As one radical, anti-gun Democrat (Robert O’Rourke) drops out of the 2020 race for president, another appeared set to take his place. And the liberal media were loving it. In that vein, both ABC’s World News Night and NBC Nightly News kicked off their Thursday evening newscasts by hyping reports former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg was readying documents to get on the Democratic primary ballot in Alabama.
“A potential shakeup in the race for president. Tonight, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Is he about to run,” questioned sensationalist ABC anchor David Muir.
As ABC senior congressional correspondent Mary Bruce began the video portion of the report, she suggested (without evidence) Bloomberg’s potential candidacy was “sending a jolt through the presidential race.” She also claimed that the former Mayor was “a centrist who has become an active proponent of gun reform.”
Careful, that much spin is bound to make you nauseous. In reality, what Bloomberg demanded was sweeping and pervasive gun control.
After touting Bloomberg’s hyperbole about President Trump being an “unprecedented threat to our nation,” Bruce seemed to suggest he may be a solution to a shaky Democratic field:
But Bloomberg's possible plan to enter the campaign comes amid mounting questions about whether the leading Democratic candidates, Joe Biden and Elizabeth Warren, have what it takes to defeat Donald Trump.
Meanwhile, over on NBC, anchor Lester Holt claimed that a Bloomberg candidacy “could recast the race for president tonight.”
Noting that Bloomberg still “has not made a final decision on whether to run,” NBC White House correspondent Peter Alexander quipped about the billionaire’s habit of swapping parties. “The Democrat turned Republican turned independent turned Democrat billionaire has been a fierce critic of President Trump. Even before he took office,” he touted.
Alexander also noted the weakness of the current Democratic field and said Bloomberg was Biden’s biggest threat:
In a statement tonight, a Bloomberg adviser says Bloomberg is “increasingly concerned that the current field of candidates is not well-positioned” to defeat President Trump. But saying, if he enters, Bloomberg “would be able to take the fight to Trump and win.”
In an interesting discussion following Alexander’s report, NBC political director and moderator of Meet the Press, Chuck Todd argued that Bloomberg’s lane in the race could be as the counter to Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA):
So, this is clearly an assessment by Bloomberg that Joe Biden is weak enough that by the time super Tuesday rolls around after the first four states, there may be an opening for a, quote-unquote, “stop Elizabeth Warren candidate” or “stop whatever left-wing or liberal candidate is perceived to be.” That mindset.
“So, that may be what he's looking at. But this is not willy-nilly,” Todd warned. “He's got a lot of mayors that have been supportive of him over the years. He walks into this race—if he fully gets in, with a huge organization to use.”
CBS Evening News didn’t seem as impressed by the development. They only spent 23 seconds on Bloomberg. ABC allocated one minute, 48 seconds. NBC had back-to-back segments totaling over two and a half minutes (2:39).
The transcripts are below, click "expand" to read:
ABC’s World News Tonight
November 7, 2019
6:31:56 p.m. EasternDAVID MUIR: And we begin tonight with that developing headline. A potential shakeup in the race for president. Tonight, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Is he about to run? This evening, the billionaire businessman and the major signal he might soon be in, filing to run in at least one state's presidential primary just before an approaching deadline.
Now, if he runs, what could this mean for frontrunners Joe Biden and Elizabeth Warren? And Michael Bloomberg has a long history with his fellow New York businessman, President Trump. ABC's Mary Bruce leading us off tonight.
[Cuts to video]
MARY BRUCE: Tonight, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is sending a jolt through the presidential race. ABC News has confirmed the billionaire plans to file paperwork tomorrow, putting his name on the Democratic primary ballot in Alabama. Bloomberg, a centrist who has become an active proponent of gun reform, is an outspoken critic of President Trump.
MICHAEL BLOOMBERG: I'm a New Yorker, and I know a con when I see one.
BRUCE: A top Bloomberg adviser says the former Mayor considers the President an “unprecedented threat to our nation.”
But Bloomberg's possible plan to enter the campaign comes amid mounting questions about whether the leading Democratic candidates, Joe Biden and Elizabeth Warren, have what it takes to defeat Donald Trump.
[Cuts back to live]
MUIR: Well, if true, this certainly would be a shakeup. Mary Bruce live in Washington tonight. And Mary, we know Michael Bloomberg has laid the groundwork here for a presidential campaign, with this initial paperwork, just before this deadline. But tonight, he hasn't yet officially decided whether he's going to run?
BRUCE: Well, David, Bloomberg aides tell us he is simply keeping his options open here, filing this paperwork that would allow him to run if he decides to. But we are already getting reaction from the campaign trail tonight. Bernie Sanders' campaign saying, quote, “more billionaires seeking more political power surely isn't the change America needs.” David?
MUIR: The first reaction already coming in. Mary, thank you.
NBC Nightly News
November 7, 2019
7:01:36 p.m. EasternLESTER HOLT: Good evening. There is a late-breaking development that could recast the race for president tonight. Former New York City mayor and billionaire businessman Michael Bloomberg appears poised to jump in the race. Reportedly readying paperwork to enter at least one Democratic primary contest. Our Peter Alexander has the latest.
[Cuts to video]
PETER ALEXANDER: Tonight, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, is preparing to enter the 2020 Democratic presidential race, a Bloomberg adviser tells NBC News. Bloomberg is expected to file paperwork this week as a candidate in Alabama where there's a Friday deadline to qualify for the race. But Bloomberg has not made a final decision on whether to run. The Democrat turned Republican turned independent turned Democrat billionaire has been a fierce critic of President Trump. Even before he took office.
MICHAEL BLOOMBERG: I'm a New Yorker. And I know a con when I see one.
ALEXANDER: If he enters, it would be a seismic shakeup for the race. With the Democrats now divided between progressive candidates like Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders and centrist candidates like Joe Biden.
In a statement tonight, a Bloomberg adviser says Bloomberg is “increasingly concerned that the current field of candidates is not well-positioned” to defeat President Trump. But saying, if he enters, Bloomberg “would be able to take the fight to Trump and win.”
[Cuts back to live]
A Bloomberg candidacy could pose the biggest challenge to Joe Biden but our latest poll shows 85 percent of Democrats were satisfied with the current field. Lester.
HOLT: Peter Alexander, thanks.
Let’s turn now to Chuck Todd. Chuck, clearly, Bloomberg has been sitting back, sizing up the competition. Where do you think he sees his opening, his lane?
CHUCK TODD: Well, I’ll tell you exactly where he sees his opening, and it’s with Joe Biden. He was preparing to run, he was getting in. He had put together a national campaign and when it became clear to him Joe Biden was running, that's when he, in March, decided not to and Biden got in. Because they view the Biden voter as the voter that they want to go and get.
So, this is clearly an assessment by Bloomberg that Joe Biden is weak enough that by the time super Tuesday rolls around after the first four states, there may be an opening for a, quote-unquote, “stop Elizabeth Warren candidate” or “stop whatever left-wing or liberal candidate is perceived to be.” That mindset.
So, that may be what he's looking at. But this is not willy-nilly. Michael Bloomberg spent a lot of money and effort in Virginia this year, during those elections this year. He's got a lot of mayors that have been supportive of him over the years. He walks into this race—if he fully gets in, with a huge organization to use.
