The former New York mayor had absolutely nothing to offer beyond what President Trump has already done on the coronavirus. But he did film his expensive commercial in front of a set that was modeled on the Oval Office, apparently intending to suggest to viewers that he has presidential gravitas. Others call it presidential cosplay.



Video screen grab.

Never forget that campaign consultants get a percentage of the cost of TV ads when a candidate buys the airtime. Mike Bloomberg's consultants must have made ton of money after talking him into buying three full minutes on two broadcast networks last night for the ad, which is embedded below and whose script is has nothing to offer except his claim that he would be prepared better, and the implication that President Trump was not prepared.

As for that claim to be so excellent on planning, consider what veteran New York Times reporter Clyde Haberman wrote about Bloomberg's response to Hurricane Sandy that devastated New York City:

"[A]ny mayor would have done what he did in the crisis. So why give him credit?" Does that sound harsh? It does to our own ears. But we're simply applying the same standard that Mr. Bloomberg uses for other leaders[.] ... In an eyebrow-arching exchange, the mayor was asked if President Obama deserved credit for ordering the raid that killed Osama bin Laden last year." [snip] "So as eager as we are to credit Mr. Bloomberg for his calm handling of preparations for Hurricane Sandy, it's hard to see how to do so and stay true to the test of leadership that he himself set."