Liberal journalists are worried. CBS This Morning on Tuesday continued the onslaught against Howard Schultz and his potential 2020 independent bid. Upset that the former Starbucks CEO could split the liberal vote and re-elect Donald Trump, the show’s hosts played a clip of a heckler calling him an “a**hole” and wondered if would reconsider the campaign.
While he was sitting right next to the journalists for an interview, Bianna Golodryga showed him a clip of a man screaming, “Don’t help elect Trump, you egotistical, billionaire [bleep]!” (CNN also did this to Schultz.) Introducing him, she insisted, “Democrats and other critics of President Trump are urging former Starbucks Chairman and CEO Howard Schultz to reconsider his potential plans for 2020.” Of course, "critics" seems to be code for many journalists.
Continuing the pile on, Golodryga added, “…Former New York City mayor and potential Democratic candidate Michael Bloomberg issued a blunt statement, saying, ‘In 2020 the great likelihood is that an independent would split the anti-Trump vote and end up reelecting the president. That is a risk I refuse to run in 2016 and we can't afford to run it now.’”
Again, all of this was in the introduction. Schultz hadn’t even spoke yet. Golodryga then wondered if Schultz might reconsider: “It’s safe to say that the response to even a potential run as an independent has not been muted. What have you learned in the past 48 hours? Have you changed your mind in any way shape or form?”
Co-host Norah O’Donnell practically pleaded with the former coffee executive: “If you think you have a winning message, why not have that debate within the Democratic Party of which you were a member up until recently?”
Sounding like a broken record, co-host John Dickerson lectured, “Before [voters] can hear the argument you tried to make, they want to get over that hurdle which is to say not have Donald Trump. They see you as an impediment to that. Not as a furtherance of that.”
On Monday night, all three networks panicked about Schultz reelecting Trump. On Sunday night, 60 Minutes kicked off the freak out by starting the worry about the businessman. For a montage of journalists melting down, go here.
A partial transcript is below. Click “expand” to read more:
CBS This Morning
1/29/19
8:03:50 to 8:11:50
BIANNA GOLODRYGA: Democrats and other critics of President Trump are urging former Starbucks Chairman and CEO Howard Schultz to reconsider his potential plans for 2020. Schultz announced Sunday on 60 Minutes that he is seriously considering an independent run for president. In response, former New York City mayor and potential Democratic candidate Michael Bloomberg issued a blunt statement saying, “In 2020 the great likelihood is that an independent would split the anti-Trump vote and end up reelecting the president. That is a risk I refuse to run in 2016 and we can't afford to run it now.” At an event for his new book last night, Schultz faced hecklers criticizing his potential run.
[Clip from Schultz at a book event.]
HOWARD SCHULTZ: I am seriously considering running for president as a centrist independent. And I wanted to clarify the word independent which I view merely as a designation on the ballot.
HECKLER: Don’t help elect Trump, you egotistical, billionaire [bleep]!
GOLODRYGA: Schultz' book is called From the Ground Up: A journey to reimagine the Promise of America. And Howard Schultz is joining us at the table this morning. Welcome.
HOWARD SCHULTZ: Glad to be here.
GOLODRYGA: It’s safe to say that the response to even a potential run as an independent has not been muted. What have you learned in the past 48 hours? Have you changed your mind in any way shape or form?
SCHULTZ: I must be doing something right to garner this much attention and this much interest.
…
JOHN DICKERSON: It seems like you have a hurdle which is that there is a recent Marist poll that says 57% of the country would like to vote for somebody other than Donald Trump.
SCHULTZ: Yes.
DICKERSON: Before they can hear the argument you tried to make, they want to get over that hurdle which is to say not have Donald Trump. They see you as an impediment to that. Not as a furtherance of that.
SCHULTZ: I think it is a false narrative. I think Republicans are looking for a home. If Republicans have a choice between a far left liberal progressive candidate on the democratic side or President Trump, president trump is going to get reelected.
…
NORAH O’DONNELL: Howard, you compared Democrats' proposal to universal health care akin to a border wall on 60 Minutes. Is that what you mean?
…
O’DONNELL: If you think you have a winning message, why not have that debate within the Democratic Party of which you were a member up until recently?
…
O’DONNELL: Howard, you know that the President is not not elected by popular vote.
Yes.
O’DONNELL: It's electoral college.
SCHULTZ: Yes.
O’DONNELL: You know the last independent who won electoral college vote was? George Wallace in 1968. The system is stacked against anyone trying to get electoral votes. What state could you get electoral votes from in a winner take all primary?
SCHULTZ: Not only is it stacked, but the RNC and DNC do everything possible to prevent an independent person from running. That is un-American.
O’DONNELL: You can't beat the system, can you?
…
