That's how the times are changing: Michael Bloomberg, ex-mayor of New York, officially announces his candidacy for the office of president - and America only acknowledges the news with a shrug. So what?
He wanted to defeat Donald Trump and rebuild the country, Bloomberg said in a message. "I'm a problem solver, not a gossip, I'm ready to fight - and win."
In the pre-Trump era, this news would probably have dominated the headlines and major talk shows for days, today it still runs in the big total noise between impeachment dispute and Trump's daily Twitter tirades anyway.
The professional political observers are already in agreement: Bloomberg will have a hard time in the field of democratic candidates. Some analysts say he is too old at 77 to convince the democratic base. For the others, he is too little left or just too rich. There are also divided opinions about his record as mayor. "Bloomberg faces enormous obstacles in his candidacy," the New York Times summarizes the general mood.
And yet: It is just as possible that all the supposed experts are once again wrong, just like Trump once, in the election in 2016, hardly anyone has credited the success.
Advertising spots for $ 35 million
One thing is certain: Bloomberg enters the race for the White House late. But if someone has the strength and financial resources to roll the field from the back, it's probably him. With a total fortune of fairytale $ 54 billion, Bloomberg has the largest election fund in US history - not only outclassing its Democratic competitors but also Donald Trump.
In the US, money continues to be one of the key factors in a successful presidential campaign. With its financial resources, Bloomberg can easily hire a whole army of professional advisers and other election aides. Already, he has reserved $ 35 million in TV ad campaign time and $ 100 million for anti-Trump social media ads. That's probably just the beginning. Bloomberg has no fixed election campaign budget, one of his advisors makes clear. He will simply spend what "is necessary to beat Trump".
But first, Bloomberg has to win the democratic base in the primaries. His goal is to present himself to the party supporters as the only candidate who would really be able to stand against Trump. He insists that there are enough Democrats who are not really satisfied with the current candidate field. Bloomberg is almost a "new offer," say his advisers.
Nervousness in the party
In fact, a bit of uncertainty is spreading among the Democrats a good two months before the start of the first primaries in Iowa and New Hampshire. The big impeachment investigation against Trump does not really want to ignite the electorate, and some polls indicate that virtually all previous candidates may have problems surviving in important key states in the presidential election against the incumbent. Ex-vice-president Joe Biden seems to many drivers to driving, Pete Buttigieg is considered at 37 years as too inexperienced; and the two favorites of the left, Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, could scare off Americans from the middle of the political spectrum with their sometimes radical reform plans. Sanders made clear on Sunday what he thinks of the new competitor.
So Bloomberg tries to recommend as a moderate compromise candidate. His content offer is a kind of remix of various democratic positions. In a first campaign spot, he promotes a decisive fight for climate protection and for a higher taxation of the rich; He promises a fairer health care system and at the same time refers to his many years of experience as an entrepreneur and mayor. "I can win and lead," he says.
We can not afford four more years of President Trump's reckless and unethical actions.
The stakes could not be higher.
We must win this election.
And we must begin rebuilding America. https://t.co/W6P9uaCyqN
Is that enough to convince the party base of the Democrats? As things stand, Bloomberg apparently wants to skip the first primaries more or less and only properly enter the race for the so-called "Super Tuesday" on 3 March. Then the base in major states like Texas and California will vote on the party's presidential candidate.
The idea behind this strategy is clear: Bloomberg obviously expects that no clear favorite will emerge from the applicant field until Super Tuesday. He therefore wants to bombard California especially with advertising. If he then manages to catch up with the top group in one fell swoop by winning Super Tuesday, he would automatically be in the running - and possibly take with him the famous "momentum" needed to be successful in other countries as well ,
It's an all-or-nothing strategy.