Bloomberg Pummeled by Fellow Democrats in His First Debate on Stop-and-Frisk Policy, Sex Harassment Accusations

Who called women “fat broads” and “horse-faced lesbians?

If you said President Donald Trump, it would be understandable given his past vulgar statements about certain females. However, you would be wrong.

The answer is Michael Bloomberg, who participated in his first Democratic presidential debate on Wednesday, February 19, after kicking off his campaign 10 weeks ago.

The multibillionaire, who’s already spent some $400 million in staffing and advertising in Super Tuesday states, was given more of a rude awakening than a  welcome hug. He was immediately inundated with criticism on his controversial criminal justice policy from his days as New York City mayor, commonly known as “stop and frisk.” That policy disproportionately impacted young black men. He also made some insensitive comments on a little-known radio show in 2015, about how a majority of crimes in the Big Apple were committed in minority neighborhoods. 

In the last couple of weeks, Bloomberg had also came under fire for sexual harassment allegations during his time as head of his media company. That conduct resulted in several nondisclosure agreements (NDAs).

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a once exciting progressive favorite who’s been fading in recent polls, vigorously attacked Bloomberg, describing stop and frisk was a racist policy.

“It unfairly targeted minority communities,” he said.

Bloomberg said when he was elected mayor, the city had some 650 murders and he felt it was his responsibility “to give people the right to live.”

He added that as time went on, he realized the program “got out of control.”

But former vice president Joe Biden pointed out that Bloomberg was against the Obama Administration’s monitors that were sent to review the policy.  He described the policy as “abhorrent.”

Sen. Bernie Sanders, who’s been surging in recent polls, said support for policies like stop and frisk “is not a way you’re going to grow voter turnout.” 

Sex Harrassment Claims and Non-Disclosure Agreements

Regarding his treatment of women, Bloomberg said he’s had several women work for him in his company, philanthropic foundation, and administration.

But Warren said that response left a lot to be desired.

“His defense was, I’ve been nice to some women,” she said, a remark that received applause from the packed auditorium in Las Vegas, Nevada, the state where the caucus will take place on Saturday. “We are not going to beat Donald Trump with the drip-drip-drip of sexual harassment claims.”

She also called on Bloomberg to release the women from their NDAs “so we can hear what they have to say.”

But Bloomberg said the NDAs were consensual. He admitted, though, there were a few women who “maybe ….didn’t like the joke I told.”

Biden said Bloomberg simply needs to say yes to release them from the NDAs.

“This is about transparency,” he said.

Electability

When it comes to electability, Bloomberg said if Sanders is the nominee, expect four more years of Trump.

“I don’t think there’s any chance (Sanders could defeat Trump),” he said.

But Warren said Bloomberg isn’t the white knight that his ubiquitous ads may indicate, adding that the Democrat Party isn’t setting a good example “if we substitute one arrogant billionaire for another.” 

Bloomberg said he is the most well positioned candidate to take on the current president.

“I know how to take on an arrogant con man like Donald Trump,” he said.

However, Buttigieg pointed out some basic prerequisites need to be met first.

“Let’s put forward someone who’s actually a Democrat,” Buttigieg said to thunderous applause. “We have one person who wants to burn the party down and another who wants to buy the party out.”

Bloomberg was a Republican for many years, and Sanders, who almost always caucuses with the Democrats, is technically an independent and a self-proclaimed “Democratic socialist.”

Toward the end of the debate, none of the candidates except Sanders would say they would commit to supporting the candidate with the most delegates at the convention.

This question was especially pertinent given that with the large field of candidates, no single candidate is expected to reach the majority threshold of nearly 2,000 delegates. Many pundits are predicting a brokered convention, which involves a lot of wheeling and dealing and movement of delegates from one candidate to another.

Health Care

Bloomberg was also taken to task for his support—or lack of support—for the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as “Obamacare.” Biden pointed out that Bloomberg initially called the ACA a “disgrace.”

But Bloomberg said he supports the health care act overall. He admitted that he initially thought the law didn’t go far enough, since it didn’t include a public option. He, along with fellow candidates Biden, former South Bend mayor Pete Buttigieg, and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota), support the addition of a public option, which is a far contrast from the much more ambitious—and expensive– “Medicare for All” plan that Sanders has made the cornerstone of his campaign.

