Mike Bloomberg prepares media onslaught against Democratic front-runner Bernie Sanders

[brooklynite]

twitter&par=sharebar|CNBC

Mike Bloomberg’s presidential campaign plans to unleash its cash-flush media operation against Bernie Sanders in the wake of the Vermont senator’s resounding victory in the Nevada caucuses.

Senior aides to Bloomberg’s campaign have been discussing how they are going to use some of their resources against Sanders, according to people with direct knowledge of the matter who declined to be named because these decisions were made in private. Already, the campaign has spent over $500 million on media ad buys, according to Advertising Analytics.

The campaign plans a multipronged attack, including the publication of opposition research on Sanders, these people said. It will also push out digital attack ads focused on Sanders’ record. On Monday, the Bloomberg campaign attempted to paint Sanders as a past ally of the National Rifle Association, a gun advocacy group that Bloomberg has fought for over a decade.

The attacks on Sanders, who has accused Bloomberg of trying to buy the Democratic nomination, will also attempt to highlight negative aspects of his record on race relations both as a congressman and senator, the sources said. This comes after Sanders, now seen as the Democratic front-runner, has taken aim at Bloomberg for his support of a policing policy known as stop-and-frisk that often targeted black and Latino people.

[dumptrump1]

1. he is the one to beat trump!

[polichick]

2. Then he should be honest and run as a Republican.

[msongs]

3. lol then he should be honest and run as............ nt

[dumptrump1]

4. I guess he is doing this because the Republicans are not allowing

Anybody to contest the Republican nomination. So he has to use the avenue best available to him to win. I think that sounds vaguely familiar to one loudmouth Vermont Senator, no?

[polichick]

11. Bernie has been honest about the Dem party, and caucuses with them...

He doesn’t go back and forth between Dems and RepubliCONs.

[dumptrump1]

14. Bloomberg is honest about his ambitions. he doesn't pretend to be one the side of the poor

While also being a millionaire or billionaire.

[HarlanPepper]

26. Except on guns and sanctions against Russia.

[polichick]

30. I definitely don't agree with him on these votes - they all have...

votes I disagree with of course.

[HarlanPepper]

31. Fair enough.

Appreciate the honest response.

[TwilightZone]

5. A pro-choice, pro-gun regulation, expand ACA, raise taxes on the rich and corporations Republican?

Sure, go with that.

I don't want him to be the nominee, but the never-ending assertions that he's a Republican are a bit laughable considering his positions on issues that often define the difference between the parties.

[blm]

16. Same.

[brooklynite]

6. While you're here, could you let us know what topics are open for legitimate criticism?

And which are "bashing"?

[polichick]

20. I've never alerted on a post for "bashing" or anything else.

[luxpara4]

8. Um....

[Desert grandma]

12. Then maybe Bernie should run as an Independent

[polichick]

25. Wish the establishments of the two parties didn't have such a...

stranglehold on the system, which is all about power - not people.

[dumptrump1]

33. power wins elections

Particularly the money part. Which makes Bloomberg the strongest candidate

[polichick]

34. He doesn't interest me at all - just another con man...

trying to buy power.

[PoliticAverse]

10. He's the one most like Trump. n/t

[earthside]

40. For the vanity of a 78 year old billionaire ...

... we're going to be stuck with Trump for another 4+ years.

I have my doubts about Bernie -- but one man's obscene wealth shouldn't be trashing one of the Democrats legitimate candidate for the presidential nomination.

[delisen]

46. What is a legitimate candidate?

[earthside]

51. In my estimation ...

... a legitimate candidate is one that is genuinely competing for votes ... personally ... with the electorate.

Bloomberg is mostly just spending his own money to advertise and buy the nomination -- in the Democratic Party that shouldn't be seen as a legitimate strategy.

[Amishman]

49. Then why are the latest polls showing him as the worst candidate head to head?

Yesterday's national YouGov had him trailing Trump head to head by 3%. Biden was +2, Bernie +3.

This was one of the first post debate polls.

Now that voters have heard something other than his campaign ads, they aren't liking what they see. Bloomberg has far too much baggage. We have way better options.

[jmg257]

7. Ding ding ding...Let's get ready to rumble! ugh.

Should be another hi-ratings debate Tuesday.

[Vivienne235729]

9. Bloomberg keeps going up and up in my book. He can easily beat Trump.

And ultimately, that's what counts.

[berni_mccoy]

13. He's been saying this for some time but I've yet to see it

Seems like all talk no walk.

