should not have wheeled around and said "Back up, you creep, get away from me".
She should have wheeled around and said "You look stupid back there".
It would have saved us four years of hell.
Dan Kravitz
2
@Dan Kravitz
well , we all SAW he looked stupid
it's the Electoral College and a few " battleground " states
A Yang's pin - MATH
If Mike Bloomberg gets the nom you can bet that the fascist right, those 'very fine' Neo-Nazis, the Klan and all those other creatures will be screaming about proof of 'the Jewish plot to take over America'. The reaction to this could turn out to benefit Bloomberg and the Dems.
1
"I'm licking my chops at the prospect of watching a one on one between Mike and Donnie. I have no doubts who can make "fetch" happen (had to look up that one). Trump's problem is his skin is so thin it's gossamer, but Mike's is as tough as roughhide.
If he ends up the nominee, he's going to need it. The only way to out-fetch Trump is to be able to keep your cool even just a minute longer than he can.
1
Slow week? Nothing constructive to write about?
How is Bloomberg TRASHTALKING when speaking the IN OUR FACE truth about the business acumen of this Tetracycline colored parasite in the Oval Office and his mini me grifting traitorous crime family?
Your trying to hard too be cool with Queen Bee double entendres but we can see right through your KKKoolness.
Have a Nice Day MD, get back to creating your own Book of Fake Hate, hope you include a page for Hope...that is Hick.
Tweet tweet tweet. Ms. Dowd is onto something.
There used to be better insults from the back of the school bus. The only difference is that we didn't have a subservient media to repeat our witticisms, keep score and try to decide if they are presidential pronouncements or late night pity tweets from the toilet. Our civilization has reverted to junior year in high school. The jocks and rich kids get the best seats in the cafeteria, the smart ones stay away and the zipperheads smoke pot. There might even be an exchange student.
But I'm glad that Bloomberg is using his wealth to take on the trump mob. Ridicule is good. Trump gets so busy reacting to every little slight it detracts him from screwing us up even more than he is.
1
You give Trump and Bloomberg too much credit by likening them to the bitchy teenagers of “Mean Girls.” To me, their antics are more like the toddlers from “Romper Room”...
1
From what I can tell, there are 3 people who really seem to be able to get into Trump's head and drive him freakin' crazy: Nancy Pelosi, Alec Baldwin, and Mike Bloomberg. I say release the hounds and let them go after his fragile ego full tilt! Would be so totally satisfying!
2
Sorry, Maureen. I know you guys at the Times salivate at the notion, but I can't get my head around trading one racist NYC billionaire for another one.
2
Of all the Bs, (Bloomberg, Biden, Bernie, Buttigieg) only Mike (float like a Butterfly, sting like a B) has successfully gone toe to toe with the President. Bloomberg's tweets are artful surgical strikes, compared with T's dull-witted meandering.
1
There will be more tomorrow, right? You were just getting going, and what happened? A food delivery?
Obviously you don't get paid by the word, like Dickens. But really Maureen, where is the rest of the column? Did you highlight and hit delete before your machine automatically made a backup?
Mike is spending ALL THAT MONEY and you can only give him that? It will really be funny if the guy just gets to the convention and no one has all the delegates needed for the nomination.
Then we're going to see how far money can go. JFK teased about his father's money and that the old man certainly didn't want to pay for a landslide. Just winning would be good enough.
JFK at the Press Club:
"I just received the following wire from my generous Daddy; Dear Jack, Don't buy a single vote more than is necessary. I'll be damned if I'm going to pay for a landslide."
Bloomie doesn't want space travel. He only wants to go to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. How much is that Uber ride?
1
That "bitchyyy lunch table" would kill the appetite of a starving person. With that much evil concentrated in one place, surely it would cave in. Bloomberg is wealthier, more successful, and far more intelligent and has far more experience in governing than 45. He as well as every other Democrat is the better man or better woman as the case may be.
However, the Bloomberg advantage is that he is a fellow New Yorker who has 45's number in more ways than one. 45 is jealous of him, of his wealth, his admirers, his business acumen and success, and I would guess just a tad fearful of him as well, which is a definite plus for Bloomberg. Bloomberg knows where some of the skeletons are hidden and can no doubt find out where more are buried. Trump knows this. Bloomberg just might be the one who can take down 45. If he is, and can demonstrate he is, then bring him on. All things considered, he just might be "the one".
I have been moping about, feeling helpless and hopeless, but that won't get the job done of ousting 45. This column gave me just the glimmer of hope I needed.
If Bloomberg can boot 45 and his sycophantic minions back to Manhattan or wherever else they came from, then let the meme-makers loose, and let Bloomberg unsheathe his claws, and beat 45 at being the best "bitch" out there and dethrone "Regina George, Queen Bee". No one does sarcasm quite like New Yorkers, and yes, that is a compliment.
Please God, if he is the anointed one, let that unite Democrats in purpose.
If Mayor Bloomberg could respond to you, Maureen, the first thing I think he would say is that he is the lead candidate in the FL Democratic Primary on March 17, according the latest poll from St. Pete Polls on 1/13.
https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/political/michael-bloomberg-leading-floridas-democratic-primary-race-new-poll-says
These were the results:
Michael Bloomberg: 27.3%
Joe Biden: 25.9%
Undecided: 11.2%
Pete Buttigieg: 10.5%
Bernie Sanders: 10.4%
Amy Klobuchar: 8.6%
Elizabeth Warren: 4.8%
Tom Steyer: 1.3%
"Undecided" got more votes than fifth place Bernie Sanders, at 10.4%. In a state with a diverse ethnography and demography, Mike is at 27.3%, with Joe Biden close behind, 17% up on Sanders.
The Democrats will not win the general election without FL. I am not the least surprised at the poll. Who in the Sanders campaign thought a candidate with Sanders' resume of support for Castroite revolution in Nicaragua could win in So. FL?
I hope you are not going to try to do to Mike Bloomberg what you did to Hillary Clinton. Bloomberg is the Democrats' ace in the hole. He is the only candidate in the race who as and could legally spend $20 billion on his campaign to rid the country of Donald Trump. And he's willing to do it, which is a damned miracle, because he's a mensch.
3
Admit it. Think about the free side benefits we get with a Bloomberg presidency. No more hearing and watching Rudy. The Conway couple can squabble in private. No more grammar-from- hell tweets. Swamp-A-Lago sinks below the sea. Bronzer becomes acceptable again. No one cares what former Senator Susan predicts and no one cares what Jared and Ivanka think. Eric and Don Jr who?
I'm feeling better already.
3
For the record Maureen, sexual harassment and stop-and-frisk are not about being “bitchy”. They violate a person’s body and being. it is about making a person feel less than human and for some in New York City it meant subjecting them to unwarranted incarceration. This goes way beyond bitchy and it gives me some insight to your mindset.
1
Democrats needed a whip. Bloomberg volunteered with his own money. Thank you. That doesn't mean he should be the nominee. That means our politics have descended to the level of teenage cat fighting. Part of me wishes the US would bring back dueling. We could get this over a lot quicker with a simple "pistols at dawn" moment. Cheaper too.
Imagine that. Trump getting a gun pointed at his face with complete legal impunity. He might start singing a different tune about 5th Avenue. There would be a wait list to schedule a duel with the President.
3
This November we will may be faced with choosing between two hollow men, Trump or Bloomberg, whose worth is measured in billions of dollars, not in character. There will be no winners if these are our choices. Sadly, America has become more and more like the candidates themselves, shallow and depressing. Where is the candidate who can lift us up, elevate the discussion and put a human face on it? This election year our options apear as limited as the candidates themselves.
2
@Potlemac: "This November we will may be faced with choosing between two hollow men, Trump or Bloomberg, whose worth is measured in billions of dollars, not in character."
How many other elected officials are there in Washington from both parties who lack character? It appears quite a few.
The Bloomberg memes story does demonstrate how illiterate in social media many politicians -- and not a few journalists -- are, especially when trying to take advantage of whatever's trending at the moment.
The best memes are never deliberate. They happen by accident. The one with the screaming woman and the cat? A mashup of two incongruent images, which struck some people as open to a lot of meanings.
It's the same thing as trying to create Twitter storms, or buzz around politicians during an election campaigns. If you leave it to people who are hired to deliberately cause a buzz, it won't work, because the diversity of social media users is too massive and widespread to be targeted effectively or predictably.
Trump's success at social media happened because he built up his following during his pre-presidential career, and that mass of followers is enough to create momentum. Bloomberg is far too late to generate the same.
Good lord, does Maureen actually believe that Trump tweets everything himself on his Twitter feed? He pays social media people, too. You can always tell when they're at work: They sound a little less unhinged, and they spell and punctuate marginally better than he does. Of course, Bloomberg pays for social media meme creators! The point is, he hits back. Someone has to, and I'm glad he does it.
Bloomberg has released a bunch of digital ads, too--and along with the other campaigns, he's released TV ads. Does Maureen think that it's unfair that the candidates don't create these ads themselves?
6
Which one of the "Killer B's" (Biden, Buttigieg, Bernie, Bloomberg) can be the one to beat Trump in the upcoming presidential election ?
