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Michael Bloomberg Reconsiders Decision Not To Run In 2020 A possible late entry into the Democratic primary by Michael Bloomberg less than three months before the Iowa caucuses would shake up the still-crowded field.

Politics

< Former New York Mayor Bloomberg Reopens Door To 2020 Presidential Run

Former New York Mayor Bloomberg Reopens Door To 2020 Presidential Run

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NOEL KING, HOST:

A one-time politician might be looking for a comeback. Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is thinking about running for president. NPR's Scott Detrow has the story.

SCOTT DETROW, BYLINE: Bloomberg has weighed White House runs before, including earlier this year. After initially deciding against a bid for the presidency, he bluntly told a Bermuda conference why he passed. First, he said he had real concerns about entering the presidency in his late seventies.

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MICHAEL BLOOMBERG: But I think if I thought I could win, I would've. I just couldn't see a path where I could get the nomination.

DETROW: The billionaire has spent millions on top Democratic issues like gun control and climate change and poured millions more into helping Democratic candidates in congressional races. But he shifted from Republican to independent to Democrat over the years and is unapologetically pro-business and pro-tough-on-crime-policies in a climate where many Democratic voters decidedly aren't. That's why Bloomberg was skeptical.

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BLOOMBERG: Unless I was willing to change all my views and go on what CNN called an apology tour.

(LAUGHTER)

BLOOMBERG: Joe Biden went out and apologized for being male, over 50, white.

DETROW: But with populist candidates like Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders polling well and former Vice President Joe Biden seeming at times to struggle, Bloomberg is now reassessing. The New York Times reported that Bloomberg has campaign staffers gathering signatures in Alabama. The state's filing deadline to get on the primary ballot is today. In a statement, a Bloomberg spokesman says, we need to ensure that Trump is defeated. But Mike is increasingly concerned that the current field of candidates is not well-positioned to do that.

Warren and Sanders appear eager for another billionaire foil. In response to the news, Warren sent a message to Bloomberg on Twitter linking to a calculator he could use to see how much her proposed wealth tax would cost him. Scott Detrow, NPR News, Washington.

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