***UPDATE*** BREAKING: It's OFFICIAL, Bloomberg will run for president under these conditions...

[Babel_17]

43. I think this is going to get a horrible reaction

The Republican base will despise what they'll see as condescension, and supporters of Sanders, and many other Democrats, will be appalled by the implied disrespect and/or arrogance.

Clinton supporters might eventually come to recoil from the connotations of her being seen as A-OK by Bloomberg.

Let's see if Bloomberg is insightful enough to know that he has to court the press, and has the skills a candidate such as he needs to do that well.

Ross Perot had much more amenable ground to grow his bid in. He ran against a Republican party establishment candidate, not an outlaw, and a Democratic candidate who came from nowhere, and was more technocrat/policy wonk than candidate with fire in his belly. (though President Clinton did show he wasn't lacking in fervor)

The level of derision Bloomberg will get on social media will be covered by the press, and he'll have to have a great response for the question of why people should support a third party candidate.

Republicans will panic at the idea of Bloomberg hurting them down ticket. Democrats will freak at the idea of having to get access from Bloomberg if he wins. He's a disruptor, and while Democratic underdogs could possibly win office because of a Bloomberg campaign, other Democrats, office holders, could suffer an unexpected defeat.

At the end of the day though his campaign would mean an opportunity for us. The greater the voter interest, the more our party platform is heard. Having informed voters is our best asset..