Undeterred by a wave of attacks from Democrats who fear he will rob 2020 votes from them, former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz plans to debut his independent presidential theme Thursday that promises to pay his life of success forward.
Billionaire Schultz’s first stop since announcing his plans will be at Indiana’s Purdue University.
His team said that he plans to address taxes, healthcare, immigration, education, and President Trump.
“My life experience is proof that the American Dream can be real. And that those who achieve it can pay it forward and help others achieve it as well,” he said in an excerpt provided by his campaign.
“I’ve spent my life trying to make the opportunities that were available to me, education and good jobs, available to others. For four decades I’ve done this as a business leader. Today, I’m asking whether I can do it in another way: as a public servant,” he added.
Tomorrow, I’m speaking at Purdue University to continue a conversation about my vision for the country and what our political system might look like if the American people weren’t held hostage by the rigid ideologies of the two-party system. pic.twitter.com/meEjK0WsIq
— Howard Schultz (@HowardSchultz) February 6, 2019
The school’s student association invited him to speak.
Since announcing his plans, Democrats have argued that he will attract more votes from liberals and progressives if he runs as a third-party independent. They said it will help re-elect Trump.
Schultz, however, has said that he offers a path to uniting the country and he believes that will put him into the White House.
Said his campaign: “We are at a pivotal moment in our country’s history. America is divided like never before. It’s time to ask what kind of country do we want to live in, and whether the two-party system is capable of meeting the challenge before us.”
