Howard Schultz revels in the Democratic backlash against his presidential ambitions

(Image credit: Spencer Platt / Getty Images)

published 30 January 2019

Potential 2020 candidate Howard Schultz thinks the Democratic backlash he has received this week is actually good.

The former Starbucks CEO went on Morning Joe Wednesday days after saying he is "seriously considering" running for president as an independent candidate, which sparked fierce criticism from those on the left who fear he would simply be siphoning votes from the Democratic candidate and helping President Trump win a second term. Since Schultz joined Twitter, every single one of his posts has been "ratioed," a term that refers to a controversial tweet receiving more replies than it does likes.

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When asked why he doesn't simply run as a Democrat, Schultz said he believes the party has gone too far to the left. But he argued he really can win as an independent, saying he has "done the work" and "can get to 270" electoral votes to claim victory. He also said that the notion that he will simply help Trump get re-elected with his candidacy is "not true." Watch Schultz's comments below. Brendan Morrow

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Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.

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