Months ago it looked like Biden. Now - after Trump and Giuliani's relentless campaign of character assassination - Biden is sufficiently damaged and weakened and does not appear to have the stomach to fight it out to the end with Trump.
Buttigieg certainly has the smarts and the polish as a politician, but it's a huge, huge leap from Mayor of South Bend Indiana to President of the United States.
Bernie, despite his experience, passion, and significant sized following does not stand a chance to win the Electoral College states that are essential to win the election.
Bloomberg has the smarts, the experience, the organization, and - perhaps most important in today's electoral environment - the money to really take it to Trump. He knows Trump's psychological weaknesses and is unafraid to take advantage of them.
Is it a good thing that the country may have to rely on a true billionaire to be elected to defeat Trump? No, but Trump represents such an existential threat to our democracy that - if it turns out that Bloomberg is the "Killer B", so be it.
16
Are we forgetting that one of our greatest presidents, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, was also a very rich man (with a net worth of over $60 million in today's dollars)? It's not the money? It's the heart and the policies that count.
7
@Ron
a traitor to his class , dude
Vapid minds fixated on small screens, and obsessed with "memes."
Meanwhile, what is happening to health policy, to precautions against emerging diseases, to unsustainable population growth, globalization and economic inequality, to the unchecked onslaught of surveillance capitalism crushing small towns, retailing, education, and social culture, to the destruction of climate as we have known it, to the principles of human rights, rule of law, world peace and international stability?
6
Next question after Bloomberg's flood of Trump take-downs, can he do Democratic candidate build-ups?
Going to war with the billionaires we have is good for news-provider profits, but lousy for civics.
I'm so blue, in every sense of the word.
6
Say what you will but Bloomberg knows how to expose and punch back at Trump like none of these other candidates can. You can’t just take the high road, you need to challenge and expose this fake man constantly or he will beat you in the public view he counts on. Trump is vulnerable, If you know how to play him, and Bloomberg seems to have that ability.
15
I'm no fan of Bloomberg and it's too bad that Ms. Dowd didn't choose to report on Joe Biden's recent appearance on "The View" in which the former VP demonstrated, once again, the consummate decency and humility that none of his opponents can even pretend to own. On the other hand, as a fellow New Yorker, I can muster up as much snark at Donald Trump's expense (not to mention a couple of deftly concocted conspiracy theories) as our former mayor might wish to serve up when confronting the corpulent competitor currently squatting in the Oval Office. And I wouldn't take a nickel for the privilege.
By the way (and speaking of which): has anyone else recognized that two of the three "mean girls" pictured at the top of Ms. Dowd's op/ed have gone on to have far more successful careers in show biz than has the "good girl" who starred in the film? Hopefully, that's a harbinger of...something.
3
Bloomberg not only buys ads and memes and influencers, he also buys favorable comments to newspapers. Strange how newspapers have become flooded with favorable comments for the "newcomer."
3
@TM
That's what I thought Putin was doing for Bernie in 2016.
President Trump has a knack for out performing during presidential debates. He will out do Mike Bloomberg. President Trump also has thousands attending his rallies and many more watching on television screens outside. He is beloved by millions and has personality and charisma.
Michael Bloomberg is buying his way into the presidential race. President Trump is not. No matter how much Michael Bloomberg spends it will never be enough to beat President Trump. Bloomberg has a sour personality and lacks a sense of humor. He is also a racist. This will be stressed during his campaign. He is not presidential.
1
And Trump is Presidential? Really?
1
?....you just described trump.
2
@KMW
Thanks for the morning's first good laugh.
1
You can take this prediction to the bank: In a head-to-head (though Trump is two heads taller than Bloomberg) Mini-Mike scores a maxi win over Delusional Donald in November.
10
Hasn’t it been proven yet that “Go High” failed. Clinton should have left her “DISPOSABLES” secret weapon in its sheath. Just repetitive video of Trump lies, fumbles, stumbles, and mumbles will get the message across, particularly for non-readers.
Trump’s MAGA Mad-Hatters are just looking for entertainment and there’s no other fun activity that can beat pResident Blowhard at full throttle. Our society is fun-centric whether at a Trump rally or pro wrestling or a demolition derby.
Why do you think the Democratic candidates are trying to appear as fun people with unnatural attempts at humor? You can’t fake funny and clever overnight. Don’t fight Trump on his playground.
Please be competent, be natural, be sincere, provide suggestions for solving our nations needs. We need an adult, not a class clown running the nation. I select my physician and my plumber for competence, not entertainment.
People eventually tire of a clown. Eventually they will realize his promises on income improvement, clean air and water, covering pre-existing conditions, eradication of the national debt, and many of his supposed accomplishments aren’t being pursued or were completed during the Obama years. His own agenda has been to dismantle progress to benefit the extremely wealthy and well connected.
Please, an adult, any adult will be a massive improvement.
4
I've often wondered why it is that Trump always falls back on the same insults and abusive names for people he hates, over and over again like a broken record. He must think its like a "greatest hits" collection or something. But really, there isn't any cleverness or intelligence or real wit involved in any of his memes or insults or ugly pet-names he gives to people. We know that he caters to his base, which is made up of people who support him because they feel they've been insulted and condescended to by people with college degrees; who read books, can understand literary allusions, and don't get their news from Fox or the National Enquirer. In this, Trump is truly one of them since he himself doesn't read much and doesn't even recognize historical events as simple as "Pearl Harbor". Bloomberg doesn't have to spend any money to be infinitely wittier and clever in his insults to Donald Trump, who himself is witless and with no sense of humor.
8
Bloomberg is someone who will get into the trenches against a Trump and fight mud with mud.
I’m far from a fan of negative campaigning but this election is a special circumstance because Bloomberg will fight at Trump’s level then climb out of the muck and be a president we can be proud of.
Bloomberg knows the goal, defeat Trump and knows how to do it because he is self made, secure in who he is and has nothing to lose. Trump’s ego is his Achilles heel and, as is true with all bullies, is weak and insecure when exposed.
Keep hammering away Mike. Stay under Trump’s skin. Trump has no defense and I know you know it.
15
Ms. Dowd,
Thanks for adding to the evidence that blues have to resort to fiction in order to counter The Donald.
Please, keep the fantasy coming.
2
The current pResident is all fiction....and based upon a reality in his own head.
1
You forgot Limbaugh as a meanie and it’s the kids (newly 18) that are going to decide on who gets to be president. One who thinks climate control is a joke and the other has a climate control plan.
3
When DJT did his ominous looming routine behind Hillary during their debate, I just wish she had addressed the situation by observing, "Mr. Trump seems to be looking for a restroom. Could he be excused from the stage for a few minutes?" At least it would have been some snarky humor at his expense.
4
I so wanted her to turn around and walk right into him.
How many hospitals would this campaign cash build?
4
@SB
then what ?
It seems that Roy Marcus Cohn's shadow, or should I say ghost, has cast itself over this presidential year. Anger and nastiness, rants, taunts, crude remarks, lies and name calling culminating in a school yard brawl. Cohn must be dancing in his grave. Our nation has a long history of dirty politicking, established with the dirties in 1800 with Adams-Jefferson squaring off. Trump and Bloomberg, both demigods have axes to grind. I am beginning to think the 2020 election will equal the negativity of 1800. So much for dignity. It time to suspend the boys. Its time for a woman to become president.
2
My sister tells me her neighbor in Iowa City has a campaign sign in her front yard that reads: Any Functional Adult for President.
Trump, of course, fails miserably to meet that standard.
Bloomberg? Grudgingly, yes. And certainly much more so than Trump could ever hope to reach such a lofty bar.
AFA for President!!!
12
It must be such a luxury to not have a single concern or worry about issues that affect tens of millions of Americans. Columnists think people are clamoring for this stuff. They're not.
4
@Ross
Mitch Mc Connell has refused to bring hundreds of Congressional bills, addressing America’s concerns, to the Senate floor.
Until there’s a change at the top as well as in the Senate nothing that improves the lives of Americans will get done.
2
We are no longer a serious nation.
6
Do Democrats have to sink to the level of our dear President? Mean girls? Really. It just might be that if Democrats had taken the high road, meaning time was spent on presenting the country with a meaningful legislative agenda ( to have Republicans reject it), there would have been a platform to run on ( not Socialism) and the calamity could have been ended. Instead, the agenda was resist and attack Trump with more than two years of claiming he conspired with the Russians( no evidence accoridign to Mr. Mueller) and that was then followed with an impeachment with zero chance of conviction. The Dowd column is more pointless nastiness that gets us and the country nowhere. There is still time to put the snarkiness aside, present the country with a moderate candidate with a realistic agenda and take back the country. Maybe Ms. Dowd could devote her writing talent to that goal: again, a moderate candidate with a realistic agenda.
@ Brian....your completely missing the fact that the House has past numerous bills that are stacked on McConnell’s desk. Any resistance is from Mitch. The Mueller investigation was about Russian interference in our election and was started when the Reps controlled both Houses. So the “resistance” was with the pResident’s own party.
