What went wrong for Michael Bloomberg?
Past policies and scandals came back to haunt the big-spending candidate

Michael Bloomberg has dropped out of the 2020 US presidential race after splashing at least $409m (£313m) of his own money in a bid to become the Democratic Party’s nominee.
Following a tough Super Tuesday, the former mayor of New York said: “Three months ago, I entered the race for president to defeat Donald Trump. Today, I am leaving the race for the same reason.”
Reaction has been dominated by commentary about Bloomberg’s huge campaign budget. “All those hundreds of millions of dollars were spent for a win in American Samoa,” says The Guardian, referring to his only win in an area 6,000 miles from US mainland.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
“In Virginia... 56% of primary voters viewed him unfavourably,” writes the BBC’s Anthony Zurcher. “Hundreds of millions of dollars in slick television adverts and glossy mailers won’t do any good if voters don't trust you.”
Fox News goes in hard, with Greg Gutfeld writing: “Bloomberg spent millions per delegate, all to convince people he was better than Trump. If you see some portly dude with a toupee buying everyone at the bar drinks, you can bet he’s a campaign consultant. Bloomberg’s loss is his new Porsche.”
CNN says Bloomberg’s downfall began at the 19 February debate in Las Vegas. “His support for tough policing tactics as mayor of New York City, along with lewd remarks he’d allegedly made to employees at his company, gave Bloomberg’s opponents ample fodder for attacks,” writes Dan Merica. “And other candidates, led by Elizabeth Warren, seized on it.”
Bloomberg had “dismissed scrutiny of his past treatment of women saying those who’ve stepped forward with allegations of workplace harassment simply ‘didn’t like a joke I told’”, says The Guardian.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise, refreshing and balanced take on the week’s news agenda - try The Week magazine. Start your trial subscription today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
The New York Post blames Bloomberg’s “stony face, ironbound certainty that he is always right and his gargantuan ego”, saying all three were “distilled in that stunning moment during his first debate when the mask slipped and he blurted that he had bought the current Democratic majority in the House”.
Bloomberg has said he will now endorse Joe Biden, who restored his status as favourite on Super Tuesday.
Final word goes to Donald Trump. Taking to Twitter, the US president said: “Mini Mike Bloomberg just ‘quit’ the race for President. I could have told him long ago that he didn’t have what it takes, and he would have saved himself a billion dollars, the real cost.”
-
Russia: already at war with Europe?
Talking Point As Kremlin begins ‘cranking up attacks’ on Ukraine’s European allies, questions about future action remain unanswered
-
Trump declares ‘armed conflict’ with drug cartels
speed read This provides a legal justification for recent lethal military strikes on three alleged drug trafficking boats
-
Supreme Court rules for Fed’s Cook in Trump feud
Speed Read Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook can remain in her role following Trump’s attempts to oust her
-
‘This isn’t just semantics’
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Miami Freedom Tower’s MAGA library squeeze
THE EXPLAINER Plans to place Donald Trump’s presidential library next to an iconic symbol of Florida’s Cuban immigrant community has South Florida divided
-
Judge rules Trump illegally targeted Gaza protesters
Speed Read The Trump administration’s push to arrest and deport international students for supporting Palestine is deemed illegal
-
Trump: US cities should be military ‘training grounds’
Speed Read In a hastily assembled summit, Trump said he wants the military to fight the ‘enemy within’ the US
-
YouTube to pay Trump $22M over Jan. 6 expulsion
Speed Read The president accused the company of censorship following the suspension of accounts post-Capitol riot