Nov. 24, 2019 - Former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg (D) Announces Candidacy

Bloomberg had said he would not run in a March 5, 2019 Op-Ed on Bloomberg Opinion titled "Our Highest Office, My Deepest Obligation" in which he stated he was "clear-eyed about the difficulty of winning the Democratic nomination in such a crowded field."  He did not give up on the idea, however, and by mid-Oct. there were rumblings that he might get in.  Activity picked up markedlyin November.  His team filed for him to appear on Alabama presidential primary ballot, which has the first state filing deadline on Nov. 8.  On Nov. 12 he filed in person at the Arkansas State Capitol for the primary there.  He did not, however, make th trip to Concord, NH to file for the first-in-the-nation primary during the two week filing period which ended on Nov. 15.  The news on that day was that Bloomberg was launching a $100 million digital anti-Trump ad campaign in battleground states.  On Nov. 20 AP reported Bloomberg was "rolling out plans to spend an estimated $15 million to $20 million on a voter registration drive designed to weaken President Donald Trump’s reelection chances in five battleground states.  On Nov. 21 Bloomberg filed with the FEC.  On Nov. 22 there were reports Bloomberg was making a massive TV ad buy (Medium Buying tallied up he will spend more than $30 million on TV ads from Nov. 25-Dec. 3).

See:
Brian Schwartz.  "Mike Bloomberg keeps talking to allies about running for president as Joe Biden struggles against Elizabeth Warren."  CNBC, Oct. 14, 2019.
Cristina Alesci.  "Bloomberg plans to spend $100 millon on anti-Trump ads in key states."  CNN, Nov. 15, 2019.
Steve Peoples.  "Bloomberg spending $15M-20M to register half million voters."  AP, Nov. 20, 2019.


"Rebuild America"
1:49 video

[Music] Male Announcer: Mike Bloomberg started as a middle class kid who had to work his way through college and built a business from a single room to a global entity, creating tens of thousands of good paying jobs along the way.

He could have stopped there, but when New York suffered the terrible tragedy of 9-11, he took charge, becoming a three-term mayor who brought his city back from the ashes, and brought back jobs and hope with it.  Creating tens of thousands of affordable housing units so families could have a decent place to live; raising teacher salaries and kids' graduation rates; and creating a more open and liveable city for the millions who call it home.

He could have stopped there, but when he witnessed the terrible toll of gun violence, he put his money where his heart is, helping to create a movement to take on the NRA and the politicians they own to protect families across this country and help turn the tide.

And he's funded college educations for thousands of deserving low-income and middle class kids and supported live-saving medical research and stood up to the coal lobby and the outright denial of this administration to protect the only home we have from the growing menace of climate change.

And now he sees a different kind of menace coming from Washington, so there's no stopping here, because there's an America waiting to be rebuilt.  Where everyone without health insurance is guaranteed to get it, and everyone who likes theirs can go ahead and keep it.  Where the wealthy will pay more in taxes and the struggling middle class will get their fair share, and jobs that just allow you to get by will become jobs that let you get ahead.

Mike Bloomberg for President.  Jobs Creator.  Leader.  Problem Solver.  It's going to take all three to build back a country.


Mike's Statement:
 
I’m running for president to defeat Donald Trump and rebuild America.

We cannot afford four more years of President Trump’s reckless and unethical actions. He represents an existential threat to our country and our values. If he wins another term in office, we may never recover from the damage.
 
The stakes could not be higher. We must win this election. And we must begin rebuilding America.
 
I believe my unique set of experiences in business, government, and philanthropy will enable me to win and lead.
 
As a candidate, I’ll rally a broad and diverse coalition of Americans to win. And as president, I have the skills to fix what is broken in our great nation. And there is a lot broken.
 
We have an economy that is tilted against most Americans.
 
We have a health care system that costs too much and doesn’t cover everyone.
 
We have communities ravaged by gun violence.
 
We have schools that aren’t preparing our children for success in an increasingly high-tech world.
 
We have an immigration system that is cruel and dysfunctional.
 
We have a climate crisis that is growing worse by the day.
 
And we have special interests that corrupt Washington and block progress on all of these issues.
 
As a child and a Boy Scout, I was taught to believe in the promise and potential of America, and I have never been more worried about its future than I am today.
 
America is at its best when we work together to find meaningful and lasting solutions to the big challenges that we face.
 
We need a president who understands that truth – and who can do it, rather than just make promises.
 
I offer myself as a doer and a problem solver – not a talker. And as someone who is ready to take on the tough fights – and win.
 
I took on Trump on gun violence – and won stronger gun laws in states across the country.
 
I took on Trump the climate denier – and have led an effort that has closed more than half the nation’s dirty coal plants.
 
Trump right now is carrying water for Big Tobacco. I’ve taken on the dangers of e-cigarettes to protect our kids.
 
I know what it takes to beat Trump, because I already have. And I will do it again.
 
I’ve never shied away from a tough fight.
 
Defeating Trump – and rebuilding America – is the most urgent and important fight of our lives. And I’m going all in.
 
My resolve to stand up to his bigotry and hatred and wrong-headed policies is anchored in who I am and my belief in government as a force for good.
 