3
@Bian
In addition to doing their duties to protect the Constitution, Democratically led Congress has sent hundreds of bills addressing America’s concerns to the Senate. Senate leadership has chosen to not bring them to the floor.
2
Amy Klobucar.
The only centrist with experience.
3
I get a good laugh out of Mayor Bloomberg's stuff. That's worth something.
1
Bloomberg should first try to win over Trump's rich friends, like Sheldon Adelson. When that doesn't work, he should announce that he will spend an additional 2x or 3x whatever these rich oligarchs contribute to Republican coffers. The oligarchs will either cut back their spending or (more likely) this will be the most expensive (not to mention wildest & dirtiest) campaign in U.S. history!
2
Bloomberg needs to continue effectively to draw stark distinctions between a true and honest business-savvy rich guy and a corrupt ignorant trust baby who never could have made it on his own. Next step: Bloomberg releases his tax returns and challenges Trump to release his. Trump won’t, of course (that darn perpetual audit), which draws yet another contrast. If Trump ultimately did release his, the differences in charitable giving alone would be astounding.
4
I never saw “Mean Girls.” Frankly, I was Generation X and watching a bunch of teenage girls on screen seemed a bit creepy to me. So when I saw the picture in this article, I was struck by how familiar one of the actresses looked. It took me a long time to realize who it was but—Rachael McAdams?
1
Bloomberg cannot beat Trump but he can unsettle him so that some one else beats him. Let the trolls battle it out and from the ashes something good can come.
This may all be very entertaining--and I suspect the entertainment value is a very big part of this--but in terms of how it will help get Trump out of office, I'm not so sure, because no one, not even Mike Bloomberg, has less of a concern for ethics than Orange.
He will continue to go where no one has gone before, and he'll both look and sound shameless doing it. And in an environment in which we seem to treat as genuine what is merely unrestrained, he has no peers.
I still think the idea is not to get down into the mud and wrestle the pig, because you get just as dirty and the pig only enjoys it. A big, shocking fire hose blast to the face might be a better way to go--where are those tax returns, anyway?
3
On Bill Maher's show Friday, Katie Couric reported that Bloomberg has hired an expert on narcissistic personality and teamed them with a comedian to come up with things that will get into Trump's head.
Seems like a brilliant move.
9
@EW: Dr. O'Hare and Al Franken? Genius!
Since he's wading in, Bloomberg should sponsor a national "nickname the President" contest with himself the judge of the top ten suggestions. Within a couple months of his election, I settled on President Stumblebum. Later, I considered Weatherman Donald. When Trump uses his disparaging nicknames on others, Bloomberg should bring out the top ten list.
5
Bloomberg is wise to keep himself in the news, ala Trump (though I don’t see CNN showing an empty podium and “we are awaiting Mr Bloomberg” like they did for Trump in 2015/2016). Even the old stuff, redlining, stop and frisk, “bro code” at Bloomberg Inc., gets him in the news (and can keep us reminded of much worse activity from Trump...go ask the “Central Park Five” about Trump’s race relations). Bloomberg follows the Trump dictum: there’s no such thing as bad publicity, especially when you are running for office.
Democrats spent four years trying to follow Michelle Obama’s “when they go low, we go high” request to no avail. Nancy Pelosi has tried to stay out of the mud, but then tore up Trump’s State of the Union on national television. The current crop of D candidates, other than Bloomberg, really don’t have legs to stand on when it comes to taking on Trump (he trolled Elizabeth Warren into a DNA test for heaven’s sake). Reports elsewhere say that Trump is aggravated that in every Bloomberg ad where Trump is shown, he’s shown in the “fattest way possible” which led to Trump tweeting last week “getting some exercise today”.
A story Saturday’ said that California primary voters are beginning to give Bloomberg a serious look because of his stances on the environment and gun violence, but also on “who is best able to take on Trump”. Right now, it’s Mike Bloomberg.
9
Maureen loves to mash together Hollywood and politics. Not much discussion of policy or content here, just the snark and the drama.
Not sure this is what our country needs right now.
1
@Gustav: I am sure Maureen's snark is not what our country needs right now.
Trump can dish it out but he can't take it. He's the most thin skinned bully in the world and gets away with it because he's propped up by a constitution that apparently allows him to do and say whatever he wants. Because of that his party is afraid to challenge him and his opponents don't stand a chance because of the same thing. It's all locked up.
But look, someone's gotta do it. It may as well be Bloomberg. Who else has absolutely nothing to lose except a few billion here and there? So it's not pretty. So what? It needs to be done. Trump needs to be challenged, mocked, belittled, become so completely unglued he forces those who have been forced by cowardice to stand by him, to be forced to abandon him, or at least be rendered as ridiculous.
So far, Trump has had it all his way. It's hard to watch and hard to stomach. I for one am happy to see Bloomberg take on Trump. It doesn't even matter whether or not he takes the nomination. When you have as much money as Bloomberg does, putting it where your mouth is at a time like this, is a really really good thing to do. Go Mike!
17
I’m looking forward to the general election, think Mike Bloomberg has what it takes to crush Trump.
9
Great. Two New York billionaires Twitter hustling to rep America. Tell you what. Let one of them become king of New York and leave the rest of us out of it. This country needs to be split into regions with local control because, as we soon shall see regarding climate change or social justice, the local is the global.
@Tee Jones: This country already has regions of local control. They are called "States".
Tee.. click your heels together and chant. I wish i was in Kansas, I wish i was in Kansas. When you wake up, you will realize you are not in Kansas. It takes much more then that to get to Kansas.
If it were just Trump, I'd vote for the best candidate for President (Warren, for me)--but it's Trump aided by Fox, both lying to The Deplorables and keeping them deplorably ignorant. I think we need Mike and I think he'd come through on some important issues (environment, health, gun control). He's already put his money there. And when they go low, he'll be there too.
6
Two billionaires with giant egos battling - panem et circenses for the masses
What happened to the agora ?
1
The decline and fall of the American empire continues apace.
2
During a 35 year career in down the road sales I met a few men like Trump and Bloomberg. I had to deal with them because they were my customers. In both cases it was important to give them respect. But respect goes both ways. With Trump like person they do not give respect back. He is mean and stupid and dangerous. With a Bloomberg like person they are not mean they dislike that very much. They like to be seen as benevolent and over the top altruistic. They like being seen as good and smart and capable. And they live it. Trump is still trying to figure out how to live even one day well.
5
Where's Oscar Wilde when you need him ! He and DJT going at it . A sell-out in a NY heartbeat !!!
1
Back in my middle school days, when anybody really wanted to put someone down, we prefaced the putdown with the phrase "your mother..." . Eventually, just saying "your mother" without a followup expressed one's disdain in the lowest possible way. This was the Bronx, circa 1962 to 1965 when I was a preteen.
My suggestion is that the worthies running for office who wish to insult each other move right into "your mother" (by itself or as a preface to something else).
Hopefully, if that goes on for a few weeks, everybody will have tired of it and perhaps the "geriatric kids" running for President might turn to something a little more mature (like a discussion of the issues facing the country)?
For those unfamiliar with the "your mother" putdown protocol, take a look at
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maternal_insult
1
I wish Bloomberg would grow up and just talk about the issues instead of stooping to these infantile twitter wars. I’ll stick with Pete.
Amy Klobucar.
The only one with experience.
1
Bloomberg will beat Trump and that is all I care about. All the rest is noise.
6
The most valuable asset Bloomberg brings to the race is his great wealth. Of course, that wealth can match and even drown Republican spending at every turn. Obviously. But more importantly, Bloomberg gets into Trump’s head like no other candidate can. Trump is a Bloomberg wannabe; a little man who despite careful curation of his image can’t measure up. And he knows it. As the race continues, Trump’s feverish brain will scramble. His father’s whispers will haunt him. You were supposed to be Bloomberg, my son. You failed. Trump will become desperate, paranoid. He will ignore advice. And in the end, he will fail.
7
Here's why I don't mind Bloomberg's mean memes. Bullies, like Trump, continue to be bullies until someone stands up to them. The few who stand up to Trump get themselves fired. Trump can't fire Bloomberg. Somebody, whether Bloomberg or someone else, needs to take Trump down a notch or two, or ten or a hundred notches.
12
Look for an IRS investigation of Mr. Bloomberg's finances if he's nominated. No one can go lower than the current President.
Wondering about internet games won't help us solve important problems like environment and health care.
Columns like this make me fear we no longer have a serious country.
Size? Let's talk size: All Bloomberg has to do is challenge Trump to a bank balance dare: "Show me yours and I'll show you mine!"
Millions versus Billions. Hello... the Trump brand's value isn't on the bottom line as he would wish it so.
6
It has all become rather sickening and nowhere can we find a debate on the issues that we care about. Even more sickening is the msm and its coverage of this bully fight instead of sticking to covering the issues we care about. Can anyone even tell me what they are?
Shiela.. Who cares? Get off of your stool and see what the condition of the nation really is. As i have read on here before, to beat a bully, you have to stand up to him. Idealism follows success. Get in line.
