Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg did more than just talk about running for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020.
He set up a political team and operation, went on a lettuce diet, skipped his daily glass of wine, got new contacts, and purchased “futuristic hearing aids,” according to a new biography hitting stores this week.
But in the end, Bloomberg decided he didn’t have what it takes to power through a year of campaigning and shuddered at the thought of being forced onto an “apology tour” to explain his past positions.
And, author Eleanor Randolph wrote in The Many Lives of Michael Bloomberg, the billionaire businessman-turned-politician decided that his plan to present a practical liberal platform to counter President Trump would be savaged by other Democratic candidates with more socialistic promises.
“It became clearer by the day that the new left would target Bloomberg as the Scrooge candidate despite his progressive record,” Randolph wrote in a book embraced by Bloomberg.
“The path to the Democratic nomination, the only real way to combat Trump, would disappear in wasted time, energy and, not that it mattered that much, even money,” she added.
Over 467 pages in the book provided in advance to Secrets, Randolph detailed Bloomberg’s long desire to be president, starting with his exploration of a 2016 independent bid.
Then, like now, he saw little national support for his potential candidacy. Worse, he feared being blamed for taking enough voters away from Hillary Clinton to make Trump president.
In 2018, the fire stirred again in Bloomberg, and supporters viewed him as “New York’s steadier billionaire” who could replace Trump.
Randolph said Bloomberg formed a political team of presidential campaign veterans and started polling in key states. Schedulers drew up a list of battleground states to visit, and old friends were asked to support him.
Then, she said, Bloomberg began his personal makeover.
“Colleagues said he was avoiding his glass or so of good wine. He went on his lettuce diet — nothing but greens until his weight got down to something a notch below slim. He purchased new contact lenses and futuristic hearing aids,” said the book.
Next came a physical, during which his doctor said, “You’re gonna die,” Bloomberg told the author. The physician added ominously, “but not of anything you have now.”
His March decision to skip the 2020 presidential race was a relief to him and his family. Randolph pointed out an Instagram post from his outspoken daughter, Georgina Bloomberg. Georgina put up a mock Bloomberg campaign photo and wrote, “BLOOMBERG, Because f— this shit.” She added that was “officially back to being just our family slogan.”