Let’s not forget he’s got no campaign except bashing Trump. He’s done great at that but offered little else as far as real policy plans.

[JudyM]

15. One of his ads says Sanders repaid NRA's investment in him. In fact, he never took $ from them.

The ad implies his votes were bought by the NRA. They took out ads supporting him (long ago). He renounced them. I hope the rest of Bloomberg’s ads are honest.

Sanders ads will hopefully counter any lies. I’m all in favor of vetting him fully. But we deserve truth.

[Butterflylady]

22. Sanders doesn't have nearly the amount

Of money it will take to match them.

[JudyM]

27. If Bloomberg is good to his promise to support the nominee, he can pay for NRA opposition ads.

[Mike 03]

17. So he's actually going to go there.

I couldn't decide whether he would or not.

People need to remember, he won't unleash anything that Trump wouldn't/won't unleash during the GE.

If he can get through this, it might indicate he will do okay in the GE.

[Garrett78]

18. We're talking about this guy:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1287&pid=569662

Just so everyone is clear.

[redqueen]

39. I truly cannot believe people here are defending this man.

[Garrett78]

41. I've said it before and I'll say it again, it's the saddest thing I've ever witnessed on DU.

Ordinarily, the doctored videos (from the last debate, suggesting Biden and Obama have endorsed him, etc.) alone would be a major scandal.

But the racism, the grotesque misogyny/sexual harassment and the history of literally buying support makes the doctoring of campaign videos seem like absolutely nothing.

People should be deeply, deeply embarrassed.

And the idea that Bloomberg would actually get elected is lunacy.

[redqueen]

45. Agreed on all points. He would do worse than lose

he would ensure the number of eligible voters who don't bother to vote grows substantially.

[Kaleva]

19. Well, Sanders needs to be vetted and if he's the nominee, this will toughen him up for the general

[polichick]

35. I agree - Sanders should be vetted like anyone else.

[Kaleva]

43. It's like being inoculated.

[Kurt V.]

21. Its the only reason he's in the race anyway.

[redqueen]

29. Ding ding ding!

[polichick]

32. Seems so - worried about paying his fair share in taxes.

[Garrett78]

36. Yeah, it's gotta be all about trying to make Biden seem more appealing. Except that...

...he's also gone after Biden.

The idea that Bloomberg could get elected is beyond insane. If people think youth and POC turnout suffered in 2016, they ain't seen nothin' yet if Bloomberg buys the nomination.

[Aaron Pereira]

50. Stopping Bernie with a billion dollar ad campaign is a small investment for Bloomberg.

Too many Dems seemed willing to let the trojan horse inside the walls thinking it was filled with delicious candy.

[tishaLA]

23. This is going to be very, very ugly

I don't even like the junior senator from VT, but I hate to think about what this will mean should he become the eventual nominee.

[Garrett78]

38. It's positively asinine.

And maybe that's the point. Bloomberg would rather have Trump in office than Sanders or Warren.

[AlexSFCA]

24. Finally!

Let all oppo research come out now so dem voters have a chance to make informed decision on super Tuesday. In addition, at least 2 dem candidates should drop out asap. We should show BS real run for the money and preview of the GE before he helps to destroy us all.

[redqueen]

28. So much for saint Bloomberg of the he only criticizes Trump

Values schmalues!

[sarisataka]

37. Does this mean his days of only attacking Trump

Are at an end?

For weeks it has been touted that Bloomberg is only attacking Trump; staying nobly above the fray between the other candidates. That was a main talking point, that he was focused solely on beating Trump, that the nomination didn't really matter to him. It seems that will no longer be true, that he is going to divert from his laser focus on the most important goal.

I wonder if Bloomberg will keep his promise to support the nominee if the nominee turns out to be someone he has campaigned against?

[Garrett78]

42. He's already gone after Biden and everyone else with doctored campaign videos.

[honest.abe]

44. Bloomberg is going to do Biden's dirty work.

[Aaron Pereira]

47. Bloomberg will spend 100's of millions on smearing Bernie with "oppo" so Trump doesn't have to.

Bloomberg is going to do Trump's work for him and I'm sure Trump is thrilled about it. Has someone asked Bloomberg if he will vote for Trump over Bernie in a general election? I don't think I've heard him answer that question yet.

[liskddksil]

48. Bloomberg should worry about his own problems nt

[Nikki28]

52. Go Mike

Do what your a master and go get him.