1
Desperate times call for aggressive counterpunching. Bloomberg responding that Trump is despised in his own town and is an incompetent failure is true. Outside of town Donald fooled a lot of people. Do I like anyone buying an election--normally it is an abhorrent thought; yet, this time it can save us from a a Ras(Putin) wannabe. Mike ain't perfect, but he is not insane and only Mike can stand up to and dwarf Trrump where it will hurt Donald the most; Mike has a LOT more money.
6
Democrats be careful. "Going low" may seem like fair play with this GOP full of miscreants, misogynists, and narcissists but the Dems have little experience fighting in the digital mud. Look at how it has forever damaged the Republican brand and act wisely.
1
@RDR: Stating the unvarnished truth about Trump in response to his infantile insults is not "going low". It's standing up to the bully. And the riposte "Which other billionaire?" is masterful adult humor. If Trump can't stand the heat, he should get out of the kitchen. He has abused his power and wealth way too long, hiding behind lawyers and others to do the dirty work for him, like stiffing hardworking contractors and construction workers on his properties.
2
Can we maybe hire some adults to run our government?
1
@CH: We get that chance every two years with Congress and 1/3 of the Senate - doesn't seem to be working all that well. maybe we need to stop voting for people whose loyalty is more toward party affiliation than the Constitution.
4
"When Bloomberg was asked recently about the clash of the billionaires, he snapped back: “Who’s the other one?”"
How I savored that line. And how true it is.
One small quibble with your astute work, Maureen. Kellyanne Conway has lost her spot at the Mean Girls table and is sliding into the Stepford territory of silence and a new, frozen face. Sort of like Ivanka and Melania. With young Hope Hicks and her thigh-high boots on the way. But that's another story.
4
"President Trump’s supporters create content for free out of genuine love for the president.”
Yeah, right. Like he would ever pay anyone anyway.
6
This is the only man who can beat Trump. Period.
2
Bloomberg goes high when it comes to addressing the issues. He behaves like a responsible adult, taking on responsibility for the world's problems, even.
When he encounters a bully, he does something different. But, I don't think he acts like an adolescent (apologies to adolescents). Trump acts like a spoiled brat/bully.
A schoolyard bully usually gets away with it when no one fights back. Mike's fighting back.
Somehow, Mike's tweets don't seem as mean-spirited as Trumps'. They are certainly more sophisticated.
And people like to see a bully confronted. It give them hope.
9
Maiden has become literally incomprehensible to me in the Second City. I can’t imagine how meaningless this all is elsewhere
This is what decades of greed is good, consumerism, and spectatorism, produces...two old billionaires running for president on a platform of middle school bullying.
Democrats have a surfeit of kind, ethical people, who stick to the issues and are disgusted and horrified by Trump. However, surely we have some very creative, wickedly funny, uncouth Democrats who could produce lots of pointedly demeaning videos and hilarious memes about Donald Trump.
I am standing next to the helicopter calling for all (American) influencers to let fly the memes to give Donald some of his own medicine.
4
Mike's got some baggage, no doubt about that. But compared to Trump, he's tolerable and if he gets elected, will atone for his past sins. If Bloomberg does get the nomination, look for a tidal wave of anti-Semitism from "the cult." In fact, it has already begun.
3
The only way to stop a bad guy with a billion is a good guy with a billion...
Mike says he's going to spend whatever it takes whether he's the nominee or not. The least I can do is vote blue no matter who. I love the idea of Bloomberg being in Trump's head.
6
Memorandum to Mrs. Pelosi:
It is not too early to impeach Trump again, and this time throw Bill Barr in for good measure.
4
Although I am of the Bernie/Warren party, I can see myself voting for Bloomberg because a match up between these two would at least kill Trump from an aneurism by being bested by a real NY billionaire.
3
I’ve thought for some time that the way Secretary Clinton should have handled the hulking old man aimlessly roaming behind her in the debate was to say to moderators: Can someone please get Mr. Trump a chair and glass of water? He seems very confused.
3
Bloomberg/Klobuchar is the only winning ticket for this Democrat!
4
One of the pillars of Melania’s ‘Be Best’ initiative:
“When children learn positive online behaviors early-on, social media can be used in productive ways and can effect positive change. Mrs. Trump believes that children should be both seen and heard, and it is our responsibility as adults to educate and reinforce to them that when they are using their voices—whether verbally or online—they must choose their words wisely and speak with respect and compassion.”
So much for that, I guess.
4
The question of which road to take, high road or low, is not one we have the time or luxury to dither about. The road that leads to victory over trump is the only one that matters. Bloomberg is far and away the only person able to accomplish this. The other candidates are certainly earnest in their policy suggestions but that’s what they will be, suggestions. They don’t have a prayer. Mike has the fight and might in him to get the job done. Mike is the only one who will beat him.
5
This is all so depressing. How low have we sunk? I see a Bravo series in the making -- The Real Politicos of Washington, D.C.
Sad, very sad.
201
@Elizabeth Fuller In Australia in the 1850's they foolishly introduced rabbits so the hunters would have something to hunt. Soon Australia was overrun by these pest (animals that were not indigenous to the country). They wreaked havoc and decimated the environment, costing billions of dollars in damages. The only way the Australians could rid themselves of the destructive rabbits was to introduce the Myxomatosis virus, which led to the death of 95% of the intruders. Trump and his loyal cabinet and members of the Senate have devastated the democratic landscape. If we have to introduce a stronger virus to defeat him, then I say bring on Bloomberg!
31
@Elizabeth Fuller Very sad, indeed. I used to be a history buff, reveling in books about our founders, our history, the history of the world, great leaders. I can't bear to read anything historical about our country now. It's heartbreaking.
15
@Elizabeth Fuller, I refuse to go there but thank you for speaking out.
2
These days we can't wait for the Messiah. We'll take what we can get. If Bloomberg has to buy memes, prefers blanketing TV ads instead of rolling in the muck with other Dems, wants to troll the Orange Ogre, that's fine with me.
So far Trump's survived a cautious Mueller, an abbreviated Impeachment and is feeling quite indestructible. As predicted, he's lost all fear of boundaries. So he's now stealing from the military to pay for a wall, interfering with DOJ prosecutions, and even admitting to past indiscretions, such as sending Rudy to Ukraine to look for Biden dirt.
Bloomberg may not pass the Dems purity test. Stop & frisk, misogynist and red-line comments, don't define the whole person. He's not perfect, no one is, but he's not crazy, unstable, or stupid. He's had a genuinely successful public and private life.
Bloomberg may win the Democratic presidential nomination. Hopefully all voters wanting to retire Trump will turn out and vote with only one thought in mind.
728
Sorry, but I disagree. A person’s flaws and mistakes do define them, just as their positive qualities and successes do. Bloomberg is deeply flawed and he has made many mistakes. He’s still better than Trump though.
26
@woollfy1a
Having read Friedman and Douthat's recent OP-eds on Bloomberg, I am getting haltingly closer to overcoming my natural abhorrence of someone who is, indeed, attempting to buy the presidency outright.
But if HRC does indeed get the VP slot with Bloomberg as eventual candidate, that might end up a bridge too far for me. And I have NEVER failed to vote before...
15
@woollfy1a TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU ... Ex-NY’er, I LIKE Bloomberg. He did a great job as mayor and he’ll be my candidate to get rid of Trump. He’s tough, smart, and rich. And, against Trump re:Billionaire Status ... BLOOMBERG is the ONLY legitimate billionaire.
However, I hope he will think again before adding HRC to the ticket. Amy would be a FAR better choice defining the ticket as MODERATE. Americans CRAVE sanity now. As far as I can a tell, there is no great wave to bring Hillary back from the political graveyard.
63
Dems won the popular vote in congress in 2018 by nine points.They inspired turnout and won by fielding moderate candidates & converting Republican votes.
That does not suggest the best way to defeat Trump is to nominate a socialist who wants to take away health insurance from 140 million people. The response is a promise of turnout inspired by far left policies. That is unfounded (See Par 1). In fact, such policies evidently inspire opposition turnout. (CatalistData)
I am thrilled at the prospect of voting for a realistic problem solver who has proven himself able to work with others to accomplish worthy goals. Bloomberg has the media savvy and organizational skills to win. He could bring along the House and possibly the senate. Bernie's candidacy will harm the moderate Dems who won in 2018. He cannot convert his slogans to law. He couldn't even make/amend a trade policy with Canada.
Bloomberg too moderate? Raising taxes on the rich and corporations, gun safety, climate change, raising minimum wage, public health. Repubs will want to overturn Citizens United after Bloomberg contributes hundreds of millions to a few key senate races to rid us of McConnell.
I am horrified at again losing the senate and risking the House. Don't risk it.
Trump wants to change the election from a referendum on his character to one casting him as Protector of Capitalism and the American Way vs. That Socialist. "Yes, but he's a Democratic Socialist" will not play at WalMart.
10
All too sad, one hoped the new boy might bring some class to the ordeal of our primaries. But no, more rolling in the mud - what about the issues ???
Bloomberg may be the country’s best bet to defeat Trump. Americans’ sense of electability usual includes quick wit and sharp elbows; zingers and sound bytes that resonate with the masses win the day.
Trump essentially has built his political power on school yard tactics-name calling, bullying, and lying to create his zingers and sound bytes.
