Every Democrat still running for president should know how ridiculous they look when they accuse unexpected rival Michael Bloomberg of trying to “buy the nomination.” He’s doing the exact same thing they’re all doing, only he’s doing it with his own money.
The only difference is that Bloomberg doesn’t have to do the humiliating work in campaign politics known as “fundraising.” It’s understandable that the other candidates would be resentful and jealous, but they don’t have any real grounds for complaining.
Bloomberg has spent money the same way as Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Pete Buttigieg, and Joe Biden. He’s hired staff, purchased TV ads, and paid the fees required to run as a Democrat in each state where he plans to compete (He skipped the contests in Iowa and New Hampshire and is also skipping Nevada and South Carolina).
No one accused Warren of trying to “buy the nomination” when she spent more than $1 million on airing TV ads in Iowa from November to January.
The Associated Press on Tuesday reported that Sanders is opening a campaign headquarters in Utah with, for now, four full-time paid staffers. He was able to hire the additional bodies, in part, by bringing in $34.6 million in the last fundraising quarter. Still, no one is accusing Sanders of trying to “buy the nomination.”
All of the candidates might sincerely believe that elections cost too much and that there should be legislation to either eliminate or greatly reduce the role that money plays in campaigns. But Bloomberg is playing by the same rules as everyone else. Right now, the rules dictate that money is a big advantage, whether it comes from donors or from personal wealth.
Very, very recent history also suggests that money in itself isn’t everything. Tom Steyer has been self-funding his run for president since 2017 with those impeach President Trump ads. His poll numbers have gone nowhere. He didn’t even qualify for Wednesday night’s debate.
Remember exclamation point Jeb? He blew through $130 million on that depressing run in the 2016 Republican primary, then slinked away with nothing to show for it.
Bloomberg isn’t buying the nomination. His massive spending is only working because, let’s face it, none of the other Democrats are all that popular.
