Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg explained in an interview with “60 Minutes” why he believes America will choose him over President Donald Trump this fall by characterizing those who swept Trump into office as mounting a “revolution” against the educated elite.
“A few years ago there was a revolution against the intelligentsia,” Bloomberg told CBS’ Scott Pelley. “People said, ‘you know, those people, particularly on the coasts, are trying to tell us what to do.’ They wanted a change. That explains Donald Trump. Now, people seem to have changed. This cycle, people want stability.”
During the interview, Bloomberg also touted his management experience developed in the private sector that distinguishes himself from the rest of the field.
“I have been training for this job for close to 20 years. There is nobody else running who has any management experience whatsoever in any of these things,” Bloomberg told CBS. “But you have to have someone who has been there, done that, and will do it right and will guide us through the tough times particularly day one.”
While it’s true Bloomberg is the wealthiest candidate in the field with a Forbes’ estimated net-worth of $56.2 billion, Bloomberg is by no means the only executive in the race. Tom Steyer, worth $1.6 billion, spent 26 years managing a hedge fund and has founded two political non-profits. Pete Buttigieg on the other hand, has also had experience serving as mayor of South Bend, Indiana, though the midwestern city is far, far smaller than New York.
Bloomberg’s full interview will air on CBS Sunday night.
The New York businessman’s comments come just a few days before the nationwide primary contests next week on “Super Tuesday,” where 16 states and territories will cast their ballots for their preferred Democratic presidential candidate.
Tuesday will be the first time that Bloomberg will appear on the ballot this primary cycle running on a strategy to skip the first four states including South Carolina on Saturday. Bloomberg has now spent more than $500 million, or half a billion on his efforts running a massive operation with virtually unlimited resources and around 2,500 staff.
According to Real Clear Politics’ latest aggregate of polls, Bloomberg will likely pick up delegates in North Carolina and Virginia with more than 15 percent in each state, though no Super Tuesday polls show Bloomberg with a first-place lead.