3
Trump still has another advantage over Trump: he bought and forced himself into an illegal and undemocratic third term as NYC Mayor, Bloomberg also destroyed the Democratic “Occupy Wall Street” movement. Stop-and-frisk is akin to the border treatment of refugee seekers. So they both have a tendency to destroy democratic institutions.
When Bloomberg was asked recently about the clash of the billionaires, he snapped back: “Who’s the other one?”
Bloomberg nailed it with that one which he should run day and night in ads because if there is one thing that Trump has lied about forever -- it's his non-wealth. Trump the Loser even lied on the financials he handed to Deutsche Bank when he was busted and looking for someone to bail him out of his bankrupt casinos mess. Bloomberg should also run ads featuring the derelict former Trump Plaza Casino rotting on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City -- a monument to Trump's financial bankruptcies as well as his lifelong moral bankruptcy.
11
Regardless of how you feel about Bloomberg’s candidacy, you have to love his ability to get under Trump’s skin.
I never thought I’d be rooting for the POTUS to completely unravel, but clearly his becoming unhinged is not enough to spur the loss of his cowardly Senate’s support.
I don’t know what an irredeemable verbal misstep looks like from the eyes of a Trump supporter (sadly I think he was a lot closer with “take the guns now, due process later” than “grab em by the ...”).
But if Bloomberg can prompt it, he will have done this country and the world a great service (as long as that misstep doesn’t spark WWIII).
8
Maybe the best approach is for Bloomberg to run interference and then hand over to Klobuchar...
Bloomberg definitely has some great comebacks. The key to them is that he clearly doesn’t care about how he is perceived. Treating Trump as the joke he is is clearly the right response. Biden should laugh every time he is asked about his son and should immediately fire back some comment about the Trump grifters.
4
Funny how we end up deferring to the billionaires (real or imagined) to excel at being immaturely snide on a level that the rest of us can't seem to pull off.
Tells us something about the ultra-rich, doesn't it? As if we didn't already know.
3
The annual income of most Americans is lunch money for Michael Bloomberg, and relatively downscale at that.
Within the last 24 hours, two separate sources (Fox "News" and MSNBC) have fed the rumor that Bloomberg has Hillary Clinton in his sights as his VP running mate.
I shall never, ever vote for Trump or any GOP candidate as the Party is currently constituted. If, however, Hillary Clinton comes within 1000 miles of the 2020 presidential Democratic ticket, I will leave those choices blank.
For decades, Hillary Clinton has been a negative, noxious, self-serving force of whining, injured entitlement in the Democratic Party. She is aging very poorly from a very low bar.
Come to think of it, given all we know now, if Democrats decide that Hillary is part of America's political future, I might not vote for any of them anywhere on the November ballot.
Who cares? I do. A lot. I suspect that I am not alone.
5
Instead of Democratic candidates getting dragged into this food fight, we need someone to emerge and, in the model of President Obama, show us that they are confident, comfortable in their own skin, and above the pettiness. He was really cool.
1
If Mike is trying to buy my vote he is wasting his money. I don’t watch TV and am not on Facebook. Besides I voted for him over a week ago when my Mail ballot came.
3
A wealthy media boomer, with a retirement plan, bleak-sarcastically writing about the drama of politicians...is this helpful to anyone’s real life or just a mess of basic film analogy jokes?
3
Your casting was missing Nancy Pelosi. She would do well with a role where she rips up the Bun Book or better yet the Iowa results, especially if they were favorable to Bernie.
2
Well, if nothing else, it gives Trump something to do with his days other than watching t.v., tweeting mean things, and golfing. Heaven knows, he hasn't a clue about how to be president.
Let Bloomberg and Trump duke it out on the Internet. It is (relatively) harmless compared to the other things he does. In the meantime, the primary will continue with the serious candidates.
Once people read today's article in WaPo on Bloomberg's treatment of women, he will be yesterday's ham sandwich. We don't need two entitled, arrogant billionaires who think that are god's gift to women and have the lawsuits to prove it.
You mean the failing WaPost?
Bloomberg understands the way campaigning has changed. And so he is doing what needs to be done.to win
This is just another demonstration of what I think is his strongest quality, namely competence.
Wouldn’t that be a change? A competent person in the White House.
5
Mike—Hillary in 2020
Mike isn’t young, Hillary can use the challenging work, and there are Hillary voters who will be pleased
I like them both, and each can make us a fine POTUS if need be
Mike’s rationality, heart & ethic is proved in his very decent charity.
As unique thoughtful strategist and disciplined candidate in waiting for highest office, he has his independent resources, brains, and guts.
1
HRC as VP is a terrible choice. I don’t think i can vote that ticket. If i cannot, no one will.
Having read all of the 118 comments posted thusfar it appears there are more than a few who are leaning toward or stating they will back Mr Bloomberg. It may be they are all plants but if nothing else they are making persuasive observations.
We have done worse.
5
Let us hope that what happens in New York, stays in New York. Not interesting to the rest of us out here.
1
The more I hear about Bloomberg the more I like him. We need someone to give Trump a hefty dose of his own medicine.
6
It's like Tweetie (Mr. T.) and Sylvester (Mike B.). Sufferin Succotash!
5
Well Trump and Bloomberg both said they'd show us their taxes.... mmm where're Mike's tax returns... I won't get fooled again.
1
Mike has the magic sauce. Lots and lots of cash. Which Trump resents because he doesn't really have much. Success in business and as a Mayor of Trump's supposed brand city. Confidence and gravitas which Trump lacks. So. Yes Mike can get away with going mano a mano in the mud and come up a clean winner.
As long as people stop writing about stop-and-frisk or age-old girlie jokes, he is the only candidate with any chance to beat Trump. And. As long as he DOES NOT choose Hillary as his running mate. That old baggage would weigh him down to defeat.
5
David Cay Johnston, a former Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter for The Times and bestselling author whose body of meticulously researched work includes books on Donald Trump, has consistently made a convincing case that there's no evidence Trump is a billionaire, other than in his own mind.
Trump's six bankruptcies, career-long habit of reneging on debts and fraudulent handling of his, um, "charities" serve only to underscore this, along with the Trump Organization's dependence on Russian oligarchs for cash and its dubious dealings with shady lenders such as Deutsche Bank.
No surprise, then, that, unlike any other president or candidate, he won't let the American people see his tax returns. As wince-inducing an image as it may be, even fleetingly, this emperor has no clothes.
Michael Bloomberg's status as a multibillionaire and extensive philanthropist with utmost credibility is well documented, including currently by The Times, so there's no authenticity issue with him.
What brings this to mind is that Trump's malignant narcissism, not to mention his deep insecurities, make him vulnerable to a relentless bombardment by the Bloomberg campaign and meme artists in general focused on an amply illustrated theme of "FAKE BILLIONAIRE."
Just a thought, but given the massiveness of Trump's ego, hammering away at his faux wealth, from now until Election Day, could well be an Achilles' heel to help rid us of the most corrupt -- and most dangerous -- president in our history.
5
Bloomberg has, ironically, the snark of a pedigreed New England prep school student.
Trump has the snark of a mid-level public school student. He is not in Bloomberg's league for anything, and that just adds more to Trump's irritation.
6
Let me direct you to a recent article by Jennifer Rubin in The Post. She does a deep dive into Bloomberg’s organizational and data-mining apparatus and comes to the conclusion that only he has the scope and weaponry to defeat Trump and the Republicans. It is compelling.
A week ago, I was planning on voting for Andrew Yang on Super Tuesday, as a man of both integrity and ideas. Now I have to re-think whom I will vote for. Sanders is unpalatable, his climate position alone is absurd and unserious (I will again direct you to The Post, Fareed Zakaria). Biden is a spent casing. I like Pete, but he has a long shelf-life and needs more seasoning. I am fond of Warren, but she has too many ideas and no real executive experience. Amy is impressing me, she is tough, but I don’t know if she can command the needed resources.
Many Progressives are appalled at the prospect of Bloomberg, I get it. He has committed many sins. He needs to atone for them. But he is not a cheat, or a grifter, or a serial sex offender. He does not strike me as a would-be dictator. He has the right positions on guns, climate, a woman’s right to choose, voting rights, and immigration. He will raise taxes on himself and people like him. And he drives Trump crazy.
Almost daily I get texts from Bloomies inviting me to take part in the campaign. I have not responded to them. But in about three weeks, in the voting booth, I may well mark the circle next to Mike Bloomberg’s name.
The threat is too severe to ignore.
7
Bloomberg has dumped over $188 million into his campaign so far, including a million dollars a day on Facebook ads.
By any means necessary, Donald has to go.
6
Why is Bloomberg an "oligarch" just because he's rich and successful? Trump is autocratic, obviously, but as nearly as I can tell Bloomberg is depleting a substantial portion of his fortune to preserve our institutions by taking him out. That's not an oligarch.
5
A great many of the memes trashing Trump's rivals (and liberals in general) originate overseas, especially Russia. I will leave it to you to figure out their motives, but they are clearly NOT "America first."
