President Donald Trump walks across the South Lawn as he arrives at the White House, Sunday, June 30, 2019, in Washington. Trump returns from a visit with South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at the border village of Panmunjom in the Demilitarized Zone between North and South Korea as well as the G-20 summit in Osaka, Japan. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
You know Donald Trump’s always at the ready to pull out his six-shooter and fire on any 2020 challengers. That includes movin’-on-up Michael Bloomberg.
Hence, on Tuesday, the President explained that he’d actually prefer a debate-stage showdown with his fellow billionaire than with Bernie Sanders.
Oh, and that Bloomberg’s “buying his way in.”
In, indeed — here’s what The Hill had to say Tuesday ahead of Bernie’s win:
Who is the likely winner of today’s New Hampshire primary? Mike Bloomberg, even though he in not competing in the Granite State. Here’s why:
Former Vice President Joe Biden is going to place fourth or fifth, continuing his dismal results from Iowa and raising new concerns about his electability. Heading into South Carolina, where he has been the dominant front-runner, his campaign is wilting, even as Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and former-Mayor Pete Buttigieg surge. If Biden was the most popular center-left candidate, the one most appealing to Wall Street and establishment Democrats – and thus the biggest challenge to Bloomberg – his downward slide is good news for the former New York City mayor.
Back to the White House, from the Oval Office, Trump offered the following as per Politico:
“Frankly, I would rather run against Bloomberg than Bernie Sanders, because Sanders has real followers, whether you like them or not, whether you agree with them or not — I happen to think it’s terrible what [Sanders] says.”
And then:
“Bloomberg is just buying his way in.”
And he can — more from The Hill:
These contests are fluid, and will change according to what happens in New Hampshire and other upcoming contests. But it is safe to say that, as things stand today, no one candidate looks primed to sweep the field. Hence, speculation about a brokered convention in Milwaukee.
Bloomberg could win a contested convention, since he has already secured the support of many so-called “automatic” delegates, who would vote in the second round, if no one candidate gets a majority in the first balloting. He has spent hundreds of millions of dollars on local races across the country, storing up chits from party officials and candidates, who will show up in Milwaukee as superdelegates.
It’s gotta be nice to skip the early primaries and just dump millions into Super Tuesday states.
But how’s he in a debate? By Trump’s estimate, not good:
“[He’s] one of the worst debaters I’ve ever seen. His presence is zero. He will spend his three, four, $500 million. We will find out what happens.”
Dopping half a bil on a pet project? That’s gotta be nice, too.
But he’s not just rich; according to POTUS, Bloomberg’s also weak.
Reeeal weak:
“I support anything that we can do to get down crime and get rid of drugs. I think when a man is with stop-and-frisk his whole life, and then he decides to go Democrat, and he goes to a church, and he is practically crying — he looked like hell — he is practically crying, saying what a horrible thing he did. I think that’s so disingenuous. When you watch — go back to the church where he apologized for everything he ever did, practically. And he looked pathetic. Our country doesn’t need that kind of leadership.”
Well, one thing is certain: Donald Trump isn’t that way.
Could 2020 be mano-a-mano, Big Apple billionaire vs. Big Apple billionaire?
If it’s gonna be, I’m on the edge of my seat.
Prepare for the return of Must-See TV.
-ALEX
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