Campaign 2020 February 17, 2020

Mike Bloomberg Ad Targets #BernieOrBust “Energy”

MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE - FEBRUARY 11: Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) holds the hand of his spouse Jane O'Meara Sanders as he takes the stage during a primary night event on February 11, 2020 in Manchester, New Hampshire. New Hampshire voters cast their ballots today in the first-in-the-nation presidential primary. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Mike Bloomberg has spent hundreds of millions targeting Donald Trump, but his latest ad has a new target, Senator Bernie Sanders. Bloomberg is attacking so-called #BernieBros. One quote on-screen asked, “Are you being harassed by a Bernie Bro or a Bernie bot?”

Mediaite writes:

The ad on the negative “energy” from Bernie Bros, was a response to a Sanders speech stating that Bloomberg’s money will not be enough to create the kind of “excitement and energy” needed to defeat Donald Trump.
“We will not create the energy and excitement we need to defeat Donald Trump, if that candidate pursued, advocated for, and enacted racist policies like Stop and Frisk, which caused communities of color in his city to live in fear,” Sanders said.

We need to unite to defeat Trump in November. This type of "energy" is not going to get us there. https://t.co/bPuUZMs2d6 pic.twitter.com/Tdp6mpWjcX
— Mike Bloomberg (@MikeBloomberg) February 17, 2020

The ad is, predictably, drawing mixed reactions.

Mike Bloomberg may not be your cup of tea. He certainly isn't mine. But damn his Berniebro takedown is GOOD. He's going to make Bernie's goons a real problem for Bernie, and it's about damn time. pic.twitter.com/YqVITyKNyg
— Vetting Bernie (@vetthebern) February 17, 2020

Bloomberg has a serious problem if he hopes to push Bernie aside, "buying the nomination."

Bernie voters will NOT be having that.

They will either stay home by the millions or vote for Trump in November.
— Bill Mitchell (@mitchellvii) February 17, 2020

I hate Bloomberg. But this ad doesn't make anyone who dislikes him look unhinged. It's clearly focussed on Bernie supporters who engage in online harassment. And it includes examples from them harassing multiple people (not just Bloomberg).
— Mangy Jay (@magi_jay) February 17, 2020