Michael Bloomberg’s Not-So-Secret Weapon

The Daily

The New York Times

Daily News, News

4.4 • 102.8K Ratings

🗓️ 18 February 2020

⏱️ 32 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Despite being a late entry into the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, Michael R. Bloomberg, the billionaire media tycoon and former mayor of New York City, has surged in the polls and is winning key endorsements before he’s even on the ballot. Today, we explore the hidden infrastructure of influence and persuasion behind his campaign — and the dilemma it poses for Democrats. Guest: Alexander Burns, a national political correspondent for The New York Times. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Background reading: Who is Mr. Bloomberg? And where does he stand on the key issues?We took a look at how Mr. Bloomberg’s enormous wealth helped build a national political network, and an empire of influence, for his campaign.His run has proved complicated to cover for the media empire he owns.

Transcript

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0:00.0	From the New York Times, I'm Michael Bavargo. This is the Daily.
0:10.0	Today,
0:12.0	despite a late entry into the Democratic President's Genries,
0:16.0	Michael Bloomberg has surged in the polls
0:20.0	and is winning key endorsements before he's even on the ballot.
0:25.0	Alex Burns on the hidden infrastructure of influence and persuasion
0:31.0	behind Bloomberg's campaign and the dilemma that it poses for Democrats.
0:43.0	It's Tuesday, February 18.
0:51.0	So, Alex, happy Valentine's Day.
0:54.0	Happy Valentine's Day. Thank you.
0:56.0	In honor of Valentine's Day, I want you to watch this ad, Alex,
1:02.0	and read what's being played on the screen.
1:06.0	Okay. It says,
1:08.0	Roos is a red, violets are blue.
1:10.0	Your associates are criminals.
1:12.0	What does that make you?
1:14.0	America deserves better defeat Trump.
1:16.0	And it says, paid for by my Bloomberg 2020.
1:20.0	Alex, what are we seeing here?
1:22.0	Well, we're seeing the kind of in your face, taunting of the president's former associates who are in jail
1:28.0	or about to go to jail, people like Roger Stone and Paul Manafort,
1:32.0	their faces were just surrounded by hearts and flowers,
	...

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