Everybody loves Judge Judy. But now that she’s waded in the 2020 presidential race, Americans should view the beloved cultural icon a bit differently.
Judith Sheindlin, the host of daytime television’s courtroom drama Judge Judy, endorsed former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg in a television advertisement that debuted on Monday.
NEW: Judge Judy has endorsed Mike Bloomberg pic.twitter.com/215fqJCDli
— Jon Levine (@LevineJonathan) January 6, 2020
“Mike Bloomberg has done amazing things and will be a truly great president,” Judge Judy said. “No one comes close to Mike Bloomberg’s executive achievement, government experience, and impactful philanthropy. His steady leadership will unite our country and bring us through these very challenging times.”
The judge should stick to the (TV) courtroom. She’s a beloved American figure, drawing the highest salary of any television host and bringing in 10 million viewers on average, more than triple the reach of prime-time news hosts such as Sean Hannity and Rachel Maddow. People love the judge’s no-nonsense attitude and the way she speaks her mind, no holds barred.
But as far as Judge Judy’s politics are concerned … well, maybe she should have kept this one to herself. To endorse Bloomberg, of all people, is to reject the common-sense ethos she projects in the courtroom and side with a politician who thinks everyday people are too stupid to be trusted with the freedom to run their own lives even in the most simple ways.
Do not underestimate the importance of this endorsement. Half the country thinks Judge Judy is on the Supreme Court. https://t.co/QxstFyRtGh
— (((evan shapiro))) (@eshap) January 6, 2020
The judge’s pitch for Bloomberg largely rests on her positive view of how he performed as mayor of New York City. But when I look at his record as mayor, I don’t see the “steady leadership” or “amazing things” Judge Judy touts.
Rather, the stark opposite. Bloomberg as mayor repeatedly defended and carried out authoritarian “stop and frisk” policies that allowed police to shake down and search people at random, which — in an absolutely shocking twist — led to disproportionate targeting of racial minorities. He also intruded on the lives of New Yorkers in the pettiest and most paternalistic ways, such as a nanny state ban on large-sized sodas.
And now, Bloomberg is running for president on a platform of toxic, big-government centrism. He’s one of the loudest cheerleaders of the foolish war on vaping, wants to continue the failed drug war against marijuana, essentially seeks to repeal the Second Amendment and disarm all Americans, and more.
Also, for what it’s worth, is Judge Judy not bothered by Bloomberg’s long, well-documented history of sexism and misogyny? She wouldn’t allow a man to bark at a pregnant woman to “kill it” or ask a newly engaged woman, “What is the guy dumb and blind? What the hell is he marrying you for?”, in her courtroom. Bloomberg has repeatedly said all these things to women he employed and worse. So why does Judge Judy think a man too callous for her courtroom is qualified for the Oval Office?
Don’t get me wrong, I still love Judge Judy. But I won’t be taking her political advice anytime soon, and neither should you.
