Mike Bloomberg, three-time mayor of New York City, was not on the Democratic debate stage last night, but his senior advisor Tim O'Brien told Cheddar Friday that Bloomberg's time governing a major metropolis will help him moving forward.
"He has a long list of policy prescriptions that are not only promises but are based on the fact that he's governed and delivered on solutions to voters in the past," he said.
Bloomberg, whom O'Brien said is "nipping at Pete Buttigieg's heels," did not qualify for last night's debate because his campaign is self-funded. He is relying on a different approach in what he hopes is his path to success, already outspending his Democratic opponents on television and online ads.
The candidate has spent at least $24 million on Google and Facebook already, nearly matching President Trump's $31.6 million in ad spending on the platforms this year.
The other 2020 Democratic candidates have also sparred over the subject of experience, and the sixth Democratic debate last night was no different. Senator Amy Klobuchar challenged Mayor Pete Buttigieg for the South Bend mayor's lack of time spent in national governance.
"The last time we debated, you, basically, mocked the 100 years of experience on the stage," Klobuchar told Buttigieg. "I just think you should respect our experience when you look at how you evaluate someone who can get things done."
Alex Ward, National Security Reporter at Politico, joined Wake Up With Cheddar to discuss the latest in a looming international threat as Russia continues aggression against Ukraine, in defiance of Western nations.
The recent Virginia and New Jersey elections are making one trend line pretty clear: voters in this climate will vote on education, and it could be a winning tactic for Republicans.
Virginia's race for governor was defined by, as the Republican candidate and eventual winner described it, "school-choice." Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is taking a page out of Governor Youngkin's playbook for his upcoming reelection bid, over-indexing on themes of education. John Kennedy, Florida capital reporter at Gannett, joins Cheddar News to discuss.
North Korea launched its sixth missile test this month, equaling the total number performed in all of 2021. Cheddar News speaks with Bruce Klinger of the Heritage Foundation on why the regime is suddenly ramping up its weapons testing program.
More than 80 lawmakers are calling for President Biden to release a memo outlining the legal pros and cons regarding the president's authority to cancel student loan debt, the total of which sits around $1.75 trillion. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.), joined Cheddar to discuss the memo and support the push to forgive student debt that could potentially have a massive positive impact on the U.S. economy. "I think that would be really helpful for all of us to be able to see as we figure out how we can go forward," she said. "It seems like a simple thing to do, and I hope that the administration will release this memo." For her part, Sen. Smith said she believes the president does have the authority to abolish student loan debt.
Dr. Celeste González de Bustamante, professor and director of the Center for Border and Global Journalism at the Univerity of Arizona, and Dr. Jeannine E. Relly, professor and director of Global Initiatives at the Center for Border and Global Journalism at the University of Arizona, join Cheddar News to discuss the recent journalist killings in Mexico.
Joe Kennedy III, a former congressman and co-founder of Give Us the Ballot, joined Cheddar News to discuss voting protections in the United States and how his campaign is aiming to fix the issue of voter suppression. "Yes, redistricting is critical — Give Us the Ballot though recognizes it's 'redistricting, and —', because voting rights has an implication for every single election at every single level: school board, mayor, city council, House of Representatives, Senate, president," he said. Kennedy also gave his thoughts about the retirement of Justice Stephen Breyer.
