Jim Webb today said he won’t run for president as an independent. See this updated story from the Dallas Morning News. This makes it very likely that Michael Bloomberg will run as an independent.
Jim Webb today said he won’t run for president as an independent. See this updated story from the Dallas Morning News. This makes it very likely that Michael Bloomberg will run as an independent.
Richard, why does Webb’s decision impact Bloomberg in any way? They seem very different to me philosophically.
Well, when the media conflates all independents (and often lumps in people who do support parties but not the duopoly), covering one independent campaign might be all they think they can do. . . .
Plus, there’s one less person to vote for if they want to cast a protest vote.
I don’t think Bloomberg would run unless Hillary Clinton lost the Democratic nomination. Just as Jill Stein is the plan B for Bernie Sanders supporters, Bloomberg is the plan B for the ruling Establishment.
Webb might be a strong VP for Bloomberg.
Webb’s a decorated military veteran with foreign policy background… Bloomberg is a 3-term mayor. Webb’s from the south and is a Christian, Bloomberg is Jewish, and from New York.
Bloomberg is 74 years old, the same age as Bernie Sanders. Webb isn’t much younger, at 71 years old. But in a scenario with a 74+ year old candidate, voters will need to feel that the VP isn’t someone who could never handle being president.
Bloomberg was a Democrat who became a Republican and then an independent. Webb was a Republican who became a Democrat and then an independent.
Webb could be Bloomberg’s Biden… adding some very good balance to the ticket if this whole thing actually happens.
Austin- Bloomberg’s signature issue is gun control which is definitely not the same for Webb. He even got caught carrying on the floor of the U.S. Senate and had a staffer take the weapon and the fall. Odd couple indeed!
Bloomberg might be a protest vote if he runs, but only for those of the left or left-of-center; his stance on the Second Amendment has dammed his chances of getting votes from anything right-of-center and farther.
He would be the John B. Anderson of 2016 and would likely perform as such.