3
Trump won’t be able to stand much of an internet breeze. That’s always the way it works when a phony is exposed. The emperor has no clothes. But Bloomberg can’t stop with neutralizing Trump’s viciousness, he’s got to come across with substance too.
2
It's really great. We are supposed to get a kick out of Bloomberg being a genuine billionaire rather than fake one.
Ever more Sorrow to the People.
3
One Upper East Side oligarch vs. another Upper East Side oligarch means America loses.
1
You have to give the edge to Trump, who covered his business failures with showbiz success -- the latest being his first presidential campaign. His audience loves the spectacle, the insults, above all the lies. We all lie at times, but Trump does it best and always. Trump is the symbol of all America has become. Not great. Except at lying.
In response to Trump’s insulting attack Tweets, Bloomberg should respond with:
“I have been called worse things by better people.”
(This is what Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau said to President Nixon after being insulted by him.)
3
Were it not for the “news” media I would hardly be aware of what happens on Twitter. Having raised three children, I still remember the tantrums of the terrible twos, and a parents most effective strategy: ignore the tantrums and they will soon cease. I wish Maureen and her compatriots would do the same to the narcissistic toddlers that inhabit the twitterverse. If a tweet chimes in the forest and nobody listens, did it really happen?
3
Hillary did not overthink whether she should turn around and confront Donald Trump...the woman had to live with the reality of journalists like you attacking her for even taking a breath, much less making a daring move like that. While I totally support a free press and despise all the frightening talk about fake news, the power that snide people like you have over our political outcomes can be regrettable, and is something I wish you'd all take a little more seriously. Because now we have Trump. I am convinced that some of that blame for that goes to the press.
4
I so wanted HRC to turn around and walk into trump. She did respond appropriately, but that was a pure power play from trump and he needed to be ‘bumped’ in that moment. That was stalking behavior.
1
I have long heard cliches about life imitating high school, but I still want our next president to be better than this one who thinks that name-calling and bullying make him look cool, and that lying about his popularity is better than earning it.
2
Wondering if Mike B realizes that it could work in his favor to embrace the nasty nicknames and the comments about height. Mini-Mike in 2020!
So what if he stands on a box?
3
"President Trump’s supporters create content for free out of genuine love for the president.”
It's just not possible for these people to tell the truth, is it? An awful lot of the pro-Trump memes I've seen are clearly designed by graphic artists or, in the case of gifs, video editors, who are having a little fun while displaying their skills. The fan-made ones are just sad.
2
I only have one question for my fellow Democrats and anyone else who wants to get Trump out of the Oval Office. I don't care who the nominee is in November. My vote for that candidate is unconditional.
Is yours?
7
Thank you, Sarah Matthews, for the funniest line I have read in ages. The words love and Trump do not belong in the same sentence, hence my out loud guffaw at the breakfast table.
3
The intelligentsia on the left seems to be coming around to what is out there for all to see. Only Mike Bloomberg has a chance to defeat the Donald. How would that work with the fragmented Democrat party? How will the progressives deal with a billionaire that bought his way in. At least those on the left are finally realizing that Comrade Sanders is unelectable, and Warren’s campaign has imploded. There is really no other to take on the behemoth that is the Donald
2
All our power. All our ideals. All the glory (and yes, too, the misery) of our history. So this is what America the beautiful, home of the brave and land of the free, has become with all of it?
Two billionaires smacking and jousting each other with meme bats, like colorful clowns in the middle of an internet coliseum, all while the crowd of digital citizenry roar their approval or disapproval for their favorite, or hissed at, character. Bread and circuses spun up by the digerati for the entertainment of the 'Net homeland masses?
This is what becomes a Pax Americana? Something tells me it isn't exactly what the founders had in mind, is it?
John~
American Net'Zen
1
This is not an election, it's an intervention, a medical procedure. Bloomberg is the same bitter medicine as Trump, only without the toxic side-effects. I'm voting for him.
Once!
4
While I may chuckle at Trump getting his comeuppance on social media from someone like Bloomberg, I'm not voting in the primary for another party-switching mega-rich guy who has no cred with ethnic groups.
"Who's the other one?'
Rich: literally and figuratively.
Thanks for the laugh Mr. Bloomberg.
2
Trump hired actors to applaud him coming down the escalator. ‘Nuff said.
2
Why I would vote for Bloomberg. Obama’s wisdom (the Chicago rule) applies here. The other side brings a knife, you bring a gun; they bring a gun, you bring a bazooka. The other side burns a billionaire, you bring a 60 times billionaire. All those weapons are dangerous but you got to win the fight. And I’m a trans woman and as a trans civil rights attorney working for the poorest and most disadvantaged- the wokest of the woke.
4
Since the Presidency is mostly a ceremonial post why not base the race on the 2 most entertaining candidates. And watching Mini Mike and Donald the Fake Billionaire get down in the mud will surely be a spectacle, if not exactly edifying. Better than Trump-Klobuchar, I expect. Bleeding-edge reality TV. Go Mike!
3
Trump, the counter puncher, doesn't wait to get hit, or even seen. And he uses rolls of quarters.
1
All the nasty memes in the world will not enable Bloomberg to become the nominee of the Democratic party. Despite the fact that politicians always cite how smart Americans are, Americans really aren't very smart. Why would they trade in a fake billionaire for a real one that really is not entertaining and easily painted as an east coast elite? At least Sanders has a platform whose main parts appeal to a broad section of the electorate, better health care, less expensive higher education, green new deal and a tax on the wealthy to pay for a lot of the plans. Having Sanders and a woman of color as his running mate with Bloomberg bashing Trumplethinskin with a side show assault might be enough to dispose of our emperor with a ten year old's mentality. Hopefully.
1
So why isn’t Amy Klobuchar, with her notorious abuse of her Senate staffers, mentioned in the article? She’s the ultimate mean girl. I hate when people like her get ahead in life, but they seem to knack of seizing the reigns of power. They use false flattery to manipulate those above them in organizational pecking order while using fear as their primary motivator for those below. We already have a bully in the White House. Don’t need another one. Still if she gets the Democratic nomination for president I’ll vote for her. The lesser of two evils is less evil, not more of the same. And she would be far less evil.
2
President Bloomberg? Attack dog Bloomberg? Kingmaker Bloomberg?
Mike Bloomberg has the money, the smarts, the organization and the experience to be a very effective president. Unlike other recent ex-mayors of NYC he has committed resources towards awareness and resolving problems like gun control and climate change. There are some serious beefs out there about Bloomberg's past but they pale in comparison to President Trump's past, present and his probable future trajectory.
Even if he does not become the candidate, his role as a Democrat attack dog, duking it out with the President will keep Trump distracted and off balance. The irritation and time spent on parrying off Bloomberg will cause an already unsteady Trump to get further off his game. Other Democrat candidates may find that cover welcome.
There may well be a contested Democratic Convention this year. Mike Bloomberg may not acquire enough delegates to be in contention. He might very well win enough delegates to play the role of kingmaker. He could be in a position of putting a candidate he backs over the top.
2
If Bloomberg wants my vote, he'll need to drop the subscription price for terminal access from $2,000/mo to $0.
Trump is intimidated by Bloomberg. The democrats should get behind a candidate that will beat Trump.
3
“Bloomberg’s memes are comical in the worst possible way,” said Sarah Matthews, deputy press secretary for the Trump campaign. “Paying for internet influencers and memes proves you don’t understand how meme culture works. President Trump’s supporters create content for free out of genuine love for the president.”
Of course, this president is good at creating ugly, vulgar memes; besides overseeing the destruction of our institutions, our legal system, norms, precedents, boundaries, the environment and our standing in the world, that's how he spends 90 something percent of his time. He is admittedly a "genius" in con artistry and hence a natural for the branding business.
What Bloomberg is saying is, you want to make the rules of the game, game on. I have no idea if Bloomberg can or will be the nominee, but he does represent everything trump pretends to be and isn't, a self made billionaire who like all of his policies or not, won elections without foreign intervention and voter suppression and then ran a city where Donald Trump hasn't been able to get legitimate financing since the 80's. Bloomberg actually puts his money where his mouth rather than pilfering his own charity and has never been successfully sued for a fake university. If all he does is expose the toxic blimp for the mean, incompetent, mendacious and sadistic fraud trump is behind the gold facade, more power to him.
5
Be aware of Aesop's Fable of The Horse and the Stag - the Horse enlists the help of Man, allowing the Man to mount him to defeat the Stag, only to have the Man enslave the horse.
Instead of obtaining revenge on the Stag, the Horse had enslaved himself to the service of Man.
Instead of the Democrats obtaining revenge on a Republican Billionaire, the The Democrats will enslave themselves to the service of a (ex-Republican) Billionaire.
2
I think Mayor Pete and Michelle Obama are the only two people in the political realm who can genuinely carry off going High when others go Low. Going High just seems to be their innate way of dealing with attacks. That’s a noble and impressive quality.
For everyone else there are two choices. 1. If you’ve got real wit, fire right back—it’s the coin of the realm nowadays. 2. If you don’t have real wit, follow Michelle’s advice. It may just appear that you have an innate nobility, and that may get you by. At least you won’t fall flat on your face.