I’ve spent my career bringing people together to tackle big problems – and fix them. It has worked well in business – and in running the country’s largest, most progressive city.
 
I know it can work in Washington, too – and I have the leadership skills and experience to make it happen.
 
I’ve been very lucky in life. Growing up, my father never earned more than $6,000 in a year. But my mother and father worked very hard to help my sister and me get an education. I managed to work my way through college and get an entry-level job in New York.
 
And then, when I was 39, I got laid off. I didn’t know what I’d do next. But I had an idea to start a company – so I took a chance.
 
Today our company employs 20,000 people and generates large profits, almost all of which go to helping people across the country and around the world. I’ve always believed in investing in our employees and treating them well. We pay employees very well and provide the best health care benefits money can buy. And if someone has a baby, they get six months of paid leave.
 
I’ve run my company according to my values: honesty, integrity, fairness, inclusion – and that’s the same approach I brought to city government.
 
I was elected mayor of America’s most diverse city just weeks after the attacks of 9/11. It was a frightening time for our city and country. But we rebuilt the economy with new jobs and opportunity – for people on all rungs of the economic ladder.
 
We gave our teachers the largest raise in America, and we improved graduation rates by 42 percent. We cut murders in half while reducing incarceration by nearly 40 percent. We cut the city’s carbon footprint by 14 percent and created new programs to combat poverty. And we expanded health care and strengthened immigrant communities.
 
As mayor, my priority was helping the millions of New Yorkers who needed it most.
 
And the issues I am most passionate about focus on righting wrongs that have fallen heaviest on the most vulnerable communities. I know government can improve people’s lives – because when I ran New York City, that’s exactly what we did.
 
Since leaving City Hall, I founded the largest gun safety group in history. I created a campaign to take on the biggest polluters and climate threats. As mayor, I banned smoking in restaurants and bars and cut teen smoking by 50 percent – and today, we continue to win battles against the tobacco industry and their sleazy attempts to hook young kids on e-cigarettes.
 
I know how to take on the powerful special interests that corrupt Washington. And I know how to win – because I’ve done it, time and again. I will be the only candidate in this race who isn’t going to take a penny from anyone and will work for a dollar a year.
 
Over the course of this campaign, I’ll tell you what I will do as president, and how I’ll do it. I’ll outline plans for: creating good-paying jobs; providing quality health care for every American; stopping gun violence; fighting climate change; fixing our broken immigration system; raising taxes on wealthy individuals like me; protecting women’s and LGBTQ rights; supporting our veterans; and reestablishing America’s place in the world as a force for peace and stability.
 
But more than plans, I offer the leadership to turn plans into reality. To roll up my sleeves, to motivate a country to unite and rebuild America – and make it fairer and better.
 
And I’m ready to get working.
 
###
 
Mike Bloomberg 2020 Launch Press Release:
 
NEW YORK, NY – November 24, 2019 – Today, Michael R. Bloomberg announced that he will pursue the Democratic nomination for President of the United States, saying, “I’m running for president to defeat Donald Trump and rebuild America. We cannot afford four more years of President Trump’s reckless and unethical actions. He represents an existential threat to our country and our values. If he wins another term in office, we may never recover from the damage. The stakes could not be higher. We must win this election. And we must begin rebuilding America. I believe my unique set of experiences in business, government, and philanthropy will enable me to win and lead.”
 
From the moment that President Trump emerged as the Republican nominee in 2016, Mike has been singularly focused on defeating him and stopping his dangerous ideas. Mike spoke out against Trump as a candidate at the Democratic National Convention in 2016 and helped win 21 Democratic Congressional seats in the 2018 midterm election to win back the House. Just last cycle, Mike helped Democrats flip the Virginia House and Senate, giving them full control of state government for the first time in a generation.
 
An entrepreneur, mayor, and philanthropist, Mike has built a career following data, bringing people together, and putting progress over partisanship. He’s a proven leader with an unbeatable track record in creating jobs and implementing progressive policies that make a difference in people’s lives. Mike is currently leading multiple national efforts to tackle the biggest challenges facing America, including gun safety, climate change, and public health. He founded Everytown for Gun Safety, the broadest and most impactful coalition of Americans fighting for common-sense gun laws, and recently launched Beyond Carbon, the most comprehensive climate change initiative in United States history. Mike has given away $10 billion to charitable causes, and Bloomberg Philanthropies works in 510 cities and 129 countries across the world to ensure better, longer lives for the greatest number of people.
 
Mike will not accept donations and will self-fund his campaign, as he did for all three of his successful mayoral runs.
 
For more information please visit mikebloomberg.com. A press kit with images and other materials is available here.
 
Contact: press@mikebloomberg.com [phone number omitted]
 
###


Republican National Committee
Steve Guest
Rapid Response Director
November 7, 2019


Bet you didn’t think we had one of these ready to go. But we do.
 