Some of the other issues discussed in the debate include:

*All candidates believe more must be done to deter climate change/global warming, but not everyone embraced the so-called “Green New Deal,” championed by Sanders. They called for lifting fuel mileage restrictions, shutting down coal-fired plants, and putting limits on mining and drilling on public lands.

*Sanders proposed allowing employees to have ownership stakes in the companies they work for, and to be able to serve on the boards

*Warren slammed health care proposals put out by Klobuchar and Buttigieg, describing them as “a Post-It Note” and “a Powerpoint” respectively.

*Klobuchar admitted she did not know the name of the president of Mexico. However, she attributed it to a momentary lapse, adding she knows much about  trade policy in Latin America. She pointed out she supported the recently enacted United States Mexico-Canada Act, a successor to the much-maligned North American Free Trade Agreement.

Democrat Debate Highlights Differences Between Factions On Major Public Policies

DETROIT – Ten of the 20 Democrat Party presidential candidates discussed health care, immigration policy, and other hot-button issues at the CNN debate at the Fox Theater, Tuesday evening, where the candidates from the progressive wing came under fire from the lesser-known — and mostly low-polling — moderates.

From the outset, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, both Northeastern liberal senators (Vermont and Massachusetts, respectively) were criticized for proposals like Medicare for-all, college loan forgiveness, decriminalizing illegal alien crossings on the Southern Border, and protectionist-like trade policies.

Former Maryland Congressman John Delaney called their ideas “bad policies,” and he described “Medicare for All” as “political suicide.”  Montana Gov. Steven Bullock, who made his first debate appearance, said Sanders’ and Warren’s policies were examples of “wish-list economics.” Sen. Amy Klobuchar who has frequently stressed her “Minnesota nice” sensibility toward policy and style, took a subtle swipe at Sanders and Warren by saying she was proposing bold ideas that are “grounded in reality.” And former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper said that while he shares Sanders and Warren’s progressive values, “I’m a little more pragmatic.”

But Warren, for one, was not having any of it, saying that you don’t solve the country’s pressing issues — and more importantly, defeating President Donald Trump — with “small ideas and spinelessness.”

“Donald Trump disgraces the office of president every single day,” she said. “I know what’s broken. I will fight to fix it.”

Sanders concurred with Warren regarding Trump’s character.

“We have to take on Trump’s racism, sexism, xenophobia.”

Warren also dismissed the ideas of resisting proposing big-government ideas, saying “we should stop using Republican talking points.”

Both Sanders and Warren support a Medicare for-all plan that would require people to give up their employer-provided, private health insurance plans. Some 150 million people receive their medical benefits through their jobs.

But many of the moderate politicians took called for less drastic options. They called for strengthening the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare after the former president, Barack Obama. Many of them called for adding a public option, shorthand for government health care.

Klobuchar said the public option “is the easiest way to move forward quickly” on improving health care affordability and access.

The ACA originally included a public option when proposed in 2009, but was ultimately scuttled after some moderate Democrats, such as former Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Nebraska), objected to it.

But Sanders said Medicare in its current form isn’t comprehensive enough and Medicare-for–All would cover things like hearing aids, dental, and vision.

When Ohio Congressman Tim Ryan — who is against Medicare-for-All but supports offering Medicare to people as young as 50– said to Sanders that the senator doesn’t know for sure if  Medicare for All would cover these things, Sanders snapped, “I do know that … I wrote the damn bill.

Neither Sanders or Warren would respond directly if taxes would increase on middle class resident o provide universal health care.

Warren said there would lower out of pocket costs and Sanders said there would no longer be no deductibles or premiums. Medicare for All would save some $500 billion a year, mostly due to streamlined administrative costs.

Immigration policy

Both Sanders and Warren called for decriminalizing illegal  border crossings in the Southern Border.

“In my view they’re not criminals,” Sanders said about the aliens. “They’re people  fleeing violence (from the Northern Triad countries of Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador).” 

He also called for rebuilding those nations and providing health care and education to undocumented immigrants. He said that policy will not encourage more illegal border crossings because there will be strong border protections.

Sanders also called for adding more administrative judges.

Warren called for a pathway to citizenship.

Gun Control and Gun Violence

Many of the candidates called for background checks, smaller magazine capacities, red-flagging certain individuals from obtaining firearms, and standing up to the National Rifle Association.

Klobuchar, for one, said Trump folded to the NRA even after telling her and other members of Congress he would support background checks.

This past week, there were three mass shootings, including one at a food festival in Gilroy, California, that killed a 6-year-old boy, among others.