Bloomberg’s, “who’s the other billionaire?” response is classic. He and his crew have the wit to meet Trump on Trump’s chosen field of battle, and beat him. Trump, of course, brings no wit at all to the battle. Just petty, childish and immature rants and nastiness. Rubio was no match for Trump. Bloomberg is. It’s going to be the face off of Mad Caligula and Claudius, for those who know their Roman history, at least as filtered through Robert Graves and the classic BBC series. And it will be fun to watch, assuming Bloomberg keeps his main focus on issues of substantive governance. That’s the High Road the nation really needs. Bloomberg can do that too.
4
We all resent billionaires, especially because our tax laws are corrupt. We should remember that our founding fathers were wealthy landowners, and not hate all the wealthy. There’s a big difference between Bill Gates and the Sackler family. I’m warming to Bloomberg daily because he is fighting Trump with his money and hits back with vigor at the lying narcissist. I also enjoy the commercials that the Republicans for the Rule of Law put out. We have been suffering the abuses of Trump for years and it isn’t just bad for our democracy, it’s bad for our health.
4
@Kris -- I don't hate Bloomberg because he's rich. At least he earned his money. Trump's money is all tainted and smelly. He's the kind of rich we all resent.
2
@Ms. Pea Yes; the documentary “Active Measures” mentions how Trump got bailed out from his extreme debt.
Maureen Dowd's column conjures up two images for me. Both disturbing. The first is of two schoolyard bullies, Trump and Bloomberg, fighting over a prize they both want. Of course, Bloomberg is not in the same league as Trump in the insult department, but according to Ms. Dowd, he seems to aspire to descend to Trump's level as quickly as possible. So here we have two elderly, extremely wealthy and powerful old men, (soon to be octogenarians), ready, willing and seemingly eager to wrestle in the mud. The second image is endless rows of white markers in United States Military Cemeteries in Europe, Asia and the United States, marking the resting place of hundreds upon hundreds of thousands of military personnel who were killed in action, seriously wounded or driven crazy by the fighting in America's various wars. I can imagine what they would be thinking if they could watch the spectacle Ms. Dowd is predicting unfold. If she is correct, the presidential campaign promises to be a disgusting and degrading experience for the average American.
1
So far the GOP has outmaneuvered the Democrats. They lie, cheat and corrupt everything. They have their own propaganda network, they continue to control the Senate and have flooded the courts. Seems to me the Democrats need to try something new or our nation will turn permanently into a country unrecognizable to us. If Bloomberg can win, have at it. If we keep demanding perfection, we will continue to be on the losing end of power.
4
The reason Bloomberg's tweets work, when they do, is that he feels real contempt for Trump
Not hatred or fear, no hint of respect, no hope there might be a good guy somewhere in there you don't really want to hurt.
Bloomberg knows Trump the way one would have expected NYT to know Trump, a grasping, desperate, baseless ego making its way the only way it knows how: lashing out, demeaning, lying about everybody who isn't him.
It won't work on Bloomberg because he's already everything Trump pretends to be, and he's more successful at it than Trump's flagrant lies and fantasies.
You get the sense that one day, long ago, Bloomberg made the attempt with Trump, tried to bring him along a little, tried to be cordial, tried to find...something...worth knowing, and found nobody in there, just seething anger and debilitating insecurity wrapped in a heavy wet blanket of cowardice.
You get the sense it took Bloomberg ten minutes to realize his world, and everyone else's, would much better without Trump in it.
Now while it may be a real strength, and a source of power (and some good mic drops) its worth considering if you want a leader so well equipped to, so familiar with the process of writing someone off with a series of wicked public put downs and endless sarcasm.
Its kind of what we have now, without the bathetic desperation to liked.
I mean, I'll watch it play out over a few months, but a steady diet for years to come? I don't know...
1
As an American who was raised and educated to revere the basic principles of a democratic society or nation... I am disgusted by what is taking place in this country. Our nation and America's coming generations will face some of human civilization's perilous challenges: climate change, air and water pollution, rising housing and medical costs, the diminishing wealth of the middle class... AND WHAT DOES the current Leader of this country care about? His ego... his obsessive need to inform people about his wealth... and his prepubescent need spew verbal tantrums on Twitter and chastise anyone within the Justice Department, the Senate or Congress who dares to question his behavior, his dishonesty, his racism and misogyny. WAKE UP AMERICA! It's time for every American Citizen to stand up and insist on policies and actions that lead to constructive solutions. We must insist on accountability of ALL of OUR LEADERS. NOW!
3
Trump knows that Bloomberg has what it takes to beat him .Authenticity. A Real billionaire. Hands on political experience as Mayor of NYC publicly praised by Trump. A great counter puncher who will easily deflect Trump’s taunts and insults. A man who is not afraid to go toe to toe with Trump in any ring or forum. And Bloomberg knows the real Trump. A con man. So said Bloomberg at the Democratic convention.Trump has met the KRYPTONITE man and his name is Bloomberg.
3
The American people have spent the last three years listening to and reading about the mean, demeaning, and mocking tweets of the president. I think most of us would prefer that the ignorant, embarrassing, and hateful form of communication during a campaign stopped and we would return to the country we once were--where leaders and presidential candidates could disagree with their opponents respectfully and intelligently despite their opposing viewpoints. My biggest worry, outside of Trump being re-elected, is that the United States of America will become a country with no integrity, no civility, and no hope for progress.
1
Trump has supplied Bloomberg with a nearly infinite supply of tweet-fodder with his words and actions. Trump will not be able to move beyond the sophomoric "Mini-Mike" insults. Mike is much smarter, more accomplished, much richer, and unlike Trump, he is fearless. Bloomberg will get it done!
2
We are witnessing an insidious attack on our political and our judicial institutions at the hands of a school yard bully, and the parallels between the mentality of "Meme Girls Mash-Up" and the president's entirely inappropriate and daily toxic attacks on individuals and institutions. He is debasing our government, our culture, and the unifying American ethos,that has united us in spite of our diversity. If he were a ten year old pupil acting out as he does, he would be suspended from school for bullying. If he worked in a private corporation, he would be fired. In virtually any field of employment, he could never hold a job where decorum, civility, and cooperation were preconditions for his daily salary. And now we're attempting to strategize how to beat him at his natural gift for verbal mud slinging-- perhaps we can forget about debates, and in this election cycle simply hold multiple rounds of antagonistic tweets between Trump and the Democratic nominee. Would be easy to determine the winner-- he or she would have to trump Trump at his most venial and puerile performance.
I'd toss that battle-axe Marsha Blackburn into the mix, but posts with her name disappear. Magic. Or witchcraft.
1
Isn't Trump a supposed "Billionaire"?
If not ñow he will be when his time in office is over.
Trump Inc. is doing well.
There is an old saying about
missionaries in Hawaii: ,"they came to do good and stayed to do well"
1
Personally, I'm enjoying the duke-out o'rama between these two. Bloomberg is not going to be president, but neither is Trump and one day we will thank Bloomie for softening up the Donald for the take down.
It's all about technique. Punching down is less effective than punching up. Advantage...Bloomie.
1
No matter- our country is at stake.
Our future generations are at stake.
Our place in the world is at stake.
Our natural resources are at stake.
We get it......this is more serious than any op ed column. There is a lot at stake for us and for so many others globally.
2
This is all very entertaining, however, the mean, violent testosterone driven republican cult's meanness has been much more enduring and is causing middle class collapse, death and destruction through their intentional coercive legislative cruelty. The elites may be twittering but the populace is dying because of these greedy villainous acts.
The despotic republican authoritarians are forcing a significant number of the populace to rethink the costs of maintaining a civil society when they are being attacked in such a sustained and unfair manor.
Meanness can be used effectively by both sides. Republican cult meanness was effective for a time because most of the US has been civil and tolerant. That civility has it's limits and we have reached it. It is time for the liberty loving masses to stand up for their rights under the constitution and take them back.
Vote, march, kick the bums out of office.
1
Though surely accurate, this is a pathetic commentary of where we in America are now. Not to celebrate, by any means. Trump’s made it worse; but it was certainly there before him. No one should discount the consuming power evil has beyond itself. And when Sarah Matthews cites the “genuine love” Trump’s followers have for Trump, I don’t know whether to be baffled or extremely scared ... or both. I do recognize, however, the poor and declining health of it all. Perhaps this awareness might, for starters, be a evidence of hope.
Let's please remember: Tina Fey brightly stated she was a mean girl herself. And still is.
2
Here’s my problem with Bloomy
1. Not a Democrat
2. He should be running in these early races. Not pick and choose. I mean, if the media and punditry can claim Bernie as front runner after 2 tiny tiny states ( and with less percent of the 216 vote) then Bloomy needs to run the full race. What, is he Rosie Ruiz?
Sorry, I just can’t see any of those suggested for the bitcchhhy lunch table as having ever been real kids. They were all born just like they are now. Think of that picture.
1
I wonder about the best way to respond to a bully. Nothing is full-proof or even tested really. The ogre in the White House is the consummate bully, the likes of which, to my knowledge, has never been seen before in the Presidency. It may be that a malignant narcissist is particularly well equipped for berating and retaliating without any sort of an inner voice to regulate the norms of social interaction.