If you’re reporting on Michael Bloomberg’s 2020 bid, please consider the following from the RNC:
 
“Really? Another one? The fact that Michael Bloomberg feels the need to run for president underscores the weak Democrat field and shows that Democrats know they can’t compete with President Trump in 2020.” – RNC Spokesman Steve Guest
 
Here’s some of what you need to know about Michael Bloomberg:



1.       The Guardian 12/2/18,  Vanity Fair 11/25/18

2.       CNN, 3/24/13

3.       ABC 7 NY, 10/10/18

4.       Politico 11/22/18, Business Insider 9/17/18, The New York Times 9/17/17

5.       The New York Times, 4/18/14


Bernie 2020
November 22, 2019

NEWS: Sanders Statement on Bloomberg Ad Buy

BURLINGTON – Sen. Bernie Sanders on Friday issued the following statement following reports that former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is set to spend millions of dollars on TV ads next week:

“I’m a little old-fashioned. I believe in democracy – one person, one vote. I’m disgusted by the idea that Michael Bloomberg or any other billionaire thinks they can circumvent the political process and spend tens of millions of dollars to buy our elections. It’s just the latest example of a rigged political system that we are going to change when we’re in the White House.

“If you can’t build grassroots support for your candidacy, you have no business running for president. The American people are sick and tired of the power of billionaires, and I suspect they won’t react well to someone trying to buy an election."
 
###

Bullock for President
November 22, 2019

Governor Bullock on Bloomberg Ad Buy: The Democratic Primary Isn’t for Sale

Helena, MT – After reports that mega-billionaire Michael Bloomberg plans to spend at least $30 million on a single week of political TV ads, Montana Governor Steve Bullock released the following statement:

“We’ve already seen a billionaire buy his way onto the debate stage. Now, an even bigger billionaire wants to buy his way to the nomination by completely ignoring voters in the first Primaries and Caucuses,” said Montana Governor Steve Bullock. “The Democratic primary isn’t for sale — and a billionaire spending hundreds of millions of dollars to buy an election isn’t going to fix our political system. 

“The fight against the toxic influence of money in politics has been the fight of my career, and as President, I’ll ensure our elections are decided on the strength of candidates’ ideas, not the size of their bank accounts.”

Governor Bullock’s Record: Taking on the corrupting influence of Big Money in politics has been the fight of Governor Bullock’s career. As President, he’ll start on Day One with an ambitious plan to combat the influence of money in politics and make sure Washington works for everyone.

###
Cory 2020
Nov. 23, 2019 fundraising email:
"NEWS: I'm not a billionaire and I need your help"

Yesterday, Michael Bloomberg announced that he’s already committed $30 million on television ads across more than two dozen states. In fact, I want to share what The New York Times wrote about this:

“The scope of Mr. Bloomberg’s ad buy is staggering. It costs more than some smaller campaigns have spent all year on advertising, and more than what Senator Cory Booker had raised in donations from February through the end of September.”

Please, consider donating right now so our campaign will be able to compete against the unlimited money coming into this race.

I want to be honest about something, Joe: We are never going to be able to match dollar-for-dollar the spending of someone like Michael Bloomberg.

Truthfully, we won’t be able to spend tens of millions on TV ads anytime soon. But, what we can do is make smart and strategic decisions with the resources that we have. When you’re an underdog, sometimes that’s just the way it has to be.

We set an end-of-month goal of $1.5 million because that’s what we believe we need to make the important investments we need to win. If you’re with me, chip in $5 now so we can keep growing this underdog campaign.

I don't think anyone should be able to buy an election. Every race I’ve won was through hard work and meeting people where they are -- one block, one neighborhood, one community at a time.

I am so, so humbled that thousands of Americans have decided to donate to this campaign. We’re united in our belief that the only way to heal our country after Donald Trump is to bring people together to deliver real justice and opportunity for all. Joe, I mean it when I say that there’s no other team I’d rather have by my side on this journey.

I’m proud to be an underdog in this fight. Now, let’s power this grassroots campaign to victory. I hope you’ll join me.

Cory

Warren for President
Nov. 24, 2019 fundraising email:
"$36 million (and counting!)"

We already have a historically huge and diverse Democratic primary field, Eric, but get this:

If non-billionaires in America were running for the Democratic nomination at the same rate as billionaires are, we’d have more than 1.5 million candidates.

What does that tell us? It tells us that the system is so rigged in favor of the ultra-rich that they’d rather try to buy our democracy than see our economy work for everybody.

As Elizabeth has gained traction in the Democratic primary, there’s even more urgency. Billionaire Michael Bloomberg’s billionaire friend Leon Cooperman literally cried on television a couple of weeks ago while discussing the prospect of a President Warren making billionaires’ pay their fair share.

So what’s Michael Bloomberg’s plan? Spend money to convince the many to keep enriching the few.

He’s spending $36 million (and counting!) this week on television ads. We will be outspent, this week — by a lot.

But what we can do is keep hiring organizers to have real conversations with people about what needs to change in America to expand the middle class — real conversations between neighbors, friends, and family about how to make our country finally work for everybody.

It’s not a billion-dollar business idea — but it is how we can win, no matter how much he spends.

Joe, we can fight back, and we can win. Will you chip in $2 to help power the movement that’s fighting back against the system that billionaires have rigged for themselves?