Trade Policy

Delaney attacked Sanders and Warren for not signing on to the Trans-Pacific Partnership Act, which Obama supported. He called Warren’s trade policies “extreme” that risk isolating the United States.

But Warren said too many past trade pacts have benefitted multinational companies and countries selling products to the U.S. often had poor policies concerning working conditions, the environment , among other areas.

Most of the candidates said the tariffs issued by Trump on various goods from countries like China have been counterproductive.

“Tariff wars don’t work,” said Hickenlooper. “They’re for losers.”

Other highlights of the debate included:

*Marianne Williamson and former Texas Congressman Beto O’Rourke calling for reparations, not just a commission to study the idea

*Mayor Pete Buttigieg called for unionization of gig workers

*Warren called for student loan forgiveness and free college which would be supported by the implementation of her “wealth tax” on people with a net worth at least $50 million

*Ryan called for a chief manufacturing officer that would look into creating more jobs in the electric car industry, especially given that many traditional auto plants are shutting down.

*Both Hickenlooper and Delanay slammed the “Green New Deal” as unrealistic, especially the provision that calls for providing government jobs to whoever who wants one.

Hillary Clinton starts the quest to presidential nomination with new memior

As part of a tour to promote her new memoir, “Hard Choices,” former First Lady and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton — widely seen as the front-runner for the 2016 Democratic Presidential nomination — sat down with ABC News journalist Diane Sawyer in which she defended her record, remained coy about running for the nation’s highest job and one who takes the high road when it comes to adultery and sexist remarks made by world leaders.

She also defended her health, which became a major issue after suffering a concussion. Former President George W. Bush’s adviser Karl Rove particularly made a hay out of it, questioning her judgment and linking her poor decision-making, in his opinion anyway, to that injury. Clinton came back with a retort at Rove: “he was called “Bush’s brain…and I wish him well.” While she’s fully recovered, Clinton admitted she has to take blood-thinners daily.

Lately her record – or perhaps lack of – as secretary of state has been scrutinized as one where much had not been accomplished and, if anything, the world is a more unsettled place.

About the one record that was notable and unquestionable was her extensive travel: 1 million miles and 112 nations. But Clinton said there’s far more to her record of accomplishment, such as fighting for tougher sanctions on Iran, which she said had brought them to the proverbial table. Also, she had also called for the strike in a rural Pakistani village that ultimately led to the killing of terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden. She pointed out that Vice President Joseph Biden and former Defense Secretary Bob Gates opposed going in.

While readily admitting that she hadn’t inspired the creation of some new doctrine, Clton said results for world peace and security rarely are so clear-cut.

“There’s no perfect outcome. It’s a constant effort.”

Benghazi

Perhaps the biggest lightening rod of an issue for Clinton is her handling of the security, or lack thereof, that lead to the deaths of four Americans – including Ambassador Chris Stevens – in the town of Benghazi in Libya, which had just seen its first taste of freedom following the overthrow of longtime dictator Muammar Qaddafi. Republicans have repeatedly questioned her judgment on this issue, especially given that that cables were sent about the month before the Sept. 11, 2012 attack about insufficient security. A subsequent investigation by a federal review board found the security surrounding the outpost to be inadequate, which included an incomplete fence and inoperable security cameras.

At the time, she said she believed she did everything in her power to address the issue, even though she admitted she didn’t personally read the cables regarding the security situation, nor did she plan out the security situation. She said she is not in a position to micromanage security situations, leaving that to others.

“I’m not equipped to look at blueprints,” she said. “I was not making security decisions. The experience and expertise lies elsewhere.” She said it was unfortunate some lawmakers were “politicizing this at the expense of four dead Americans.”

Despite the brutal criticism from many Republicans, at least one Republican has praised her work: Gates himself. In his book, “Duty,” which largely slammed President Barack Obama’s leadership, Gates wrote about Clinton, “I found her smart, idealistic but pragmatic, tough-minded, indefatigable, funny, a very valuable colleague, and a superb representative of the United States all over the world.”

On personal matters, such as former White House intern Monica Lewinsky, who had an affair with the former president in the late 1990s, and a sexist remark Russia’s President Vladimir Putin made about her after she compared him to Hitler (“Better to not argue with a woman”), Clinton decided to take the high road. About Lewinsky, she said she wishes her well, and about Putin, there’s agreement to disagree.