With that said, I have come to the point where I believe it is time, really past time, to stand up and fight back. Turning the other cheek, or demonstrating civility while being destroyed by Trump's taunts, insults and name calling does nothing to deter him. Consider that members of Trump's Republican Party fear his wrath should they disagree or stand up to him. Democrats must have a strategy to confront Trump's verbal onslaught, and so far I am inclined to approve of Bloomberg's approach to fight fire with fire. There is so much Bloomberg can throw at Trump, and I think it is about time that someone does.
2
This is the world we live in. For those of us who grew up fifty years ago, meme wars seem embarrassingly low-brow and juvenile. But the people who voted for the president hang on to his every misspelled tweet and his every insult aimed at honorable people.
The rest of us are having trouble believing that this is how presidents are elected. The bar is so low that it's subterranean, and yet the president is still digging. Instead of being brought down as a national embarrassment, with our luck he'll probably strike oil.
I'll take Bloomberg or Bernie or Pete or Amy or any lying dog-faced pony soldier on the ticket if they can get rid of this embarrassing president. If they have to embarrass themselves to achieve that goal, well, that's just the world we live in.
4
I don’t see anything in Bloomberg’s record of charitable-giving even remotely comparable to Trump’s brand of charitable-giving that focuses the entirety of its attention on himself.
Trump has abandoned and left in the lurches wives, numerous girlfriends and porn stars, thousands of migrant families on our borders, many of our most important allies, virtually all of his campaign promises, Atlantic City, Trump University, many farmers and veterans, millions of Americans in need of health care, his so-called charitable foundation, his creditors, numerous banks and 60 percent of the country.
More recently he abandoned the Kurds and the Ukrainians, who -- despite all of their courageous help to this country -- today find themselves in very good company among the good causes he has left and abandoned.
1
Certainly Bloomberg has more, much more, to personally lose in choosing to “go low” with the already rock bottom, amoral Fake President. What he should do is challenge the Fake President to do simultaneous public releases of their federal/state income tax returns on a specified date, and continue to hype up this wager of the plutocrats. Of course, during the pendency of this challenge “Mini-Mike” can bait Trump as much as he wishes. Let the games begin!
I'm sure there's a spot in the movie for the sweet Susan Collins.
It's been gratifying to see some commentators in recent months say what we all saw when Trump was stalking Hillary on the debate stage, and I believe that she would have garnered tens of thousands more votes from women who have to take that crass, manipulative behavior daily in their jobs, often low-paying and low status--but by no means, always only in those lower economic rungs. Don't think about the possible ramifications when a twit like Trump goes after you--let him know exactly why it won't work. People respect people who stand up to bullies like him.
2
“Who can make fetch happen”? There’s only one simple answer as to who will come out on top. As Mike said when he was asked about a battle of the billionaires, he answered, as you note, “who’s the other one?”. MIKE WILL GET IT DONE and I don’t care how he does it.
2
“Who can make fetch happen”? There’s only one simple answer as to who will come out on top. As Mike said when he was asked about a battle of the billionaires, he answered, as you note, “who’s the other one?”. MIKE WILL GET IT DONE and I don’t care how he does it.
1
We are witnessing the collapse of our political and our judicial institutions at the hands of a school yard bully, and the parallels between the mentality of "Meme Girls Mash-Up" and the president's entirely inappropriate and daily toxic attacks on individuals and institutions have so debased our government, our culture, and the unifying ethos,that has united us in spite of our diversity. If he were a ten year old pupil acting out as he does, he would be suspended from school for bullying. If he worked in a private corporation, he would be fired. In virtually any field of employment, he could never hold a job where decorum, civility, honesty, and cooperation were preconditions for his daily salary. And now we're attempting to strategize how to beat him in his vicious verbal mud slinging-- perhaps we can forget about debates, and in this election cycle simply hold multiple rounds of antagonistic tweets between Trump and the Democratic nominee. Would be easy to determine the winner-- he or she would have to trump Trump at his most venial and puerile performance.
204
@James Landi
Let's add to your list: Anyone else using Twitter like he does would have his account BLOCKED.
But Jack Dorsey is just as big a coward as the republicans in congress.
Or is he just as big a *collaborator* and republican congressional critters? Hard to tell, but either way, the bully gets to do whatever he wants while the rest of us have to follow reasonable rules!
23
@JamesLandi. I agree with everything you say. BUT, when the trump supporters say they love him because he "says it like it is", being civil doesn't appear to be the answer. Look around you. This entire country (even before trump) has descended into real and virtual meanness, to the point that acts of kindness are celebrated as heroic acts. Why? IMHO, I believe it is because so many are laboring under crushing debt, just trying to feed themselves and their families, providing shelter and hoping they stay healthy. They are depressed. That depression has been outed for what it is. Anger. trump capitalized on it and wants to assure it doesn't go away. What is that saying? Fight fire with fire? Bully the bully? Then start making American's lives better.
14
@James Landi What makes you think Trump will agree to anything we call a “debate?” We don’t actually have debates anyway. They are more like oral final exam questions before the class. The press spends it’s time looking for slips and pouncing on attacks against the others who are running on the same team. But for those with limited vocabularies, Trump’s own limited thought process reflects what they like and it doesn’t matter that he knew nothing about governing or government or that his “business” was a one man show. They identified with the “me against the world” attitude and still do.
If you want to know what candidates think, read up on their records (all available no doubt on Google and look up their platforms, also on Google. Every one of the Democratic candidates, even with their mini failures, is a better person than Trump and a better thinker than him as well. Every one knows that and we don’t need columnists to tell us or FOX to lie to us.
15
There are those who look at Trump vs. Bloomberg as the "clash of the billionaires", and then attempt to differentiate between Mr. Trump and Mr. Bloomberg by saying that Mr. Bloomberg "earned" his billions.
Mr. Bloomberg did not earn his billions. Nobody earns a billion dollars. The kindest thing you can say about Mr. Bloomberg's billions is that he benefited from a a cruel and inhumane economic system that randomly elevates people to the top while burying millions in poverty.
Mr. Bloomberg is not the callous ignorant clown that Mr. Trump is, of course. He will not appeal to that portion of the electorate that prefers clowns to statesmen.
However, the problem with America is not that there are clowns, or even that there is a clown in the Oval Office; we are human and we will always produce clowns. Clowns are even useful, for they hold up a fun-house mirror to our psyches, revealing our true character through caricature.
The problem with America is that there are billionaires: entirely artificial creations of society to whom we attribute superhuman attributes they do not possess, just as we erroneously attribute their wealth to their own individual efforts.
319
@Michael
The Benevolent Billionaire is one of America’s most persistent myths. Think Daddy Warbucks, Undercover Boss and that guy who used to give away money in that 60s TV show The Millionaire. Indeed At least two of these fictional billionaires, Tony Stark and Bruce Wayne have used their vast wealth and special skills to give themselves super powers in order to fight the forces of chaos.
Of course there have been rich men in our history who have championed the working man and woman over their own class. Both Roosevelts come to mind, maybe Ross Perot.
Donald Trump used that myth in his rise to power. He’s too rich to be corrupted or at least his supporters claim. An unbiased look at what he’ been doing to advance his personal financial interests while in office demonstrates the opposite of course but it’s hard to convince the true believers.
Democrats, it turns out, are just as susceptible to this myth as Republicans. Bloomberg’s billions represent a weopon as potentially powerful as Tony Stark’s Ironman suit. Because of this many are overlooking his failings saying it takes a billionaire to beat a billionaire.
I am dubious about that and for that reason will not support Bloomberg in the primaries. I will vote for him in the general election however and hope that when he takes off his Ironman mask we see Teddy Roosevelt.
38
@Michael This is exactly right, and there's still a distinction between having the insight, energy and spunk to come up with a timely business concept and steer it through our Frankenstein economy to towering success... and inheriting a middle-sized fortune from a crooked rentier father and gradually bleeding it out over 40 years.
39
@Michael First of all, there's a little clown in all of us. Bloomberg's transgressions have been apologized for and I couldn't find anything shady about the way he earned his money unlike most billionaires. Lastly, there is no comparison between Bloomberg and Trump. I would bet anything that Trump isn't even the billionaire he claims to be and that's the only possible comparison one could make.
29
~“'Bloomberg’s memes are comical in the worst possible way,' said Sarah Matthews, deputy press secretary for the Trump campaign."~
Bloomberg News - originally Bloomberg Business News - is an international news agency. Content produced by Bloomberg News is disseminated through Bloomberg Terminals, Bloomberg Television, Bloomberg Radio, Bloomberg Businessweek, Bloomberg Markets, Bloomberg.com and Bloomberg's mobile platforms.
The communications and internet staff of the Bloomberg Presidential campaign are being paid twice as much for their efforts to ensure that he has the best operatives in the presidential campaign. If nominated, he will be able to pay them even more.
Trump representatives who underestimate the depth, and breadth of understanding, of media influence on the part of Bloomberg, are delusional.
3
The millions of women who marched nationwide just after Trump became president better read up on Bloomberg's historical treatment of women staffers and others. He is not the answer.
2